𝙴𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚆𝚎𝚎𝚔𝚜

It's been over a month since I moved in with Storm. And it's still as weird as it has been on day one.

Sure, I am starting to get used to him around me at all times. Literally. But it's still odd.

He tries his very best to differentiate his work-harshness to at-home-harshness. It doesn't always work, but I guess I can't expect him to change that.

That's who he is. Storm is grumpy. He speaks in a harsh tone. He snaps and gets annoyed easily. And I'm afraid I'm starting to get used to it.

And he makes an effort trying to teach me how to cook. Every evening, Storm lets me cook under his supervision. I mostly feel like a kindergartener, but it's fun nonetheless. Although he might veto that.

It's been twelve weeks of constant being in touch with this man, and he hasn't smiled once. Not even a little smile. He's always frowning. There are moments in which I think I might see a twitch, but it's so briefly, I never know if I was hallucinating or if it was real.

It's also been a whole month since the press report has gone online. All of my coworkers now think Storm and I have been dating for a whole year before I started to work for him. And the looks I get...

You'd think adults would be more easy-going when it comes to this, but they're not. I'd go as far as to say they're even worse than teenagers.

A week after the announcement, I overheard a group of IT worker talk about how Storm could easily find someone better than me, and that he should. Then they added how it's a shame he's wasting his time, and genes, with me.

It's hurtful. But kind of something I signed up for when I decided to go with Storm's option.

I am being hated on for envious reasons. Not because Storm is particularly nice, or appears to be a warming person. No, because he is ridiculously rich and doesn't look half as bad.

At least I don't have to hide my growing bump. It still doesn't look like anything more but a heavy bloating, yet I love this belly with all my heart. I mean, I am starting to show the evidence to a human I am growing inside of me. That's so completely crazy, and I love it.

"Sierra, this is totally last minute, but I am getting married on Saturday. Nothing big. It's only going to be you as my only bridesmaid," Athena blurts out as she stalks into Storm's office. He's currently in a meeting so she doesn't knock before barging in.

"You're finally doing it?" I shriek, jumping up to my feet. She nods excitedly. "Oh, my God! It's about fucking time!"

"I know right!" She laughs and jumps up and down together with me. "Cody wants Mr. Arrogant as his best man."

"Storm? How so?" Seriously, why?

Athena shrugs. "He thinks it's only logical." Is it though?

"I doubt he would do it," I admit. "Don't think he'd even attend the wedding."

"He will. That man doesn't let you out of his sight. Ever."

I raise my eyebrows at her, waiting until she realises that he is not with us right now, and in fact, left me to myself.

"You're at work. He's in a meeting. You'll be fine. But a wedding is dangerous. Other men could try to hit on you."

I snort. Even if some guy tried to hit on me, I doubt Storm would care much. "You do know Storm and I aren't actually a couple, right?"

"Too bad. You'd kinda be a hot one." She winks. I'd say she's joking, but nothing on her face says she's bemused. She looks serious. "Just ask him to come and I'm sure he would."

Athena takes a seat on Storm's chair, waging the computer mouse to see if his computer would turn on. And when her face lights up from the screen-lighting, her eyes widen in shock.

"Oh, my God," she shrieks. "Sierra, you can't tell me this man wouldn't come to my wedding for you."

I'll admit it, I'm confused. What could she possibly have seen in order to say this?

"Did you know he keeps a copy of your last ultrasound pictures on his desk?" She reaches over and grabs the picture frame that's standing there, perfectly angled for only (him) her to see.

I've never paid the frame too much attention, figured he deserves his privacy. Storm keeps me in his office for my own good, allows me to work in peace, so I should respect him enough not to snoop around.

"Really?" I reach a hand over to Athena, taking the frame from her hands. My jaw almost hits the floor when I look at the framed picture in my hands.

Or more like pictures.

As of now, there are only three sized-down pictures in it. One from every of my ultrasounds... in chronological order. I suppose he'll add another one in a few days then.

Being overwhelmed by the sudden realisation that Storm genuinely does want to be a part of all this, I start to cry.

It's not that I didn't believe him when he mentioned it the million times before. But some part of me still believed he only said all that because he feels responsible for me. Cause he's the reasons I'm in this mess at such a young age.

"Aw, hormones suck," Athena chuckles then proceeds to give me this fake-pitying look I used to give her five years ago. "The wedding will have a dress code," she informs me.

"Figured. So, what should I wear?" Might have to go shopping for a new dress. It's not that I don't fit into mine anymore, I'm sure they'd still fit somehow... but they're getting tighter. Okay, maybe there are a few that don't fit me anymore.

She hums, thinking about it very carefully. "Something sexy," she says. "And it has to be white."

"White?" I repeat to make sure she meant to say that. "As in, the colour of the bride?"

Athena shrugs, unbothered. "I'll get married in another colour. I want all of my guests to wear white."

Okay?

"Man, it's so upsetting that I don't have a billionaire boyfriend. Imagine being able to pull off an elegant black themed wedding. Black dress, black cake with gold accents, black marble flooring..."

"Is the floor that important for a wedding?" I ask, suppressing the urge to laugh. Honestly, I never thought about what the floor should look like on my wedding. Not that it ever mattered to me either.

