MR CEO'S PROMISE TO HER

CHAPTER FIVE

ESTRELLA'S POV

Time simply flies past quickly after I informed Xander of my decision to marry him. We have a simple marriage the next day with my best friend Amy as my witness and his friend, Rain, as his witness too.

Rose is now in my custody, and I have now moved back into the city. I fear that I might run into Dominic one day, but the chances are probably slim.

Xander and Dominic don't run in the same circle.

“I can't guarantee that I'll make you happy, but you'll be very comfortable, and your child will lack nothing.“ Xander had said on the day I moved Rose and me into his home.

That was good enough for me in the moment because there was simply nothing I wanted more than my baby's safety.

Three months into our marriage, though, I couldn't help but want more. He's so good to Rose and me.

One time Rose calls him Daddy, and I thought he would freak out, but he simply smiles, scoops her up, and calls her princess.

Things like that make me fall deeper for him every day. Even though I know this is only a business arrangement for him, I simply can't help myself.

I know he only sees me like a business partner, but I am now determined to make him see me for who I am. With enough time on my hands, I now look like the woman I was four years before.

Rose is an adorable baby, and I thought I might have it all except for a real husband, so I want to make it my mission to get Xander and me closer.

“Good morning, Xander.“ I say to him one morning. “I prepared breakfast.“

He raised a brow. “You don't have to cook for me.“

“I want to, if you don't mind, of course. I just want Rose to feel like a part of a real family, you know.“

I wait with bated breath as he thinks about it before he nods. “Sure, I can do that. As long as it doesn't make me late for work.“

So that became our routine. I would wake up every day and cook for three of us. Sometimes, he would ask Rose about her classes, and I would watch their interaction with joy. If only he would pay attention to me this way, but I didn't stop trying.

Another morning, I asked him about the company he's trying to take over because I heard on the news, and he seemed surprised that I would be interested in it.

“How did you even know about it?“ He asks in the same indifferent voice he uses with me.

“Come on,” I say lightly. “I'm your wife. It's my duty to know what's going on with my husband.“ I thought he was going to correct me that this isn't real, but he didn't. He talked about it and told me where they stood.

He's very passionate about his work, while I'm passionate about him. I know I could make him warm up to me. It's only a matter of time, and I have enough of that on my hands.

We did this for a month before I added having dinner together. That was the only way I could get us to spend some time together alone.

“You feeling okay?“ He asked when I was setting the table last night.

“No,” I feigned. “I think I'm coming down with something.“

“You should have texted me.“

“I…I didn't know I could.“

“What are you talking about? You're my wife. You should tell me if you're sick.“

“I didn't know… We had that type of relationship.“

“Come on.“ He guided me out of the dining room. “I'm going to get you something.“

He took me to my room and made me lay down.

True to his words, he rushed out to get me medicine, and I know this was a good turn of events.

We got closer after my “sickness” and he even kissed me on the cheeks one day after he came back from work.

Tonight, I met him at the door as usual, and he kissed my lips, but I turned at the last second, and he met my lips instead.

“Estrella,” he whispered.

“Kiss me, Xander.“ He looked at me for only a second before he crashed his lips against mine.

“I've restrained myself all these months.“ He carried me to his room, and it was there we spent the remainder of our long, passionate night.

The next morning I thought it would be awkward, but it wasn't at all. Our transition from being a contractual couple to a real couple who slept in the same bed was seamless.

I told Amy about the development, and as expected, she was excited for me.

“Just make sure you talk to him. Set everything straight. Just to make sure you're not the only one feeling that way.“ Amy had advised, and I planned on doing just that.

The plan was to cook his favorite food and then ease him into the conversation. I have to do it in a way that would make him accept my feelings.

That evening, I heard a knock on the door, and I frowned. We rarely got visitors except for Rain, and he would usually come with Xander.

I dusted my apron and went to the door. “Who's there?“

The knock persisted. I swung the door open cautiously. Nothing could have prepared me for who was behind the door.

“Missed me, baby?“ My throat went dry at the sight of my ex-husband.

“D… Dom…”

“Hmm. You look good.“ He raised a mocking brow.

“What are you doing here?“ I took him in too. He still looked the same as four years ago.

“What do you think?“ He took advantage of my shock to push me aside to grant himself entry into my home.

“You need to go.“

“You managed to find another rich husband.“

“You need to leave.“ I repeated dumbly, looking at the door nervously.

“Not before seeing my daughter.“