The CEO’s Second Choice

Elena

I walk out of Wiltshire Towers with a smile on my face I had just sold my family’s dynasty for a cool six billion, which is currently being donated to various organisations. I know what you’re thinking; I sold my family’s legacy for gain, but in all honesty; I didn’t feel attached to the Wiltshire name. I was never proud to be a Wiltshire heir, not with the way my family always used to treat me.

Yesterday I received the news that Eliana had committed suicide in prison. She left no note behind to indicate why she did it, but I knew. The guilt over what she did to her own sister became unbearable. Eliana was never the tough one. She never needed to be tough for anything and I had a feeling her heart eventually got the better of her.

My sister was never evil she just grew bitter and jaded.

After I left the prison that day, I had Sebastian put steps into motion for us to legally adopt Morgan, Eliana and Robert’s daughter. We were met with some disapproval and resistance from Robert, but eventually, he signed the papers. Sebastian and I have decided to tell her about her parents when she’s older, for now, she thinks I’m her mommy for obvious reasons and that Sebastian was her uncle.

Oddly enough, everything was falling into place for me for a change. I have not returned to Uni even though I was back to walking and my son was old enough. That pull I used to feel before was gone. Literature was still my first love, but it didn’t rule my life like it used to. My children took up most of my time now and I couldn’t ask for anything better.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

***

6 am

It was a crisp Autumn morning when I woke up and headed downstairs for my morning coffee, but the scene before me had me convinced I was still sleeping; Sebastian was downstairs getting the kids ready for daycare.

“Uh… What is going on here?” I ask, gesturing to everything and Sebastian turns his head to look at me, grinning that Jake Gyllenhaal smile I still swoon over. “MOMMY!” Came the voices of Aaron and Morgan through bites of cereal and I walked around planting kisses on their heads. “Uncle Bastian making bweakfis!” Morgan says, shoving another spoonful of cereal into her mouth. She was all spitfire and energy at 5 years old but had Sebastian wrapped around her little finger. I giggle at her answer. “Is that so, love? I wonder what the special occasion could be.” I say and wink at my husband, looking yummier than the pancakes he was currently making.

He shrugs, “No reason, you looked like you needed to sleep in.” He says, and I felt thankful for this. I was feeling a lot more tired lately, and it might have something to do with the kids and their growing energy each day. Luckily they were in daycare now, so things should ease up a bit.

I walk over to Sebastian and wrap my arms around his waist, “Thank you, and good morning,” I say, and he kisses my forehead. “You’re welcome, and I love you too.” This is the best thing to wake up to; the kids talking in their own little language while having breakfast and my husband flipping pancakes. I am sure this is what pure contentment feels like.

“Gooooood morning, family!”

“Uncle Isaac!” Morgan and Aaron say in unison, and he waddles over to them, wrapping them in hugs and planting kisses on their foreheads. Aaron absolutely adored his uncle and I could tell he looked up to him at 3 years old already. Wait, why was my brother here? “Uh, shouldn’t you be in Sweden with Matthew right now?” I ask with a frown, but he only shrugs. “No flights out today, so I’ll be leaving tomorrow evening. One night won’t kill him.” Hmm. Something was going on. First Sebastian early in the kitchen with the kids dressed and eating breakfast, now Isaac showing up.

What exactly did they have planned?

I decide not to mention anything and enjoy breakfast with my family even though the whole thing seems fishy. A few minutes later, Sebastian leaves to drop the kids off at daycare, and Isaac and I walk up the stairs to my bedroom. I could tell something was wrong though, so I pulled him into a hug and he let out a painful sigh. “What’s wrong, hun?” I ask, leading him over to the foot of my bed. He sat down and held his head in his hands. “The adoption fell through again,” he says and this was all I needed to hear. My poor Isaac! He and Matthew were trying so hard to adopt a child, but they kept getting turned away because of their sexuality.

I join him on the bed and wrap my arms around him, just holding him while he lets out his sadness and misery. Even though I offered my help, he refused it and said they needed to do this the right way and without my sway. This was something I could respect, so I did not meddle in his adoption processes. But with every rejection, Isaac was losing more of his spark, and it killed me to see him like this. “Are you certain you do not want my help, love? I hate seeing you like this!” I exclaim and he lets go of my hug, shaking his head. “We’ll succeed, I know we will.” He always says this when I offer my help and I return this comment with a curt nod.

It really did pain me to see him like this. If there was anyone who deserved a happy ending, it was Isaac and Matthew. My brother-in-law was one of the sweetest people you could ever hope to meet. He was also a paediatrician with a practice in the heart of London. Tending to kids came naturally to him and Isaac? Isaac always wanted to adopt children, to show them that someone could love them even if their own parents could not.

“What can I do to help you right now, hmm? How can I bring that gorgeous smile back to your face?” I ask and see him perk up at this. He thinks for a while, then raises his eyebrows and smiles. “Pamper day with some shopping?” He asks, literally hopping up and down on the balls of his feet. Wow! I forget how easily Isaac could be cheered up. Giggling, I nod. “Alright, just give me a few minutes to get dressed then we can head out,” I say and saunter over to my walk-in.

After getting into a warm sweater dress and thigh-high boots, I wrap a double-breasted coat around my body and go out to meet my brother who was lying on my bed. After my legs had healed, I was never comfortable with stiletto heels again, so I usually opted for wedge heels or flats now. These boots were wedge heels, so I felt confident in them at least.

