Epilogue
SOLD TO MR PAYNE
Olivia listened carefully, trying hard to locate where the light sniffles were coming from. She ought to dealt with Alexander for being so reckless, but that could wait, right now their son needed them.
” Where are you my prince? Please come out.” She pleaded. Her eyes scanned the huge, messy playroom. It would be impossible to find him through all that mess.
” Here mommy.” A small voice came behind her. Olivia sighed in relief when she turned to meet her three year old son. His cheeks were stained with tears and the tip of his nose was red.
” Why were you hiding again? I thought you said you’d stop.” Olivia pulled him into her arms. The little boy frown and raised his head, his golden eyes meeting her blue ones.
” I didn’t mean it.” He sniffled.
” I stop when I ready. ” He huffed out. Olivia chuckled and caressed his jet black hair.
” What did your daddy say to you this time?” She sighed. Alexander and Damien got along very well, but they also had their quarrels.
” He-He said that no matter how much you love me, you’ll always love him more.” He cried.
Olivia turned furiously towards the room door. Sure enough she met Alexander peeping at them, but he quickly avoided her gaze.
” Come here Alexander.” She commanded.
Alexander walked in, their baby daughter Lyanna, was sleeping soundly in his arms.
” I didn’t say that. I swear. Tell her the truth, Damien.” Alexander focused on his son, avoiding his wife’s gaze.
” Don’t you dare speak to him. You’re sleeping in the guestroom from now on.” Olivia pulled her son possessively.
” What?! Why?” Alexander groaned in exasperation.
” Because you made Damien cry. You should know better. You sleep in the guestroom till he forgives you. Is that okay, my prince?” Olivia pecked her son’s forehead.
” Can I sleep with you till then, mommy?” Damien sniffled again.
” Anything you want. Is that all.” Olivia assured him.
Little Damien nodded slowly and leaned against his mother’s chest. He glanced at his father and smiled, satisfied with the low growl that erupted from Alexander.
” Make sure you clean this mess up after you drop Lyn in her crib. I’m going to bed early tonight. Come on, my prince. ” Olivia lifted her son and walked pass Alexander.
The both of them could feel the anger radiating off him but they couldn’t care any less. Besides, he couldn’t do anything to them. Olivia took her son to their bedroom and prepared a bath for him. Damien giggled excitedly when he saw his mother getting the bath bombs from the cabinet.
” Is Daddy going to be alright sleeping by himself, mommy?” Damien asked, playing with the bubbles in the tub.
Olivia shrugged and began washing his thick hair.
” He deserves it.” She pinched his cheeks playfully.
” What if he wakes up and is grumpy? Will he still be mad at me tomorrow?” Damien said in between pants. Since he was still so young, it was hard for him to say more than five words without stopping for a break.
Most of his words were impossible to understand for others.
” It doesn’t matter, my prince. Remember what I always tell you about daddy?” Olivia pulled him out of the tub and dried his body.
” That daddy can be a real Payne in the neck sometimes?” Olivia chuckled and shook her head.
” Think again.”
” That no matter what you wear the pants in this house?” Damien beamed.
” Exactly. That means if daddy gets bratty, I’ll simply send him to the corner for a time out. Nobody likes a time out, right?” Olivia quirked a brow at Damien who nodded solemnly.
He always got time outs from his mother whenever he behaved badly and now that he thought about it, he didn’t want his dad to feel that way.
” Mommy? Would you forgive me if I admit something?” He looked at her pleadingly. Olivia knew where this was going. She finished helping him with his pajamas and sat beside him.
” Of course. What did you do?” She folded her arms.
” Well. D-Daddy didn’t really say what I said he said. He was just telling me that you took care of his booses last night.” Damien peeked at his mother under his long lashes.
” Oh? So you lied?” Olivia squinted her eyes at him. Damien cowered a bit.
” Yes mommy. Am sorry. I know you won’t let me sleep with you and daddy anymore because of Wyanna so I..am sorry.” Damien’s cheeks were once again stained with tears.
” Are you still scared, my prince?” Olivia sighed and used her fingers to wipe his tears. Damien looked away.
” I know princes are brave but…can I be brave another day? I’ll protect you and daddy and wyanna when I grow up. I promise.” Damien’s golden orbs glisten with tears. Olivia felt touched. She didn’t think she could ever get tired of those eyes.
” Well, I should be mad at you for lying, but it’s okay my prince. Your daddy and I would love if you stayed with us for a little while. You can stay with us tonight. But you owe your daddy an apology don’t you think?” She cupped her son’s cheek.
Damien leaned into her touch and nodded. He jumped off the bed and pulled his mother towards the guestroom.
Alexander was slumped on the bed, their daughter pulling harshly at his dreads. He was so exhausted that he didn’t seem to mind the pain.
” Daddy?” Damien ran up to him.
” Yes, Amore?” Alexander sighed.
” Am sorry. I didn’t mean to make you tired.” Damien pouted.
” I don’t think that’s why he’s tired. Are you alright?” Olivia massaged her husband’s scalp, eliciting a low moan from him.
” It’s fine, Damien. Just please don’t bring your mother into anything between us next time?” Alexander ruffled his son’s hair.
The both of them joked and conversed in Italian for a while longer. She wasn’t still familiar with the language but she understood a lot of it over the years.
Damien yawned tiredly and made grabby hands towards his mother. Olivia pulled him into the bed, beside his sister and caressed his hair till he was finally asleep.
” I ought to be mad at you for such a harsh punishment. You don’t even think twice before taking his side. Do you even love me anymore?” Alexander played with his daughter’s hair.
” I’m sorry my king. It’s just so hard to resist them. You know that.” Olivia reached for him and kissed his temple.
” Alright, I forgive you.” Alexander yawned, his eyes dropping slightly.
Olivia smiled at him. Her eyes skimmed over her family, the beautiful kids she had with the love of her life. She felt her eyes sting with tears again. It happened everytime she thought about her life. She couldn’t help it.
” Why are you crying now? You’re supposed to be the man of the house.” Alexander half mocked her.
” I love you. ” She whispered.
Alexander smiled at her, his eyes were still closed but he could tell she was happy.
” I love you too, gioiello. Now go to bed.” In seconds, soft snores escaped his lips, leaving Olivia and Lynn alone.
Olivia played with her daughter’s brown hair a little while, smiling when her Caribbean blue eyes met hers. She honestly looked a bit like Ace and Axel.
” I love you so much.” She whispered into her daughter’s ear and pulled her closer.
Now she had so many people to live and stay strong for, and she’d protect them with everything she had.
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