Chapter 29: 28.

The world was quiet, save for the steady rhythm of Tiana’s breathing as she lay in my lap. Her soft curls framed her face, and even unconscious, she looked ethereal. Perfect. Mine.

I ran my fingers gently through her hair, brushing it back as I gazed down at her. “You’re so beautiful,” I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion. “Do you even realize how much you mean to me?”

Her lips parted slightly, but she didn’t stir. The drug was working perfectly. It wasn’t harmful—not really. Just enough to keep her calm, pliable, safe.

“I know you’d be upset with me if you were awake,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple. “But you don’t see the bigger picture, Tiana. You never do. I’m doing this for us, for our future. Because I love you.”

The word *love* felt electric on my tongue, sending a shiver down my spine. I loved her more than anything, more than I thought it was possible to love someone. And yet, people like Jones tried to come between us.

Jones.

I frowned, my hand pausing mid-stroke. She had been a problem, hadn’t she? Always finding little excuses to call Tiana, to linger in her orbit like some lovesick puppy. It was pathetic, really. But I saw through her. I saw the way she looked at my wife.

“You were so sweet, baby,” I said softly, looking down at Tiana again. “When you dropped her call that night, I knew I’d made the right decision. You chose *us*. You always choose us, even when you don’t realize it.”

My free hand tightened into a fist at the memory of Jones’s voice, her desperate attempts to cling to Tiana’s attention. “She doesn't deserve you,” I said through gritted teeth. “She doesn't understand what we have. No one does. That’s why I had to do it. To protect us.”

The tension melted as I looked at Tiana again, her peaceful expression soothing my racing thoughts. “I’ll always protect you, my love,” I murmured, leaning down to press another kiss to her forehead.

I smiled, my mind already moving past the unpleasantness of Jones. There were more important things to focus on now—our future, our family.

“I’ve been thinking about this for so long,” I said, my voice trembling with excitement. “We’re going to have the most beautiful family, Tiana. You’ll see. Two little girls who look just like you, with your gorgeous eyes and perfect smile. They’ll adore you just as much as I do.”

I brushed her cheek with the back of my hand, my touch lingering. “You’ll make such a wonderful mother. I know you will. And I’ll be right there, every step of the way, taking care of all of us.”

The idea of her saying no had crossed my mind—briefly. But I wouldn’t let that happen. I couldn’t.

“That’s why I had to plan this so carefully,” I said, my tone shifting to something more determined. “I was going to talk to you first, of course. Ask you if you were ready. But if you said no…”

I trailed off, my fingers tangling in her curls. “Well, I couldn’t let that stop us, could I? You might not understand now, but you will. Once our family is complete, you’ll see that this was the right thing to do.”

The PFC was ready for us. I’d spoken to them, made all the arrangements. They wouldn’t ask too many questions—not with the money I was paying them. All I needed to do was get her there.

I leaned down, my lips brushing against her ear. “We’re going to start the IVF process tonight,” I whispered. “It’ll be so easy, baby. You won’t even have to think about it. I’ll take care of everything. You’ll wake up, and the hard part will already be over.”

I let out a soft laugh, my fingers tracing her jawline. “You’ll probably be mad at me at first,” I admitted. “But that’s okay. I can handle it. Because I know this is what’s best for us. For you. For our future.”

She stirred slightly in my lap, her lashes fluttering, but the drugs kept her under. I smiled down at her, my heart swelling with affection.

“You don’t need to worry about anything,” I said, my voice as soft and soothing as a lullaby. “I’ll make all the decisions for us, just like I always do. That’s what love is, isn’t it? Taking care of the person you adore, even when they don’t realize they need it.”

I kissed her lips gently, lingering for a moment before pulling back. “This is all in the name of love, my darling,” I said, brushing her hair back one last time. “Everything I do is for you. For us. You’ll understand one day. I promise.”

Lifting her carefully into my arms, I stood and carried her toward the door, my steps steady and confident. Our car was waiting, the route to the PFC already planned.

“We’re going to have a beautiful life,” I whispered, looking down at her peaceful face as I placed her gently into the passenger seat. “And I’ll make sure nothing and no one ever gets in the way of that.”

With one last kiss to her forehead, I closed the door and climbed into the driver’s seat, a serene smile spreading across my face. The future I had envisioned for us was finally within reach.

And nothing would stop me from making it a reality.