S T E F A N

"How's the investigation, Trevor?" I asked the head of my intelligence, both of us, along with Devon were having a meeting on how to deal with Peterson and Oliver's aunt. I can't let go of this easily, knowing how terrified he made my baby. "How did he get in? Did the footage give us some answers?"

Trevor lifted his head from his laptop and sighed. "Generally, it's going well. I have deployed my men to hack and collect every single detail about Peterson, and every single evidence we can gather that will point him as an aggressor."

"And?" No one can blame me for my impatience. I want this case solved and the culprits behind bars so my baby can sleep without worries.

"Regarding Oliver's 'almost' car accident, the mastermind behind that was Elena, Oliver's aunt, and the one who sent threats and ordered to terrorize your baby was her son."

The revelation was to be expected but I can't stop myself from getting livid, clenching my fists on top of my table. What right do they have to inflict fear and pain on Oliver, their blood relative? I will make sure that they will pay for all that they had done to Ollie.

"And with regards to how he got in at the mall," Devon continued, "It seemed like he knows one of the guards and paid him good money so he can slip in undetected in a guard uniform, therefore not arousing suspicions." The hard expression on Devon's face indicated how pissed and mad he was. After all, this man is the epitome of honor and integrity. "Don't worry, I took care of the situation and informed Chris about this development."

I nodded my thanks and we continued to discuss a plan to lure out Elena and his son. "Since we were able to gather some pieces of evidence, it's actually easy to get them arrested. They won't be able to use their resources to get bail." My forehead crinkled and I looked at Trevor with confusion.

"What do you mean?"

He typed something on his laptop and showed me hard data. "It seemed like the money they used to harass Oliver was still Oliver's money, and your dad started to do his part too. He informed the banks about the situation and they started to freeze the accounts of those two. Multiple investors are also pulling out from their business."

Dad, huh? I think I have to express my thanks later. "That's good news, Trevor. But how were they able to access Ollie's money?"

"Specifically, they share 10% of the stocks of the company, and when you think about it, is quite a huge sum, considering how enormous Oliver's company is. Not only that, the inheritance Oliver received from his parents and grandparents is enough to feed a whole country for five years. That's how much Oliver is worth," Trevor answered casually, his tone impressed.

Well, I know my baby is rich, but I just found out how much. "My baby is priceless, Trevor." Trevor rolled his eyes and answered with a 'duh'. Devon just shook his head, a small smile on his lips. "Enough about that. If the investors are pulling out, then that means the empire will get affected too?"

Devon chimed in. "Not exactly. Those investors are loyal to the Pines family. When we said business, we're not referring to the empire. It seemed that Elena and her son has been embezzling funds and were able to establish their own company, spreading that it's a subsidiary of the empire. That's how they were able to attract some investors. Izen and Mara found out about it, and they were able to gather enough evidence to convict them of their crimes, but--"

"Before they can kick out those two, they got into an accident." Both of them nodded and everything clicked. The accidents, the harassments-- all so they can inherit Oliver's massive fortune. A bitter taste flooded my mouth, the disgust and repulse I felt towards Elena and his son so strong, I won't mind letting Devon take care of it.

But I snapped back when I remembered something. "Ollie... does my baby know?" I'm aware of how much my sweet bean blames himself for his parent's accident, and this new information will surely break his heart; the one thing I don't want to inflict on him. I don't want those people to have the ability to hurt my baby any longer, and thankfully, I have people on my side who share my sentiments.

"Just leave everything to us, Stefan. We'll make sure that they won't be able to lift a finger after this," Trevor declared and after tying some loose ends, we ended our meeting.

I feel so exhausted. I need my baby. I want to feel his small hands around me. I want to hear his laughter so he can soothe my unsettled heart. It's times like this where I realized how doomed I am if Ollie chooses to leave me. But I'm way past that phase. Because I know just the same, how Oliver can't live without me.

