The CEO’ s second choice

For As Long As We Both Shall Live

Elena

I walk out of Wiltshire Towers with a smile on my face I had just sold my family’s dynasty for a cool

six billion, which is currently being donated to various organisations. I know what you’re thinking; I sold

my family’s legacy for gain, but in all honesty; I didn’t feel attached to the Wiltshire name. I was never

proud to be a Wiltshire heir, not with the way my family always used to treat me. Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.

Yesterday I received the news that Eliana had committed suicide in prison. She left no note behind

to indicate why she did it, but I knew. The guilt over what she did to her own sister became unbearable.

Eliana was never the tough one. She never needed to be tough for anything and I had a feeling her

heart eventually got the better of her.

My sister was never evil she just grew bitter and jaded.

After I left the prison that day, I had Sebastian put steps into motion for us to legally adopt Morgan,

Eliana and Robert’s daughter. We were met with some disapproval and resistance from Robert, but

eventually, he signed the papers. Sebastian and I have decided to tell her about her parents when

she’s older, for now, she thinks I’m her mommy for obvious reasons and that Sebastian was her uncle.

Oddly enough, everything was falling into place for me for a change. I have not returned to Uni

even though I was back to walking and my son was old enough. That pull I used to feel before was

gone. Literature was still my first love, but it didn’t rule my life like it used to. My children took up most

of my time now and I couldn’t ask for anything better.

***

6 am

It was a crisp Autumn morning when I woke up and headed downstairs for my morning coffee, but

the scene before me had me convinced I was still sleeping; Sebastian was downstairs getting the kids

ready for daycare.

“Uh… What is going on here?” I ask, gesturing to everything and Sebastian turns his head to look

at me, grinning that Jake Gyllenhaal smile I still swoon over. “MOMMY!” Came the voices of Aaron and

Morgan through bites of cereal and I walked around planting kisses on their heads. “Uncle Bastian

making bweakfis!” Morgan says, shoving another spoonful of cereal into her mouth. She was all spitfire

and energy at 5 years old but had Sebastian wrapped around her little finger. I giggle at her answer. “Is

that so, love? I wonder what the special occasion could be.” I say and wink at my husband, looking

yummier than the pancakes he was currently making.

He shrugs, “No reason, you looked like you needed to sleep in.” He says, and I felt thankful for

this. I was feeling a lot more tired lately, and it might have something to do with the kids and their

growing energy each day. Luckily they were in daycare now, so things should ease up a bit.

I walk over to Sebastian and wrap my arms around his waist, “Thank you, and good morning,” I

say, and he kisses my forehead. “You’re welcome, and I love you too.” This is the best thing to wake up

to; the kids talking in their own little language while having breakfast and my husband flipping

pancakes. I am sure this is what pure contentment feels like.

“Gooooood morning, family!”

“Uncle Isaac!” Morgan and Aaron say in unison, and he waddles over to them, wrapping them in

hugs and planting kisses on their foreheads. Aaron absolutely adored his uncle and I could tell he

looked up to him at 3 years old already. Wait, why was my brother here? “Uh, shouldn’t you be in

Sweden with Matthew right now?” I ask with a frown, but he only shrugs. “No flights out today, so I’ll be

leaving tomorrow evening. One night won’t kill him.” Hmm. Something was going on. First Sebastian

early in the kitchen with the kids dressed and eating breakfast, now Isaac showing up.

What exactly did they have planned?

I decide not to mention anything and enjoy breakfast with my family even though the whole thing

seems fishy. A few minutes later, Sebastian leaves to drop the kids off at daycare, and Isaac and I walk

up the stairs to my bedroom. I could tell something was wrong though, so I pulled him into a hug and

he let out a painful sigh. “What’s wrong, hun?” I ask, leading him over to the foot of my bed. He sat

down and held his head in his hands. “The adoption fell through again,” he says and this was all I

needed to hear. My poor Isaac! He and Matthew were trying so hard to adopt a child, but they kept

getting turned away because of their sexuality.

I join him on the bed and wrap my arms around him, just holding him while he lets out his sadness

and misery. Even though I offered my help, he refused it and said they needed to do this the right way

and without my sway. This was something I could respect, so I did not meddle in his adoption

processes. But with every rejection, Isaac was losing more of his spark, and it killed me to see him like

this. “Are you certain you do not want my help, love? I hate seeing you like this!” I exclaim and he lets

go of my hug, shaking his head. “We’ll succeed, I know we will.” He always says this when I offer my

help and I return this comment with a curt nod.

It really did pain me to see him like this. If there was anyone who deserved a happy ending, it was

Isaac and Matthew. My brother-in-law was one of the sweetest people you could ever hope to meet. He

was also a paediatrician with a practice in the heart of London. Tending to kids came naturally to him

and Isaac? Isaac always wanted to adopt children, to show them that someone could love them even if

their own parents could not.

“What can I do to help you right now, hmm? How can I bring that gorgeous smile back to your

face?” I ask and see him perk up at this. He thinks for a while, then raises his eyebrows and smiles.

“Pamper day with some shopping?” He asks, literally hopping up and down on the balls of his feet.

Wow! I forget how easily Isaac could be cheered up. Giggling, I nod. “Alright, just give me a few

minutes to get dressed then we can head out,” I say and saunter over to my walk-in.

After getting into a warm sweater dress and thigh-high boots, I wrap a double-breasted coat

around my body and go out to meet my brother who was lying on my bed. After my legs had healed, I

was never comfortable with stiletto heels again, so I usually opted for wedge heels or flats now. These

boots were wedge heels, so I felt confident in them at least.

