All Chapters of Billionaire Romance: Mine Tonight: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

Marcus and Lizzie’s house was even more chaotic than usual when Seraphine and Damien visited to meet baby Emma. The house showed signs of five children under ten toys scattered everywhere, laundry piled on surfaces, dishes in the sink, the organized chaos of a family in survival mode. “Don’t judge the mess,” Lizzie said immediately when they arrived, looking exhausted but content. She held two-week old Emma in one arm while preventing three-year-old Daniel from climbing onto the kitchen counter with the other. “We’re in full survival mode.” “No judgment. I’m impressed you’re vertical and coherent.” Seraphine settled onto the couch, grateful to sit after the walk from the car. At twenty-eight weeks pregnant with placenta previa, even small exertions exhausted her. Emma was tiny and perfect, sleeping peacefully despite the noise around her. Charlotte was immediately fascinated. “She’s SO SMALL!” Charlotte whispered, though her whisper was louder than most people’s normal voice. “Is

Late July - Film Maya and Elijah’s Perspective Film Maya stood in her kitchen at 6 AM, preparing bottles for Henry while Nathan tried to climb onto the counter to reach the cookies she’d hidden on the top shelf. “Nathan, no climbing. We’ve discussed this.” She intercepted him mid climb. “You can have a banana or yogurt for breakfast. Not cookies.” “But I WANT cookies!” “And I want eight hours of uninterrupted sleep. We don’t always get what we want.” She handed him a banana. “Eat this or eat nothing. Those are your options.” Elijah appeared, already dressed in scrubs for his shift at the hospital. He’d reduced his surgery schedule significantly but still worked three days a week, a compromise between career and family that satisfied neither fully but was sustainable. “Henry’s up,” he reported, carrying their ten-month-old son who was chewing on his own fist. “I changed him. He needs a bottle.” “Already made.” Film Maya handed over the prepared bottle. “Your shift ends at three?

The bleeding scare had stabilized but left Seraphine on the most restrictive bed rest yet. No sitting up for more than twenty minutes at a time, bathroom privileges with nurse assistance only, constant monitoring for any signs of renewed bleeding or fetal distress. “You made it to thirty-four weeks,” Dr. Martinez said during morning rounds. “That’s significant. If we had to deliver today, James’s outcomes would be very good. NICU stay would be needed but likely short.” “How much longer do I need to stay like this?” “Ideally three more weeks. Get you to thirty-seven weeks, full term, no NICU.” Dr. Martinez reviewed Seraphine’s chart. “But realistically, any day could be delivery day. The placenta is unstable. We’re hoping it holds, but we’re prepared to deliver immediately if necessary.” After Dr. Martinez left, Seraphine lay staring at the ceiling, trying to reconcile “any day” with “three more weeks.” Living in that uncertainty not knowing if James would arrive today or in three

Three days after, Seraphine was discharged from the hospital on a Thursday morning, exactly three days after James’s birth. The pediatrician had cleared James that morning weight stable at five pounds, three ounces, feeding well, no complications from being four weeks early. “He’s a healthy late preterm infant,” Dr. Reynolds, the pediatrician, confirmed. “Follow up with his doctor next week, watch for any feeding or breathing issues, but he looks great. You can take him home.” Taking him home. The words that had felt impossible during five weeks of bed rest were finally real. Damien brought the car seat—the same one they’d used for Charlotte, now adjusted for James’s smaller size. Getting James secured properly took fifteen minutes and three attempts, both of them anxious about doing it correctly. “He’s so small,” Damien observed, looking at James dwarfed by the car seat despite it being on the smallest settings. “Charlotte was tiny but James looks even smaller.” “He’s bigger tha

November, the film won the Toronto Film Festival’s People’s Choice Award. Seraphine watched the announcement via live stream while wearing a spit-up stained shirt and trying to convince James that 3 AM was not an appropriate wake up time. “We won,” she told Damien, who appeared in the nursery looking exhausted. “The film won Toronto.” “That’s huge. Congratulations.” He took James from her so she could pump the endless cycle of feeding, pumping, feeding again. “This pretty much guarantees Oscar nomination.” “It does. Which means awards season campaigning. Press junkets, screenings, events.” Seraphine hooked herself up to the pump, feeling like a dairy cow. “All happening while I have a three month old and a three year old who’s still having behavioral issues.” “You can do some of it remotely. Video interviews, phone press. Robert and Melissa can handle in person appearances.” “That’s not how you win Oscars. You win by being visible, present, networking constantly. I can’t do