002: My brother's news

Adriana's POV 

  I slipped out of the press conference through the side exit, my heart hammering against my ribs as Nicholas' text burned in my mind and my fingers shook as I dialed his number.

  "Addie?" Nicholas picked up on the first ring, his voice cracking with barely contained excitement. "Where are you?"

  "Outside the Rangers facility. What's going on? What decision?" I pressed my back against the brick wall, watching reporters going in and out of the main entrance, their faces bright with the thrill of Ethan's big announcement.

  "I'm five minutes away. Don't move." And the line went dead.

  Five minutes. Nicholas was already on his way here before he even texted me. Whatever this was about, it was big enough that my brother drove across the city to tell me in person.

  I paced the small parking area worried and excited at the same time. The press conference was still going on inside and I could hear the muffled sound of laughter and applause through the walls. Ethan was probably still up there, still glowing under the attention and maybe even still holding Vivienne's hand.

  No. I needed to stop thinking about that. Tonight, when I told him about the baby, everything would make sense again.

  A sleek black BMW pulled into the lot, and I knew it was Nicholas before the engine even stopped. My brother stepped out, all six feet of him unfolding with that Montgomery grace that he inherited and carried so well.

  Even in his casual jeans and button-down shirt, Nicholas looked like he belonged on the cover of a business magazine. His dark hair was perfectly styled, his green eyes, so much like mine but sharper somehow, were dancing with excitement.

  "Addie!" He strode toward me with a very wide grin on his face. "God, I've missed you."

  Before I could say anything, he swept me up in one of his bear hugs, spinning me around like we were kids again. I couldn't help but laugh, and some of the tension was leaving my shoulders.

  "Nick, put me down! What is this about?"

  He put me down but kept his hands on my shoulders, studying my face with the intense focus that made him Dad's favorite for business deals. "You look good. Different, but good. There's something..."

  "Nick, people are staring!"

  "Let them stare. My sister is having a baby!" He finally put me down, but his hands immediately went to my face, cupping it gently. "Does Ethan know?"

  "Not yet. I want to tell him tonight, after all the press stuff dies down." I bit my lip. 

  "That's what I came to tell you. Dad called me this morning. He knows about the baby."

  My stomach dropped. "You told him? Nicholas, I asked you not to say anything until…"

  "I didn't tell him." Nicholas held up his hands. "He already knew. You know how Dad is with his contacts. Nothing happens in our family without him finding out eventually."

  Of course. Alexander Montgomery didn't build a business empire by being out of the loop about anything, especially when it came to his children.

  "Is he angry?" I whispered.

  "Angry?" Nicholas laughed, the sound rich and warm. "Addie, he's over the moon. This changes everything."

  "What do you mean?"

  Nicholas took my hands in his, his expression turning serious. "He has made a decision.”

  My heart started pounding again. "And?"

  "He wants Ethan to be part of the family now. He's ready to welcome him as his son-in-law."

  The world tilted sideways. "What?"

  "He's impressed by Ethan's determination towards his game. And now that there's going to be a grandchild..." Nicholas squeezed my hands. "Dad wants to offer Ethan a position in the company. Not just as a player, but as a leader. Someone who can help build the future of Montgomery Sports."

  I couldn't breathe. "Are you serious?"

  "Dead serious. Dad wants to meet with him next week. He's ready to welcome Ethan into the family officially."

  Tears blurred my vision. This was everything I dreamed of for six years. My father accepting the man I loved. My husband becoming part of the Montgomery legacy. Our baby growing up in a united family where love conquered everything.

  "This is really happening?" I whispered.

  "It's really happening." Nicholas pulled me into another hug. "You did it, little sister. You found your happy ending."

  I laughed through my tears, clutching him tight. "I can't believe this. After all these years of Dad refusing to even meet him..."

  "He was wrong," Nicholas said simply. "And he knows it. The pregnancy just gave him the push he needed to admit it."

  We stood there in the parking lot, holding each other like we used to when we were kids and one of us had won a particularly impressive victory. I felt lighter than I had in months, like everything that was weighing me down was finally lifting.

  "When do I tell Ethan?" I asked, pulling back to look at my brother.

  "Tonight. Tell him about the baby first, let him process that. Then tomorrow, you can give him the news about Dad." Nicholas grinned. "Can you imagine his face when he realizes he's not just getting a child, but an entire empire to help run?"

  "He's going to faint," I laughed. "You know how he gets about money and success. He'll think he doesn't deserve it."

  "Well, he better get used to deserving it. Because once he's officially part of this family, the sky's the limit."

  I closed my eyes, imagining it. Ethan's face when I told him we were having a baby. His shock when he learned about my dad's offer. The way he would hold me when he realized that our love story was just beginning, not ending. And the shock when I tell him who I truly am, the heiress of the Montgomery sports legacy.

  "Thank you," I whispered to Nicholas. "For never giving up on this. For believing in us."

  "Always, Addie. You're my sister. Your happiness is my happiness."

  He kissed my forehead, and I felt like I was floating. Everything was going to be perfect. Better than perfect.

  "I should get back inside," I said reluctantly. "The press conference should be wrapping up soon."

  "That's alright. Go celebrate his big day." Nicholas winked. "And tomorrow, you can start celebrating your even bigger life."

  I was still smiling as I watched him walk back to his car, my heart so full it felt like it might burst. This baby wasn't just a new life, it was a new beginning for all of us.

  I turned to head back toward the building, already planning how I would tell Ethan toni

ght, when something made me pause. Across the parking lot, a figure in a black dress stood partially hidden behind a white SUV.

  Dr. Vivienne Laurent lowered her phone, and even from this distance, I could see the smile spreading across her face.

  It wasn't a nice smile.