Happily Ever After (sequel to CEO)

88

Eve POV

I wake up the following morning to the television on. I wipe my tired eyes and see Harry and Avery watching TV. Her bear is held against her chest a smile is rested on her pink lips. Ava's brown hair is pulled into a messy bun and the blankets fall to her lap. The one from her room is around her shoulders though.

Her hazel eyes look over to me and she smiles more, causing her dimples to appear. "Good morning Mommy," She greets while leaning down and kissing me.

"Good morning," I say through a muffled yawn. I hear the rain tap against the house making me a little more relaxed. I look to Harry and see he's staring at the TV still.

"Daddy, Mommy is awake," Avery says while nudging him. I chuckle at her actions and sit up in bed more.

"Oh, good morning Eve," Harry says while looking at me. An obvious fake smile is rested on his lips for Avery's sake.

"Morning," I reply. His eyes look back to the TV and I look to Ava who's staring up at me. Her head presses against my chest and her arm goes over my body. I kiss the top of her head and stroke her lower back.

At least she's happy to see me first thing in the morning.

***

It's noon now and Ava is in the living room playing with the dogs. I love how much she loves the dogs. It makes me happy seeing her and Max snuggle on the couch and Lucy rest on the top of their heads. 

I'm currently making tea for myself. Harry is on his laptop at the island, working I assume. All I can hear is his typing, which sounds quick. 

I sit across from him on the island. "Are we ever going to talk?" I ask my husband who has his eyes on his laptop screen. 

"We talked last night," He replies making me sigh.

"You know what I mean," I say defensively. "How many times am I going to say I'm sorry? I can't prove that I am because you look annoyed at me whenever I try to talk to you. Or even sitting near you," 

"I'm not in the mood to argue," Harry says while continuing to type.

"Who said we're going to argue? We can be adults and talk about things without yelling," I say. His eyes look to me and his eyebrow raises. "Or, we can just move past our argument from yesterday." 

"I'm supposed to forget that you said if Jane came back to life, I would leave you? That's not something I can really forget, Eve," He says. 

"You can't be mad at me for thinking that," I say.

"You shouldn't be thinking that in the first place," His voice deepens. "When have I ever said I loved Jane more than you? When have I ever brought up a memory I have of her to you? When have I ever said anything besides how she died to you? Just because she was my first wife does not mean I'd chose her over you. Just because she's my first wife does not mean I love her more than you. The way I'm in love with you is different from the way I was in love with her, and you need to learn that. 

I wouldn't have married you if I loved Jane more than you. It's been five years and you still feel insecure about this for some reason. You're not in a competition with anyone to be with me Eve. Honestly, what have I said that makes you think I'd rather be with her, because I have no clue honestly," Harry says in a low voice. 

"Me being hesitant to have kids with you? Well my first child died, excuse me for not being so excited to think about more kids. Me not wanting to get married at first? Well, my first wife died by drowning, so the thought of getting remarried wasn't something I'd really like to think about. All of those things don't feed into your theory that I love Jane more than you, and if they do you need fucking mental help," He says angrily causing my fingers to fidget on my lap.

I open my mouth to speak then close it. I just wanted to talk about things not have him slowly start to yell at me. "Say it," Harry says. "You wanted to have this conversation so badly, so say it," 

"I just wanted to talk about why you're mad. Not have you turn into the hulk again," I say timidly.

"All you had to do is give me a few days, then I wouldn't have been mad. But no, you just kept pushing and pushing me to talk, so now we're talking," 

"You couldn't say you needed space?" I ask with knotted eyebrows. His eyes roll at me.

"Like you know what space is, Eve. Sometimes you act like a lost puppy when someone doesn't speak to you for more then five minutes,"  Harry says causing my heart to sting. "And me saying I wanted to be left alone last night didn't give you any hint?" 

"No because the roles are usually never switched so I don't know that to do," I say causing his eyes to roll.

"I get mad at you a lot, I just hide it, like how you're supposed to do," He says.

"Who's fault is that?" I ask. "I'm not a mean person, if you're mad at me you can tell me," I say. 

"I don't want to tell you when I'm mad, when you should know when I am," Harry states.

"Whenever I do ask if you're mad you say no it's stress from work," I defend.

"Yeah because I don't want to start an argument," He says like it's obvious. "Anything else?" 

"You're dismissing me now?" I ask.

"Yes, cause you're annoying me," Harry says causing my eyes to sting.

"If I annoy you all the fucking time why did you even marry me?!" I ask, finally snapping. "When I speak to you or ask a question you just turned annoyed. I'm sorry if I look like a fucking lost puppy when you ignore me to go to do work related things and push me to the side. And you want to know why I think you love Jane more than me? Because I can tell when someone brings her up your eyes sparkle, or in your wedding photo the way you looked at her shows it. I think there is one photo of you looking at me out of all the photos from our wedding. Every photo you took with her, you were looking at her with these eyes I know I don't get. I'm just the stupid rebound that was dumb enough to marry you," I spit angrily. My voice was loud which startled me even.

My eyes are welled up with tears as well as Harry's. I look to the doorway and see Avery looking at us with a frown. She's holding her bear against her body tightly and I can see she looks sad by our loud arguing.

Harry and I both get off of our stools and walk over to her. She moves away from us and continues to pout. Avery doesn't say anything. She just walks away making my eyes close and my teeth bite my lower lip.

I follow after my daughter who is walking upstairs. "Leave me alone Mom," She says to me making my eyes water more. "You're annoying me now," Tears leave my eyes by her words and she continues upstairs. 

I sit on the steps and cry into my hands. 

A://N

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~lauren