Royal Elite Epilogue

AGE TWENTY-EIGHT

It might be ten years overdue, but Aiden finally got punched again. I didn’t do it in front of our wives, because they tend to be soft and have zero tolerance for violence.

While I don’t prefer it either, I wasn’t going to sit still after I learnt about the actual truth of what happened ten years ago.

Aiden staggers to his feet, clutching his nose — that I think is broken, by the way. “What the fuck was that for?”

My fists are still clenched at my sides as I stare him down. We’re at his office after a business meeting with both Jonathan King and Ethan Steel. I was biding my time until they left before I punched him. I figured his father and his father-in-law wouldn’t stand for it while I beat him to a pulp.

Not even the meeting could’ve cooled me down. Ever since I accidentally heard Elsa apologise to Silver, I couldn’t stay still.

“I didn’t know you thought you were pregnant back then.” Elsa’s face paled as she held Silver by the shoulders, her fingers trembling. “Oh my God, I feel so terrible for hitting you. It’s not just about the pregnancy. I don’t even know what came over me at the time. I overreacted, and I’m so sorry. I’m really, really sorry, Silver.”

My wife laughed and rubbed her arm. “I’ve already forgotten about it. You didn’t know. Not like the arsehole Aiden.”

“Aiden knew?” Elsa shrieked and Silver had to shush her, then take her away.

Aiden knew.

He knew that Silver thought she was pregnant and didn’t stop Elsa until after. He didn’t even tell me, knowing I would have stopped Elsa myself.

This selfish bastard knew and did nothing about it.

I’ve always had regrets about that part. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t pregnant. The fact that she was hurt still sits wrong with me. Even if she provoked me before it happened.

Aiden wipes blood from the corner of his mouth. “You fucking bastard. Are you jealous of my face, is that it?”

“You knew.” My voice is calm, despite the utter chaos I’m planning for this fucker.

“That you’re a petty little bitch? Sure.”

“You knew she thought she was pregnant. She confided in you and you let her get beaten.”

He seems to grasp on to what I’m talking about since he pauses wiping his mouth and scoffs. “Confided in me? More like she threatened me.”

“You still knew.”

“Chill, arsehole. She wasn’t pregnant.”

I grab him by the collar of his shirt and stare straight into his soulless eyes. “That’s not the part that matters. You knew and didn’t protect her.”

“Not that it makes a difference, but I did.”

“You did, how? By letting Elsa punch her?”

“By stopping Elsa. I had flashbacks from when her mother used to do that shit. So yeah, maybe I didn’t do it fast enough, but I did it, and if I hadn’t made her leave, I have no clue what Elsa would’ve done or if I could’ve stopped her. She wasn’t herself back then, and you know how Queens doesn’t give up. Besides, why the fuck are you acting high and mighty when you watched her with a bloody smile on your face?” He pushes me away and I release him with a shove.

“I didn’t know.”

“Right, and that magically makes it okay.”

“Shut the fuck up, Aiden, before I break your nose for real.”

His face remains blank as he flips me off. “Hit me again and I’ll ruin your features. I doubt Queens would stay with you then. After all, your looks are the only thing working in your favour.”

I resist the urge to ram his face into the sofa before I leave the office. I’m still agitated during the drive home, and it takes everything in me not to go back and empty my grudge into that fucker.

It doesn’t matter that we’ve been sort of friends for the majority of our lives. He still pisses me off the most.

And yes, I’m still not over the fact that he was Silver’s fiancé first or that he had her first fucking waltz.

By the time I reach home, I have to stop at the threshold to calm my breathing. No matter how chaotic things get, I don’t like bringing that to Silver. It took us so long to finally get married, and even though it’s been a few months since we tied the knot, it feels like only days.

I can’t get enough of the reality that my Butterfly is now my wife, my world, and nothing — and no one — will ever change that.

The thought of her puts a smile on my face. I step into the bedroom, removing my jacket and tie on the way, but there’s no trace of her.

I place my clothes on the chair, and I’m about to head to the piano room, where she spends some of her time, when my feet come to a halt at the sound of heaving coming from the bathroom. I barge inside, grabbing towels on the way.

Sure enough, Silver is kneeling in front of the toilet, emptying her stomach.

I rub soothing circles on her back while holding her blonde hair off her neck so it doesn’t bother her.

“What’s wrong?” I continue stroking her back. “Did you eat something bad?”

She shakes her head without looking at me.

“Then what is it, Silver? Let me take you to the doctor so…” I trail off when she stares up at me, smiling, as tears shine in her eyes.

“I’m pregnant, Cole.”

“You’re…what?”

She reaches inside her bag on the floor and rummages through it. “I thought it was a false alarm at first and didn’t believe the tests. I know I should’ve waited for you to go to the doctor, but I got so excited and I didn’t want to disappoint you too in case it wasn’t real. The next thing I know, I made an appointment and…” she retrieves a sonogram. “I am pregnant, Cole. It’s true this time.”

She places the sonogram in my palm and I stare at the little life pictured there. The baby that Silver has dreamt about since that day ten years ago when we found out it was a false positive.

And because she yearned for it, I wanted it with my whole heart, too. Anything that Silver wants automatically becomes my dream.

“You’re pregnant,” I repeat, staring between her and the sonogram.

She grabs my hand and places it on her stomach. “Our baby is right here, Cole.”

I stroke her hair away from her face, unveiling her ecstatic expression, despite the tired look in her eyes and paleness of her skin.

“It’s finally here.”

“It is.” She kisses my cheek softly before pulling back. “Thank you for giving me this.”

“Thank you for being mine, Butterfly.”

She stands on wobbly feet, hugging me, and I tighten my hold around her as she whispers against my chest, “Always.”