Making a Decision 

"Breeder?" I echoed, my gaze hardening.

"Is she not?" Benji shot back.

"She is my wife, Benji. We're legally married."

"A contract marriage, you mean?"

"So long as it ends with the word marriage, I'd assume it is."

"Can you even hear yourself, Chris?" he bellowed. "A marriage that no one knew about. Worse, you two don't even live together."

To think they found out so soon. For fuck's sake, it hadn't even been up to two days.

"Benji," Victor called, his tone a quiet warning.

"We have to trust my brother's decision as the Don, and at least let him decide on the type of marriage he feels comfortable with, provided he's taking the required actions toward giving the Kstervenchi family the heir we deserve."

Benji rolled his eyes, before leaning back in his seat. "Speaking of heirs we deserve, tell us, Chris. How do you intend to father a child with this breeder of yours?"

"What I do with my woman in my house and my bedroom is none of anyone's business," I deadpanned.

He let out a humorless chuckle.

"Do you see that, father? He has gone nuts. Marrying a woman through a paper and a signature. And if my guts are pointing me in the right direction, you're not going to fuck her the traditional way, are you?"

"He absolutely would not do what you're insinuating, Benji. Christopher knows our traditions," Uncle Noel cut in, before turning to me. "Right, nephew?"

My brows knitted tightly, my lips pressed into a thin line.

"Oh, fathers," Uncle Noel muttered, dragging a palm down his face.

"You see—"

"Come on, Benji. Let us put ourselves in Chris's shoes. He still loves Vivian. How would we expect him to betray her like that—"

"Then you're suggesting we allow him taint the Kstervenchi family name all because of a woman he supposedly love?" Benji cut Victor off, shooting him an incredulous look.

My jaw tightened. "She isn't just a woman, Benji. She is the wife of the Don of the Kstervenchi family—"

"And what is her usefulness if she only bears the title, but cannot bear an heir—"

"You will not insult my wife, Benji!" I thundered, as I shot up. "We may be family, but I would advise you do not overstep your boundaries lest you push me to lose my fucking temper."

He glared at me. His jaw clenched, but he didn't say anything. He knew better.

He stood up and headed for the door instead. "I will table this matter to the rest of the family—"

"Dostatochno!" Uncle Noel's voice boomed across the room, his order demanding absolute silence. [Enough!]

I tore my gaze away, my fingers curling into fists on the table.

"A nu-ka, oba — zhivo, zadnitsy na mesto!" he ordered.

[Both of you, sit your asses down this instant!]

I took my seat, crossing my arms over my chest. Benji mimicked me before throwing his gaze to the wall.

Uncle Noel tucked his hands under his chin, his gaze moving from me to Benji.

"Everyone except Christopher, out."

"Father," Adrian called.

"Not now, Malysh." Uncle Noel sighed, as he rubbed his temple. 

[Not now, little one.]

Adrian stood up first, placing a soft kiss on his father's hair before walking out, Victor followed close behind him.

Benji stood up, a scowl on his face then he stopped at the door.

"My decision still stands, father. As a senior council member of the Kstervenchi family, I have the right to raise concerns and propose solutions regarding the family, and that includes urging the council to consider a new Don if I believe our current Don has become unfit to rule."

With that, he walked out, slamming the door behind him.

Uncle Noel let out a heavy breath.

"You know he's not a kid, Chris. Even I have a hard time controlling him, more so since he's a senior council member of the Kstervenchi family. I understand you do not want to hurt Vivian and a contract marriage has protected her feelings as best as it can, but Benji won't let this slide if you decide to medically get a stranger pregnant."

My shoulders slumped. "We're talking about sleeping with another woman that isn't Vivian, Uncle. It was hard enough for her to accept this... marriage and now I have to—"

Disgust washed over me, settling low in my stomach. "You're all asking me to sleep with a stranger."

"The same stranger you decided to marry, Chris. Technically, that makes her your wife."

"Well, I wouldn't had done that if everyone wasn't forcing me to!"

He closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. Then he opened his eyes.

"You are my son, Chris. And you know I would never force you to do anything you do not feel comfortable with. I could choose to keep this a secret, but Benji wouldn't. Only God knows how he came by this information in the first place." He scoffed.

"There's no use dwelling on that now. The point is I can only tell Benji to let the contract marriage slide for Vivian's sake, but you'll have to do the rest the right way."

I turned away from him. "I have heard you, Uncle."

He gave me a tired smile.

"Get some rest, nephew." He patted my shoulder, before walking out.

I slumped into my seat, my gaze fixed on the ceiling as I raked my fingers through my hair before letting out a shaky exhale.

What the hell do I do now?

I stayed seated for a little while, the I got up and made my way out of the meeting room. My gaze landed on Victor and—

"Viv." I walked up to them, shooting Victor a glare. "What the fuck are you doing with my wife?"

"Calm down, Chris—"

"Don't tell me to calm down," I hissed, cutting Vivian off. "And I wasn't talking to you."

"She deserves to know, Chris," Victor said, his expression softening.

"And you thought you were the right person to tell her?" 

He frowned. "No, Chris. I figured I'm the only person who'd tell her the truth. Knowing you, you'd be too busy trying to protect her like she's a child, Benji wouldn't care and Adrian's too young to be involving himself in our shit."

My jaw clenched tightly, my eyes twitching with pent-up anger.

"Thank you, Vicky," Vivian said, giving him a tiny smile. Her tired gaze met mine, before she walked away. I glared at Victor one last time then followed after her.

I closed the door to our bedroom, then walked up to her.

"Careful," I said, helping her lie in the bed. 

"I'm not incapable of taking care of myself, Chris," she said with a small smile as she settled in.

"I know."

I took a seat on the sofa beside the bed, my fingers linking into hers. 

Silence settled between us, stretching for a few moments.

Then—

"You have to do it, Chris."

"We are not discussing this, Viv."

Her hand fell from mine as she sat up. "Why are you being so stubborn, Chris? Don't you understand what's at stake?"

"I do, Viv. I'm just refusing to do what they want."

"Then what's the next option?"

"I will think of an alternative—"

"Do you even hear yourself? You don't even know what to do, Chris—"

"But I know what I'm not going to do."

"And do you know what you're going to lose!" she yelled, then immediately closed her palm around her mouth as she began coughing violently. 

I rushed to her side, patting her back. She eased her hand back from her mouth, revealing a bloody palm.

I handed her a glass of water and she gulped it down.

"I'll call the doct—"

"I don't need the doctor, Chris," she whispered, lying back in bed. "God, I need you to think about yourself for once."

"Do you understand what you're asking me to do?"

"Do you think I don't," she croaked, her voice breaking. "I cannot bear to see you in such a way, Chris. Family pressure aside, fact still stands that I cannot give you kids, and I know just how bad you want them."

Tears rolled down her face, I moved to wipe it away, but she turned from me instead.

"I see the way you look at couples with kids at the beach, the restaurant, the school. Hell, all your men, your family have their own families and I see the way you look at them. I see it all, Chris."

"Viv..." I dropped to my knees beside the bed, clutching her hand tightly.

"Don't ask me to betray you in such a way, please," I whispered.

"I just want you to be happy, Chris. I also don't want these people to take everything you've worked for away from you."

I lowered my head as tears blurred my vision. "I-I can't—"

Her fingers tucked under my chin, lifting my head up, then she placed a kiss against my lips before easing back.

"I love you, Chris. And I know you love me too, but I want to see you happy."

I squeezed my eyes shut, my grip tightening on her hands.

Finally—

"I'll do it."