When I think about how he accepted my spontaneous proposal, I feel like crying. When I asked him later on if he was really okay with it, even if it's not grand for now, he gave me a shaky smile and replied:

'It's not about the venue, daddy. It's about how genuine and sincere you are about asking for my hand in marriage. You could have proposed to me in a barn or any other place, my answer remains the same. It's a yes. Because it's you. That's why.'

Fuck if my heart did not stop at that. It's not about the words, but how he says it. The honesty and goodness in his words always leave me breathless. I leaned into my chair and closed my eyes. It's only nine in the morning but I feel so tired.

Oliver is currently resting in our room, my fault obviously. When he uttered those words, how can I hold myself back? The second round was succeeded by another two rounds, depleting my baby's stamina. But seeing him beg and cry for me just drove me wild, as I make love to him roughly and slowly.

However, the end result was actually disastrous; Oliver got too sore I had to put a hot compress on his lower back and massage his lower body to relieve the pain.

When conscience and guilt started to gnaw my insides, he flicked me in the forehead and smiled, his back on the mattress and his gaze soft and warm: 'Silly daddy. If I didn't enjoy it, I would've asked you to stop. I felt so, so good,' he mumbled with a blush, then giggled softly.

I shook my head furiously to stop my body from heating up. My baby is too sore and I have to rein my libido. I'm not some oversexed teen. Instead, I picked up my phone and smiled when Oliver's smiling face welcomed me, holding a baby's breath, a pink tint on his cheeks.

*********

Flashback: January 25, 2020

I was called to the office for an emergency meeting, something so important that can't be discussed virtually. Sporting a sad expression, my baby understood and waved me goodbye, and with a heavy heart, I left and promised to come home early.

But that did not happen. We encountered some problems along the way and I was almost three hours late. We were supposed to have our dinner date but I canceled and he understood. My sweet baby understood. In order to make up for it, while I was at the flower shop, I asked Trevor to arrange a special dinner on the rooftop, while Devon was in charge of preparing the fireworks display. I still have time, and despite being drained from all those talks, I won't let this day pass by without seeing Oliver smile.

After arranging the venue and food, Trevor asked my baby to change and wait at the roof, knowing I'm near the mansion. When I entered the gates, I ordered Trevor to take Oliver to the rooftop while I prepared his bouquet and a special confection for his sweet tooth.

Devon informed me that the preparations on his side were finished and Trevor sent me a message that they are almost at the rooftop, so I rushed to my private elevator. To say I was amazed by what Trevor did to the place would be an understatement. I bet Jesse has something to do with it, such a kind boy. I have to send them a gift for this wonderful setting.

Mini-bulbs illuminated the entire area. The place was designed for a perfect picnic date under the stars, a plush rug with a soft blanket on top, and a picnic basket that contained several snacks, all of which was ordered from our favorite café.

Large pillows were neatly arranged, and Tie was also there at the center. There were also ornamental plants that livened up the place. The lights and the decorations made the area cozy and perfect for us, the scene of snuggling with my baby under the night sky made my body buzz in excitement and my heart skip a beat.

I set down the cake on the small table near the blanket, then fixed my hair and tie, a wide smile plastered to my face as I heard their footsteps getting louder, my palms sweating from nerves as I held onto the bouquet hidden behind my back.

When the door opened, the somber look on my baby's face was replaced with a bright expression when he saw me. With a soft gasp, he ran to me and I opened my arms to catch my smiling and giggling boy. A sense of calm and relief washed over me when I saw Oliver's smile. It was as if I didn't have an exhausted day because I found myself brimming with so much energy.

I put him down and kissed his temples. "Hello, baby boy. Surprise," I announced with a chuckle and he nodded, his palms resting on his cheeks as his eyes swept the room, astonished by all of it.

"D-daddy..." He breathed out, at a loss for words. Before I forgot, I handed him the bouquet and he squealed and bounced, a soft blush painting his cheeks. "Wow! It's so pretty, daddy. Thank you," he smiled and mumbled sincerely, my hands automatically reaching for my phone to snap a photo.

****************

I was pulled back to reality when I heard a soft knock. My expression softened when Oliver's cute head slipped inside to steal a peek, and when he saw me, he smiled and entered. "Baby... you should be resting." I stood up to meet him and carried him all the way to the sofa and seated him on my lap.