“Ready?” I ask and he jumps up and drags me downstairs! I made him take the Phantom because why go out on a day of pampering without driving around in a luxury car?

We spent the better part of the morning having manicures, pedicures, and massages. I had my makeup done in a warm natural tone and my hair done in thick curls that were pinned up. He had several facials done during my time in the hairdresser’s chair and spoke the poor lady’s ear off. Now we were going shopping, and this was the part I hated the most because Isaac in a mall was hell on wheels.

But surprisingly this part went by quickly. I let him choose a dress for me and he chose a gorgeous cream coloured midi swing dress with a halter neckline. My coat went perfectly with it and he forced me to keep the dress on because he would treat me to a light lunch and mimosas afterwards. This day was turning into a pamper session for me!

“Where are you taking me?” I ask when the way he was taking me looked a little too familiar. “A special place, one with a wonderful memory attached to it.” he says with a smile on his face and continues to stare out of the window. I frown at this and stare out of the window as well, with his words on repeat in my head. A place with a wonderful memory? Where could that possibly be?

My eyes widen when we turn onto a familiar cobblestone path. What… why? “Isaac!” I exclaim when the gates of Wiltshire estate open and we drive inside. No one seemed to be around, and when the Phantom came to a halt in front of the gold doors, I felt my heart sink. The last time I was here was the day of my wedding and I haven’t been back since. Did my mother ever miss me? She never called after I left, so I doubt it very much.

Isaac gets out and walks over to my side of the car, opening my door. He held out his arm, and I linked mine with his as he led me out to the Wiltshire garden. “I am only going along with whatever this is because I love and trust you with all my heart,” I say, trying to guilt-trip him, but all he does is chuckle. “I’m in British Intelligence, tart, you cannot use those tactics on me.” He says, and I pout at this. Well, I can try!

He walks me to the boxwood hedges and when we reach the rose garden, my heart stops; standing there at the end of what looked like a makeshift aisle was Sebastian dressed in a three-piece suit. I looked up at Isaac, who had a small smile on his face and mischief in his eyes as he winked. He then removes something from his coat pocket. “Something old and blue,” he says as he slips my grandmother’s sapphire heirloom necklace around my neck. I glanced up at him incredulously. What was going on here? “Something borrowed,” he continues, clasping the Dumont heirloom bracelet around my wrist and kissing the back of my hand. My brother then looks up at me with a beaming smile. “Your dress is your something new from me. Happy Anniversary.”

The realisation then hits me when I look around; Sebastian got the kids ready and now they are here, dressed in wedding attire and running around. To the left of the aisle was Elijah, who passed me a wink. Where the priest would have stood was Matthew with a baby asleep in his arms. I look up at Isaac again and see the tears brimming in his eyes. “I didn’t want to lie to you about the successful adoption, Elena, but wanted to do this for you. You deserve a better wedding than the one they forced you to have, and this is Sebastian’s gift to you.” He says and wipes his tears away and holds out his arm for me to take. I link my arm with his and walk down the aisle with A Thousand Years by Christina Perri playing softly.

Isaac lets go of my arm, takes my hand and places it in Sebastian’s, “I trust you with her heart and soul. Take care and love her always.” He says, giving me away, the way I wasn’t before. How was I not crying right now? The men who I love more than life itself had planned this, a do-over from my disastrous first wedding. My heart is brimming and my chest ached with unshed tears I knew once this dam broke I would be a real mess.

Sebastian takes my hands in his and kisses them while gazing at me with eyes filled with love and adoration.”What can I say that hasn’t already been said? Elena and Sebastian’s love is one for the ages, one which has persisted through everything that tried to tear them apart and yet here they are, pledging their love once more in front of everyone they deemed family.” Matthew started with what I could assume was a sermon. “Sebastian, I know you have a few words to say to Elena.”

Sebastian nods. “I chose this garden today because this was where I first met the woman who I would grow to love with every fibre in my being. Elena, when I first said these vows to you, they were empty promises to appease our families. I didn’t mean them and I know you didn’t either. But things have changed and now you and our little family mean more to me than life itself, so please allow me a do-over.” He says with a shy smile, then clears his throat. “I, Sebastian Dumont, take you, Elena Wiltshire, to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health I promise to be at your side, to love you and to honour you all the days of my life.”

The dam cracks and everything starts flowing out. I don’t know what to say, what my vows are supposed to be. All I knew right now was that this man in front of me was my entire life and he was once again pledging his life to me, yet I could do nothing but cry. “You don’t have to say anything, my love. This was quite sudden, just know that you deserve a wedding where you are actually surrounded by loved ones and not people looking at you and hoping you trip and fall.” How did he always know the right words to say?

I nod, then he wipes my tears away and pulls me closer to kiss me softly. This was the wedding I wanted nothing flashy and over the top. Just me and my loved ones with me as we pledge our love to one another. I look at everyone congregating around me and smile all these men held a piece of my heart; Sebastian, Elijah, Isaac and Matthew along with our kids Aaron, Morgan, baby Jane and Elijah’s son, Liam. I walked up to them and held them tightly, not saying a word, but they understood my feelings.

Finally, I could breathe a sigh of relief and know this is what true happiness felt like.

***The End***