The day had barely stretched its limbs when Ian pulled up outside Bianca's building, the black SUV sleek and waiting like a patient panther. A moment later, the lobby door burst open and out came Adrian and Isabel—twin whirlwinds of excitement and wonder.
"Daddy!" Isabel shouted, her curls bouncing as she ran straight into his arms. Adrian followed a second later, less theatrical but no less affectionate, giving Ian a proud, firm hug that made his throat tighten.
Ian crouched down and wrapped them both in his arms. "Good morning, my champions. Ready for an adventure?"
Adrian's face lit up. "Are we really going to the big mall?"
"And can I have strawberry ice cream for breakfast?" Isabel piped in, eyes wide.
Ian chuckled. "I'll allow it. Just this once."
They piled into the SUV, chattering all the way to Manhattan's most luxurious mall. Ian had cleared his schedule, ignored his phone, and instructed his assistant to only call if the building was on fire—and even then, only if there wasn't a sprinkler system.
Today was about them. Not about shareholders. Not about scandal. Just fatherhood.
—
They hit every child's dream destination—FAO Schwarz, the indoor mini-zoo, a LEGO heaven that nearly gave Adrian a heart attack, and an artisanal ice cream boutique where Isabel tried four flavors before settling on a swirl of strawberry-mango with glittering edible stars.
But Ian had one more surprise.
As they finished their cones, Ian knelt beside them. "So… I've been working on something."
Adrian tilted his head. "What is it?"
"I've been fixing up my house. And I thought—well—if you're going to be visiting more, maybe you'd want your own rooms."
Isabel gasped. "Like a whole room just for me?"
"With your own bed. And toys. And anything you want on the walls."
"Unicorns!" she exclaimed.
"Planets and rockets!" Adrian shouted.
Ian laughed, and just then, a woman with a sleek iPad and measuring tape approached. "Hi there. I'm Cassie, your interior designer. You must be Adrian and Isabel."
Adrian looked at Ian suspiciously. "You brought a designer?"
"Of course," Ian said, smiling. "I want your rooms to be perfect."
They spent over an hour with Cassie, who took notes on everything from Isabel's obsession with pink chandeliers to Adrian's desire for glow-in-the-dark constellations. Ian let them lead, only stepping in when Isabel tried to request a real pony.
By the time they left the mall, the twins were babbling with excitement.
"This is the best day ever," Adrian whispered, holding Ian's hand in the car. Ian gave it a squeeze.
"You haven't even seen the surprise dinner yet," he whispered back.
—
At Ian's townhouse, the real magic awaited. Cassie had sent her crew earlier that week, and the entryway was subtly rebranded. The living room now had a corner reading nook with beanbags and a little chalkboard that read "Welcome Home Adrian and Isabel." Upstairs, their rooms had been painted and partially set up—Adrian's in deep navy blue with rocket decals, Isabel's with a pastel-pink castle mural.
But Ian stopped them at the door.
"No peeking until dinner," he grinned.
They groaned in unison.
"Fine," Isabel huffed, folding her arms with a dramatic flair worthy of an Oscar. "But only because I'm hungry."
—
Meanwhile, back at Bianca's apartment...
She had just finished reviewing sketches for the summer line of RosePetal Couture when there was a knock at the door. Becky was out meeting with PR reps, and the twins were still with Ian. She wasn't expecting anyone.
Bianca opened the door.
And froze.
"James."
He stood there, uninvited and unapologetic, dressed in an expensive suit that was trying too hard and wearing that signature smirk—the one that used to charm board members but now made her skin crawl.
"Bianca," he said smoothly, stepping past her before she could protest. "You're a hard woman to find these days."
She closed the door slowly, already bracing herself. "You flew to New York. Why?"
James turned, eyes gleaming with that predatory charm. "Because I made a mistake."
She folded her arms. "You made a lot of those."
He approached her, voice lowered as if it gave his lies more weight. "I shouldn't have tried to marry you without your consent. I see that now."
She stared at him. "Do you?"
"I do," he said, placing a hand over his heart like a parody of sincerity. "And I'm willing to wait now. For you to fall in love with me."
Her laugh was dry and quick. "You think that's what this is about? Love?"
James's gaze darkened just slightly. "Don't you see it? You and I—we're perfect together. We could rule industries, Bianca. We could be a power couple the world would envy."
"I'm not interested in power plays, James. Not anymore."
His jaw tightened. "You were once."
"I was once a lot of things."
They stood in tense silence until her phone, which was lying face-up on the kitchen island, lit up and buzzed.
They both looked at it.
Ian Stone.
James's nostrils flared, but he said nothing. Bianca calmly picked up the phone and answered it without putting it on speaker.
"Hey darling," she said, smiling automatically as she heard her daughter's voice.
"Mama!" Isabel chirped. "Can you come over now? Please? We made a surprise for you. Me and Adrian and Daddy."
Bianca softened. "A surprise?"
"Yes! But you have to come quick before Adrian eats it!"
She laughed. "Alright, I'll be there soon. I love you."
"Love you too!"
She hung up and placed the phone back on the table like it weighed nothing. But when she turned around, James looked like a thundercloud in a three-piece suit.
"You still call him that?" he asked, voice tight.
"She does. I don't."
James's jaw worked visibly, but he didn't explode. His restraint was unsettling.
"I came here to offer you everything," he said quietly. "And you're still playing house with the man who ruined our engagement?"
"No," she said. "I'm building a family with the father of my children. You're the one who treated me like a deal to be closed."
James's eyes flashed. "This isn't over."
"It already is."
She walked to the door, opened it wide, and looked at him pointedly.
He left.
But she knew it wasn't the last time she'd see him.
—
At Ian's house
When Bianca arrived, the scent of rosemary chicken and warm bread filled the air. Isabel answered the door and launched into her arms.
"You're here! You're here!"
"I wouldn't miss this for the world, darling."
She followed Isabel inside to find the dining room transformed. Candles, handmade place cards, and a giant "Welcome Mommy" banner hung above the table. Adrian grinned from his seat, already halfway through a roll.
Ian stepped forward, not in a suit, not in armor—but in a simple black shirt and jeans, his eyes tired but warm.
"Dinner's ready," he said. "Hope you're hungry."
Bianca blinked away the sudden sting in her eyes. "Starving."