He yawned and rubbed his eyes, gave me a lazy smile, and flopped on my chest. "Daddy... I missed you. You were not there when I woke up," he whined and playfully bit my neck, earning a soft chuckle from me. I brushed aside the wayward curls covering his face and gently thumbed his cheek, then kissed the tip of his nose.

"Sorry, baby boy. I just took care of something. But I missed my baby too, so much." I rained tiny kisses all over his face and neck, as he giggled endlessly, begging me to stop.

"S-stop, daddy. I-I give up," he wheezed in between laughter, as he covered his neck with his hands, a pout on his lips amidst his red face.

I grinned and pressed a soft kiss on his lips, and Ollie rewarded me with a warm smile. "Good morning, my baby. Still sore?"

"Good morning too, daddy. Hmm...a bit. But you made me feel better last night. Thank you for taking care of me." He closed the gap between us and embraced me gently, then sighing contently. My hand went to the small of his back while the other one on his hair, brushing it softly.

"Of course. You are my baby after all." He giggled and rested his head on my shoulder before closing his eyes. I would never know this kind of happiness if we did not bump into each other that day. Just having him in my arms is enough to make all the stress and exhaustion vanish. The warmth emanating from him relaxes my tensed body and calms my overworked mind.

We just enjoyed each other's embrace as we let time pass us slowly, the cold breeze seeping through the open balcony of my office giving a fresh atmosphere as it carried the scent of spring, the scent of fully-bloomed flowers and newly-sprouted leaves so relaxing, coupled with the sound of the birds singing and the trees swaying.

Everything is so peaceful I don't want it to end.

Oliver shifted his position to get more comfortable and slowly opened his eyes, gazing intently at me, and the words that came out of his mouth caught me off-guard. "Daddy, let me tell you about my aunt and cousin. It's about time."

O L L I E

I held onto daddy's hands and took a deep breath, making sure I'm as calm as I can be. My heart lightened when Stefan gave me an encouraging look, ensuring me that he's there and I can take it slowly.

"Ever since they were kids, Aunt Elena was always jealous of mom, and it did not help that mom was the pride of the family, and Aunt Elena did not like it one bit-- the attention, the popularity-- she despises my mother more than anyone else."

Aunt Elena was adopted because my grandparents thought that they won't be able to bear a child after years of trying. She has everything our family has to offer, but a miracle happened and my mom was born. It brought indescribable joy to my grandparents but that's where Aunt Elena turned bitter and spiteful.

Every moment she gets, she will always sabotage and ruin my mother to my grandparents, but it always fails. When dad married mom, Aunt Elena caused an uproar, causing her to be banned from any family event. It turned out that she was in love with Dad that time, and I have a hunch that it never faded, that's why she hated my mother with passion.

But my kind mother did not want her sister to go down the wrong path, so she entrusted 10% shares of the empire to her, but that only resulted in the opposite: Elena's greed just intensified, to the point where she embezzles funds from the companies she managed.

However, mom just dismissed it cause it's just money, not knowing that it will cause us grief later on. "Baby... does it mean that you..." Stefan hanged the question, hesitant to finish it. I nodded and smiled sadly.

"Yes. I believe that Aunt Elena was responsible for my parent's accident. But still, I can't help but blame myself for it. They were supposed to ride a plane back home, but I insisted that they... drive." The memories flooding my mind like it happened yesterday, a sharp pain crossing my chest.

My parents already booked a flight, our private plane was unavailable that time, but I insisted that they'd rather drive, the fear of an airline accident at the back of my mind, especially with the threat of Elena. I don't even want to call her my aunt, after everything she did to us. Who knew that it would be the last time I would be able to talk to them?

Deep wracking sobs filled the air as I relived the day of the accident and everything that happened thereafter. Strong arms wrapped around my vulnerable body, as Stefan did his best to soothe me by laying me close to his body, the heat emanating from his skin effectively in relaxing my nerves.

