Chapter 129
129
~Elara’s POV
He pressed a kiss to the top of my head. “It will be. Trust me. Now, sit down and eat something. Let me take care of it. You’ve earned it, sweetheart p>
I gave a soft laugh, shaking my head lightly.
Darlon looked down at me again, concern flickering in his eyes. “Are you going to eat now, my love p>
I nodded, giving a small smile. “I will. I promise p>
The maid appeared then, carrying a tray neatly arranged with warm food. The smell made my stomach rumble faintly, and I realized just how little I had eaten since we got home. Darlon guided me to the chair, settling behind me so that his presence was steadying. He picked up a fork and, almost playfully, began feeding me.
“Here,” he said softly, holding the fork with a piece of food close to my lips. “You need this p>
I took it, feeling a warmth in my chest. “You’re spoiling me again,” I whispered, but I let him continue, letting the simple act of care wash over me.
When we finished, we moved to the bath. The warmth of the water was soothing, and Darlon was quietly attentive, handing me towels, helping me with the soap when I needed it, and just… being there. Later, we dressed into comfortable pyjamas, the softness of the fabric against my skin somehow comforting after such a long day. We settled into bed together, and sleep came easily, wrapping us both in quiet calm.
The next morning came softly. Sunlight streamed through the curtains, and I woke to Darlon’s gentle voice. “Good morning, my love. Your tub is ready if you want it p>
I sat up, smiling at him. “I’m just pregnant, not sick, you know,” I teased lightly.
He ignored my tease, guiding me carefully to the bathroom. “Pregnant doesn’t mean I let you handle everything yourself,” he said, voice firm yet tender. He stayed close while I bathed, helping where needed, and then he took his own bath. By the time we were dressed, I felt more awake and centered, ready for the day.
Breakfast was a quiet, warm affair, with Darlon making sure I had a meal that would be good for me and the baby. After we were done, he took me to the office, Fridolf driving. Darlon stayed close until we arrived, making sure I was safe and comfortable before he left.
Inside the office, the energy was electric. Models were waiting, clothes laid out, and the last fittings and adjustments were underway. I moved from one set of mannequins to another, adjusting hems, smoothing fabrics, and giving directions.
“Janae,” I said during a pause, “what about the hall? Are we all set p>
She smiled, wiping her hands on a cloth. “All taken care of. David made sure everything was ready for tomorrow p>
I exhaled, relief flooding me. Knowing that part was handled lifted some weight off my shoulders. “Good. Let’s concentrate on what’s left, then p>
Hours passed as we focused on the work at hand, fine-tuning every design, adjusting every stitch. Finally, Janae brought me a glass of juice, setting it gently in front of me. “I hope everything works out well tomorrow,” she said softly, and her eyes held something like hope that mirrored my own.
“By the way… David already got me a customized gown for tomorrow p>
I took a sip, then froze. “Wait… the gown. I forgot to think about what I’m wearing p>
Janae laughed softly, shaking her head. “Ah, Elara, you really have been buried in work. I told you to focus on the fittings and designs, and here you are, realizing you’ve got no outfit ready for the most important day p>
I groaned and leaned back in my chair, feeling a little overwhelmed. “I can’t believe this… I’ve been so focused on the models, the clothes, the adjustments… and now I haven’t even thought about myself p>
Janae laughed lightly, a teasing sparkle in her eyes. “Oh, don’t worry about that. David has been hinting at it, that Alpha Darlon got you something. I’m sure he’s prepared something just for you. Alpha Darlon wouldn’t let you show up anything less than perfect p>
I blinked, trying to process it. “I’m not really sure about that p>
Janae chuckled. “Well, you’ve been running around like a headless chicken, so it’s understandable. But trust me, he’s been hinting at it, dropping little clues all week. Alpha Darlon knew you’d be too busy to think about your own gown, so I’m sure he took care of it p>
I laughed softly, a little embarrassed by how flustered I felt. “I can’t believe I forgot to think about this. I was so busy I didn’t even plan for myself p>
“Exactly why Aloha Darlon did it,” Janae said, giving me a little nudge. “You focus on the work, the models, and the final touches. The rest? Leave it to the man who cares about you p>
I let out a long breath and nodded, a small smile tugging at my lips. “All right… I guess I have one less thing to worry about. But… I still want to see it before tomorrow. I want to make sure it fits, and I trailed off, biting my lip. “And that it’s perfect p>
I picked up my drink again. “To greatness, then,” I said, clinking my glass gently against hers.
“To us, the designers, the models, and everyone who made this madness look effortless,” Janae added, her eyes sparkling.
I nodded, feeling the warmth of accomplishment and relief spread through me. For a moment, I let myself just breathe, savoring the quiet pride of seeing our plans come together. The hours of tension, the endless fittings, the heated discussions, it all felt worth it.
Then I leaned back and looked around at the office, my mind already running through the logistics. “Janae I said, lowering my voice slightly, “Do we have the staff assigned for the hall tomorrow? The ones who will handle the transport of the clothing, the setup, and everything backstage p>
Janae’s expression brightened. “Yes! David already finalized that. He divided everyone into teams, one for transporting the clothing from the studio, one for styling, and one for backstage coordination. He made sure we have enough hands so nothing gets lost or damaged p>
I exhaled, feeling some of my anxiety ease. “That’s good. I don’t want last-minute chaos. This is too important to risk anything p>
Janae nodded and smiled knowingly. “Don’t worry, Elara. Everything is under control. Even the models’ outfits are organized and labeled. Nothing will go wrong p>
I leaned back in my chair, running my hand over the designs one last time. “I just… I want tomorrow to be perfect. I want everyone to see how far we’ve come, not just the designs, but the whole company. I need this to reflect all the hard work, every single effort we’ve put in p>
Janae leaned closer and patted my hand gently. “It will. And tomorrow, when you walk into that hall, the world will see Luna Elara, head of this company, the force behind all of this. And we’ll be there with you, every step p>
I smiled softly, feeling a little lighter, the nervous tension still there but mixed with excitement. “All right… Then let’s make sure tomorrow runs smoothly. We can toast again afterward, when everything is done, and everyone is celebrating p>
Janae grinned. “Deal. But for now…Let’s finish up these final checks, and let’s go through the outfits one more time before transporting. We need to be sure everything is perfect p>