To be fair, I also never thought I'd get married. Still don't think I ever will. It's safer to be by myself.

"Super important. Imagine having a pink floor when it's a black themed wedding. Unacceptable." Athena crosses her arms in front of her chest. "Okay. So my guests will all be in white dresses or suits, and Cody and I will be dressed in black."

"If that's what you want." I smile at her brightly. Weddings are exciting. Well, this is the first wedding ever that I'm attending, so maybe that's why.

"Now, tell me, how's your pregnancy going?" Athena lays her hands down on her thighs, waiting patiently for some information.

And so I provide her some. Mainly everything about my body hurting. How my donuts craving is getting worse. How I feel like I'm always eating. I even confide in her about my sudden advanced horniness.

"I hated that," she tells me. "And your brother was too afraid to 'hurt the baby' so I had to suffer."

My face scrunches up in disgust. If there's one thing I do not want to hear about, it's my brother's sex-life. Groaning, I say, "I, too, have to suffer."

Athena shakes her head, disagreeing. "You, my dear, you have a hot billionaire CEO at home. I bet he'd get you off good if you asked him to."

"He's not that hot." But he really is. And it's truly a shame I don't like to be touched by men.

And it seems as though Athena can read my thoughts, because she says, "you've let him rail you before. Drunk or not, there must have been some attraction and trust on your part, Sierra. You've never fucked a stranger, even when you were drunk."

Well, technically, I have never fucked anyone. But I don't tell her that.

She stands up from the chair, slowly making her way over to the door, ready to leave. "No bachelorette party, don't have the time for that. Cody and I might come over to Mr. Arrogant's so they can get to know one another better. How about Thursday?"

I don't get to respond before Athena adds, "Perfect. Thursday it is", and leaves.

Only a minute passes until the door opens up again, but this time it's Storm walking in, not Athena.

He looks at me, eyebrows drawing together as they switch from my hands to my eyes. At least he doesn't comment on it. I believe he thinks I've been snooping around. Instead of having to explain Athena's more-or-less rudeness, I'll go with me snooping.

He'd for sure fire Athena. But I, on the other hand, I have a safe job here. At least until this baby is born and I still live with the boss himself.

"We've been invited to a wedding," I tell him as he takes a seat across from me. But he doesn't so much to react to my words. "My brothers wedding," I add.

"Okay."

Okay? "I'm not sure why Athena would really want you there. She knows we're not an actual couple, so there would be no need forcing us to go there together."

"Other people would get suspicious if you went by yourself," he says, sounding as cold and boss-like as usual. Maybe he is right. She sure would invite some of our colleagues.

"She invited herself over for Thursday, wants you and Cody to bond because you'll be his best man."

I expect Storm to jump up from his seat and march out of the room to go yell at my best friend, but what he does instead surprises me. Storm nods, accepting my brother and Athena coming over to his house. Accepting to be my brother's best man.

Storm goes back to his work, doing whatever he does all day. And I really don't want to keep talking to him, but I know he wants to know of wherever I go. He told me it's for safety reasons, in case I am lost or whatever, he'll know where to find me.

"I have to go dress shopping," I speak quietly. He nods dismissively. "Do you own a white suit?" Another nod. "Great. Cause Athena wants her guests to dress in white." And I'm hit with another nod.

I sigh. I guess he's not really in the mood to talk today. He's been this amount of cold and dismissive all day already.

"I'll call an Uber to get home. I don't feel very well."

That must get his attention. Suddenly, his head snaps towards me, looking me up and down. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm just tired, my headache is killing me and my whole body is sore." I hold a hand to my stomach, gently stroking over it. Instantly, his gaze falls to the hand on my belly...and stays there.

His forehead creases lightly. "Do you need to see a doctor?"

It's kind of adorable how worried he gets when it's about my well-being. Though, I suppose it's only because he is worried for the baby. "It's normal, Storm. My body is changing."

He nods again, his eyes still focused on my belly.

"Oh, you know," I begin as I turn off my computer. "I start to feel the baby move. Well, it's more like a fluttering feeling, but when I googled this symptom, it said it's the baby."

"Anything else?"

I really didn't plan on telling him, but ever since Athena mentioned it, I'm curious to see how he'd react. "I'm horny like all the time."

Storm's eyes snap up to mine, blinking only. I can hear his sharp intake of breath, not quite a gasp but close to it. He clears his throat a couple of times, but still doesn't seem to find words.

It takes a lot of strength to keep my laughter from bursting out of me. I've never seen Storm this startled, this confused and shocked.

"What am I going to do about that, Atlas? It's so tiring. I'm never satisfied, no matter how often I try to help myself, and that's so annoying." Maybe I'm pressing too much for a reaction, but it's totally worth it.

Storm closes his eyes and presses his lips into a thin line, tilting his head back. "Fuck," I hear him mutter under his breath...I think. He speaks too quietly for me to be sure. "It does sound annoying."

I hum, agreeing. His eyes are back on me, though I think he's more staring at my breasts than anywhere else. They're larger now. Definitely not the same size he remembers. That is, if he does remember them.