The Faceless Billionaire Celebrity Wife-Chapter 353: TWO MONTHS LATER

Music Recommendation: Unconditionally by Katy Perry

"Afternoon, Princess. I’m back..." Ethan’s voice was low but steady, carrying a soft warmth as he bent to press a kiss on Shikera’s forehead. His lips lingered for a moment longer than usual before he straightened, his eyes flickering with emotions that even he couldn’t fully untangle.

He moved to the corner of the room, where an hanger was dangling from the wall. As he slipped his shirt off, he unfastened his cuffs, glancing briefly at the mirror mounted on the wall. His reflection stared back at him, a man who carried the weight of hope and grief in equal measure.

The private hospital room had slowly morphed over the past two months into a space that bore Ethan’s mark. What had once been stark and impersonal now resembled a luxurious lounge. A long sofa sat against the far wall, his favorite blanket folded neatly on its edge. A small table held a collection of books and papers, the remnants of the work he couldn’t entirely escape, even here. It was a place where he could stay indefinitely, and he had.

Turning back to Shikera’s bed, he came to stand beside her, his fingers slipping into hers with an ease born of ritual. For the past two months, this had been his routine, his anchor.

"I’ll start with today’s gossip," he said, his voice carrying a casual tone that belied the aching tenderness behind his words. "It might sound like a repeat of the past few weeks, Miss Reporter, but you have to bear with me. I don’t have as much skills as you do in accumulating news," he laughed. "The shares handover ceremony went well, in case you’re wondering. Enoch officially took over my position as CEO today. I insisted on Ruthlyn being there, of course. I wouldn’t trust him alone with a decision that big unless she agrees to continue assisting him."

He chuckled softly, his thumb brushing against Shikera’s knuckles. "Typical, right? She’s always keeping him in check. They’ve delayed their honeymoon once again, by the way. Partly because of you—don’t feel too guilty—and partly because Enoch has a company to run now. While I, on the other hand, am now free."

He paused, letting the moment hang in the air before continuing. "Your dad’s back at Anderson Corp, fully recovered. He’s making moves again, though I think he’s mostly happy to have something to keep him busy."

Ethan shifted slightly, his voice growing softer. "The babies are out of the incubator now. Tiny miracles, they are. Miss Hazel’s gone off to learn everything she can about caring for them. She’ll be back in five months, ready to take over as their nanny because in her words ’she doesn’t want to get fired for being useless’."

A faint smile crossed his lips, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. "Oh, and Kyle? He’s still living across the hall now. Keeps complaining that I make too much noise petting the girls at night. Says it’s bad for his health."

He stopped, his grip on her hand tightening slightly as he leaned closer. "Everything’s moving forward, Kera. The world keeps turning. But none of it matters without you. You need to wake up soon. Your princess duties are piling up."

His voice cracked just slightly on the last word, but he held himself together, unwilling to let the growing ache in his chest take over. Brushing his lips against her knuckles, he closed his eyes for a brief moment, a silent prayer passing through him before he opened them again.

"I’ll be here," he whispered, his words barely audible. "Always. I just need you to open your eyes and see me."

~

The soft hum of the car filled the space between them as Raymond maneuvered through the late afternoon traffic to pick Cyprian up from Preston TV. She stepped into the passenger seat with a tired smile, her hair slightly disheveled from the long day. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Rough day?" he asked as soon as she was settled in her seat, glancing at her briefly before turning his attention back to the road.

"Nothing I couldn’t handle," Cyprian replied, her voice light as she adjusted her seatbelt. "But seeing you at the end of it makes it better."

Raymond’s lips curled into a small smile, but he kept his eyes forward. "Flattery will get you dinner. Maybe dessert." They lived together now. Raymond already bought the penthouse on the top floor of Cyprian’s building as Enoch and Ruthlyn had claimed complete ownership of the back villa completely after their wedding.

They drove in companionable silence for a moment, the city lights flickering past them. Then Cyprian shifted slightly in her seat, her tone softening. "I can’t stop thinking about the girls. Saw them when I went to check on Shikera last night and gosh, they are beautiful!"

Raymond’s grip on the steering wheel tightened, but he said nothing, waiting for her to continue.

"Also... they’re still unnamed," she said, her gaze distant. "It’s like they’re waiting for her to wake up and give them names herself. It’s sweet, but..." She trailed off, her expression troubled.

"But what?" Raymond prompted, his voice low.

Cyprian hesitated, then asked, "Would you do the same? If something like that happened to me—if I couldn’t be there—would you leave our baby unnamed and wait for me?"

Raymond’s jaw tightened, and he turned to her with a sharp glare. "What could ever happen to you, Cyprian? Nothing. Nothing will happen to you."

She flinched slightly at his tone but didn’t back down. "Raymond, it’s not like I want it to happen. But it’s inevitable to think about, isn’t it? I mean, what if—what if I’m in labor one day and something goes wrong? I’d be in a similar state, wouldn’t I?"

Raymond’s silence was deafening. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the wheel, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.

Cyprian sighed softly, her tone gentler now. "I’m not trying to scare you, Ray. I just... I think about these things because I want us to be prepared. Because..." She paused, her voice trembling slightly as she turned to face him. "Because I’m pregnant."

The car swerved slightly as Raymond jerked the wheel in surprise, his wide eyes snapping to hers. "What?"

"I’m pregnant," she repeated, her voice steady despite the nervous flutter in her chest.