Ruined With Me

CHAPTER 42

"Let's get you ready." I said to my son, watching as he made an exaggeratedly disgusted face. His little nose scrunched up in protest, but I couldn't help but chuckle at his adorable resistance.

I reached into his wardrobe and pulled out his clothes. First, I helped him into his black pants, though his squirming made it challenging. Once his pants were on, I turned my attention to the shirts.

Two shirts lay neatly on the bed, carefully placed by his mother earlier. One was a rich purple, and the other was a crisp white. I stood there for a few minutes, staring at them, weighing the options. I was leaning towards the white shirt when she appeared.

Out of nowhere, she picked up the purple shirt and held it out to me with a quiet authority. I hesitated, my fingers just inches from the white shirt.

"I like the white one." I murmured under my breath, trying to make my preference known. Despite my words, I couldn't help but notice the silent battle of wills taking place over our son's outfit.

Our son, sitting on the bed, gazed up at us with wide, curious eyes, looking back and forth between his mother and me, then at the shirts in our hands. 

Slowly, he crawled closer to me, his tiny hands grabbing onto my forearm for support as he stood up. He wrapped his little arms around my neck, and I planted a kiss on his cheek, his giggles filling the room like music.

"Papa's son" I heard her mutter under her breath. She cast a final glance in our direction before turning her attention back to the dressing chair, rummaging through her drawer for something.

"Teach me how you melt your mother's heart so she never gets angry at you." With a playful glint in my eye, I looked at my son and whispered. He just stared back at me with those big, innocent eyes before leaning in and kissing my cheek.

"So this is how you do it." I said, laughing softly. I sat him on the bed and started putting the shirt on him, though he clung stubbornly to the box I had brought for him, making the task a bit tricky.

Finally, I managed to sit him on my lap and gently pried the box from his little hands. Opening it, I revealed a small bracelet, just his size. His eyes grew even wider, and he reached out to touch it. In a flash, he snatched it from the box, clutching it tightly.

"My son, it's yours. You don't have to get hyper." I said soothingly. I took the bracelet back and carefully wrapped it around his right wrist. I kissed his tiny hand, eliciting another giggle from him.

Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out another box, identical to the first. Inside was another bracelet, this one meant for Stella.

I placed it on the bed, knowing she wouldn't accept it directly from me. I just wanted her to take one step, any step towards mending the rift between us.

"I'm going downstairs with Ivaan" I said, glancing at her as she continued to search for something in her drawer. She didn't respond—no words, no look, not even a nod. With a sigh, I picked up Ivaan and left the room.