Wrath

Bonus Chapter I: Forever

Zara

"I knew it." I grumbled, "I so knew it."

Stefan turned to me with a confused smile on his face, one hand on the steering and the other rested firmly on my thigh.

"What did you know?"

"You've finally gotten tired of my annoying pregnant ass and now you're taking me to the woods to kill and bury me." I explained, biting into another chicken nugget.

He threw his head back and laughed loudly, the sound so exuberant and contagious.

"Believe me, that is not the plan."

It was one of those days in my second trimester when my craving for unhealthy food had forced Stefan into driving me to the nearest McDonald's where I practically bought their entire supply of nuggets and ended up arguing with the girl behind the counter who just wouldn't stop staring at my boyfriend.

Stefan practically had to drag me out of there, carrying along with him two bagfuls of fast food.

My anger soon shifted to curiosity when after having returned to the estate, Stefan drove past the house and towards the woods, beyond which lay the lake.

As we drove towards the clearing, I was hoping to see the pavilion where Stefan had brought me for our first date. The memory alone brought a smile to my face, as I remembered how instead of some lavish dinner, he'd gotten me Chinese takeout.

However, my nostalgia soon turned to surprise when I noticed a building about a hundred yards right of the pavilion.

"Is that a... house?" I asked the handsome man sitting beside me, squinting into the distance.

Now I was thoroughly confused. When and how was this built? What was going on?

I turned to Stefan when he didn't answer my question and saw the small smile playing at his lips. Instead of providing me with a reply, he continued driving and a few moments later, parked the car in front of the house. He got out and then rounded the SUV to help me get off.

And then I stood there, taking in the beautiful structure, the giant windows, and the swing on the wide porch along with other furniture.

"Stefan, what is all this?" I asked, marveling at the sheer beauty of it all.

He left my hand and went to stand in front of the house, raising wide his arms, "This is our home."

A joyous gasp left my lips and I took a step back in surprise, not knowing what to say. What could anyone say to this?

He came and stood behind, resting his head on my shoulder and wrapping his arms around my stomach.

"When... how?" I stuttered, unable to form a coherent question.

"I started working on it months ago. Went through at least forty five designs before deciding on this one." he explained, "Now it's finally complete."

"Oh my God, Stefan." I whispered. I was elated; my heart was filled with so much love for this man. My eyes wandered over the house and then the gorgeous man who built it for me and I thanked my stars for the millionth time for blessing me with him.

"Come on, let's go inside." he grabbed my hand, leading me up the porch steps and through the double doors.

The house is huge, but unlike the vintage look of the mansion, it is different, a mix between modern and cozy. The living room is in shades of maroon and beige with drapes hanging from the floor length windows, sleek furniture taking up the floor and a giant TV system decorating the wall. There is a fireplace on one side with two seats acing towards it.