“Ready?” I ask and he jumps up and drags me downstairs! I made him take the Phantom because

why go out on a day of pampering without driving around in a luxury car?

We spent the better part of the morning having manicures, pedicures, and massages. I had my

makeup done in a warm natural tone and my hair done in thick curls that were pinned up. He had

several facials done during my time in the hairdresser’s chair and spoke the poor lady’s ear off. Now

we were going shopping, and this was the part I hated the most because Isaac in a mall was hell on

wheels.

But surprisingly this part went by quickly. I let him choose a dress for me and he chose a gorgeous

cream coloured midi swing dress with a halter neckline. My coat went perfectly with it and he forced me

to keep the dress on because he would treat me to a light lunch and mimosas afterwards. This day was

turning into a pamper session for me!

“Where are you taking me?” I ask when the way he was taking me looked a little too familiar. “A

special place, one with a wonderful memory attached to it.” he says with a smile on his face and

continues to stare out of the window. I frown at this and stare out of the window as well, with his words

on repeat in my head. A place with a wonderful memory? Where could that possibly be?

My eyes widen when we turn onto a familiar cobblestone path. What… why? “Isaac!” I exclaim

when the gates of Wiltshire estate open and we drive inside. No one seemed to be around, and when

the Phantom came to a halt in front of the gold doors, I felt my heart sink. The last time I was here was

the day of my wedding and I haven’t been back since. Did my mother ever miss me? She never called

after I left, so I doubt it very much.

Isaac gets out and walks over to my side of the car, opening my door. He held out his arm, and I

linked mine with his as he led me out to the Wiltshire garden. “I am only going along with whatever this

is because I love and trust you with all my heart,” I say, trying to guilt-trip him, but all he does is

chuckle. “I’m in British Intelligence, tart, you cannot use those tactics on me.” He says, and I pout at

this. Well, I can try!

He walks me to the boxwood hedges and when we reach the rose garden, my heart stops;

standing there at the end of what looked like a makeshift aisle was Sebastian dressed in a three-piece

suit. I looked up at Isaac, who had a small smile on his face and mischief in his eyes as he winked. He

then removes something from his coat pocket. “Something old and blue,” he says as he slips my

grandmother’s sapphire heirloom necklace around my neck. I glanced up at him incredulously. What

was going on here? “Something borrowed,” he continues, clasping the Dumont heirloom bracelet

around my wrist and kissing the back of my hand. My brother then looks up at me with a beaming

smile. “Your dress is your something new from me. Happy Anniversary.”

The realisation then hits me when I look around; Sebastian got the kids ready and now they are

here, dressed in wedding attire and running around. To the left of the aisle was Elijah, who passed me

a wink. Where the priest would have stood was Matthew with a baby asleep in his arms. I look up at

Isaac again and see the tears brimming in his eyes. “I didn’t want to lie to you about the successful

adoption, Elena, but wanted to do this for you. You deserve a better wedding than the one they forced

you to have, and this is Sebastian’s gift to you.” He says and wipes his tears away and holds out his

arm for me to take. I link my arm with his and walk down the aisle with A Thousand Years by Christina

Perri playing softly.

Isaac lets go of my arm, takes my hand and places it in Sebastian’s, “I trust you with her heart and

soul. Take care and love her always.” He says, giving me away, the way I wasn’t before. How was I not

crying right now? The men who I love more than life itself had planned this, a do-over from my

disastrous first wedding. My heart is brimming and my chest ached with unshed tears I knew once this

dam broke I would be a real mess.

Sebastian takes my hands in his and kisses them while gazing at me with eyes filled with love and

adoration.“What can I say that hasn’t already been said? Elena and Sebastian’s love is one for the

ages, one which has persisted through everything that tried to tear them apart and yet here they are,

pledging their love once more in front of everyone they deemed family.” Matthew started with what I

could assume was a sermon. “Sebastian, I know you have a few words to say to Elena.”

Sebastian nods. “I chose this garden today because this was where I first met the woman who I

would grow to love with every fibre in my being. Elena, when I first said these vows to you, they were

empty promises to appease our families. I didn’t mean them and I know you didn’t either. But things

have changed and now you and our little family mean more to me than life itself, so please allow me a

do-over.” He says with a shy smile, then clears his throat. “I, Sebastian Dumont, take you, Elena

Wiltshire, to be my wife. I promise to be faithful to you, in good times and in bad, in sickness and in

health I promise to be at your side, to love you and to honour you all the days of my life.”

The dam cracks and everything starts flowing out. I don’t know what to say, what my vows are

supposed to be. All I knew right now was that this man in front of me was my entire life and he was

once again pledging his life to me, yet I could do nothing but cry. “You don’t have to say anything, my

love. This was quite sudden, just know that you deserve a wedding where you are actually surrounded

by loved ones and not people looking at you and hoping you trip and fall.” How did he always know the

right words to say?

I nod, then he wipes my tears away and pulls me closer to kiss me softly. This was the wedding I

wanted nothing flashy and over the top. Just me and my loved ones with me as we pledge our love to

one another. I look at everyone congregating around me and smile all these men held a piece of my

heart; Sebastian, Elijah, Isaac and Matthew along with our kids Aaron, Morgan, baby Jane and Elijah’s

son, Liam. I walked up to them and held them tightly, not saying a word, but they understood my

feelings.

Finally, I could breathe a sigh of relief and know this is what true happiness felt like.

***The End***