"Shh...baby boy. It's not your fault, in any way you see it. I will make sure that they get what they deserved," he reassured me and I believed him because he always keeps his promises. "Now tell me about this wretched cousin of yours," he spat bitterly and I felt my body tense up, as I clutched to the fabric of his shirt, countless terrifying memories starting to flash in my mind, as my breathing becomes heavier and my eyes getting blurry from the lack of oxygen.

"Oliver, listen to me! Calm down!" Stefan commanded me authoritatively and my body responded to his voice, as I shakily focused my full attention on my man. He grabbed my arms and sent gentle squeezes. "Breathe, baby. Inhale, exhale." I closed my eyes and did what he asked, repeating the process until I feel my breathing steady and even. "Good boy, my sweet. Such a good boy," Daddy praised me and wiped the tears that I didn't notice had fallen.

He pulled me closer to him and I sagged on his body, my arms around his torso in a tight embrace, afraid of what could happen if I let go. Stefan was there to make sure that all my fears and insecurities fade bit by bit. He rubbed my back, squeezed my sides softly, and kissed me all over, whispering words of love and praises, slowly putting me up on a pedestal, on a happy high with him ready to catch me any second if I slip and fall.

It's times like this where I appreciate him the most. He is always there when I'm at my most vulnerable, defending me from enemies who are trying to take advantage of my weakened state. It was in this moment that a spark of determination and courage arose in my heart, burning me slowly.

How long should I let Bryce and Elena terrorize me? How long should I hide in the shadows as they have the best time of their lives, enjoying the movie where I'm scared as heck and trembling in fear with just a lift of their finger? How long will I let them affect me?

I clenched my fist and slowly lifted my head, my eyes trained on daddy's emerald ones, the way he looked at me indicated his patience and understanding, as we both have our own share of monsters under the bed.

I still get overwhelmed whenever he gazes at me so fondly and full of love, how he worries about me most of the time, how he makes sure that I get the best from everything, and most importantly, the way he makes me feel loved and protected is enough for me to step out of the dark and face my demons. Rather, defeat them, figuratively and... literally.

I should not always rely on Stefan to have his arms ready for me. I know he will make sure he is always there, but that's not how the world works. It will always do things to keep everything in balance. And I have to be strong for myself when that time comes. I have to be able to hold my ground and not scurry away in fear.

"All I can say about Bryce is that he is arrogant, bitter, and homophobic." Something flickered in Stefan's eyes that even I was not able to catch and decipher, especially when he heard the last word I uttered. He wanted to say something but he chose to let me say my piece, the fact that this is a very hard topic for me is worrying Stefan, but we won't get anywhere unless we confront this issue.

"He made it a part of his life to ridicule, degrade, and humiliate me, a faggot who should burn in hell, as what he always calls me," I mumbled softly, each word is lacerating my heart, the pain from his insults scarred me so deeply.

"Oh, baby. You know that's not true," Stefan comforted me as he peppered gentle kisses all over my face, his method an effective way to make the pain go away. "I will make sure every single day-- I will prove to you how you are none of those things. How special and what a treasure you are. You don't know how grateful I am for being able to meet such a wonderful person. They they will get their karma... soon. They should get it into their thick heads that no one gets away with hurting you." Stefan's gentle voice was replaced with a hard tone, as his eyes flamed with fury for those who hurt me.

Instead of being terrified of his scary expression, I felt even more secured and loved. "Thank you, daddy. You are my everything, too." Just like that, his expression softened and the side of his lips tugged into a small smile. When he reached for my lips, I wholeheartedly gave in, as we share a kiss full of passion and promises. Despite the comfort Stefan provided me, there's still that tiny voice nagging in my head urging me to let it all out in the open.

To come forward and confess my deepest secret.

Stefan noticed how my mood changed suddenly and softly rubbed my cheeks, his eyes full of worry. "My love, what's going on? Do you have something to say to daddy? You know that I'm all yours. I'm all ears."

I filled my lungs with oxygen and keep my fingers entwined with Stefan's, seeking as much comfort and warmth he can provide, as I try to reveal a secret I never even told my parents.