The rain had come soft and steady that morning, wrapping the apartment in a quiet hush. Aria stood by the kitchen window, stirring a pot of oatmeal absently, watching droplets race down the glass. The nursery was finished. Her body was beginning to feel the weight of growing life. Everything, by all appearances, was calm.
And yet, something inside her stirred—restless.
Leon padded in, barefoot and shirtless, his hair slightly tousled from sleep. "Morning," he murmured, leaning in to kiss her cheek.
"You forgot your shirt," she said softly.
He smirked. "I forgot a lot of things. Like how to keep my hands off you in the mornings."
She rolled her eyes but smiled anyway, until silence settled between them again.
Leon caught the way her brow furrowed. "What's going on in that head of yours?"
She hesitated, then turned off the stove. "I was going through our expenses last night."
"Expenses?" He tilted his head, amused. "Sweetheart, are we going broke and I missed it?"
"I'm serious, Leon." She walked around the island and reached for the tablet on the counter. "There's going to be three of them. That's three cribs. Three of everything. Then daycare, medical, education… college."
He leaned against the counter, watching her with something between fondness and concern. "Aria…"
"And I know you said we're okay, but I just—what if something happens? What if we need more than we think? What if one of them—" Her voice cracked slightly. "What if one of them gets sick?"
Leon stepped forward and gently pulled the tablet from her hands, setting it aside. Then, with both palms warm on her waist, he met her gaze.
"I've got more than enough money," he said plainly, but not dismissively. "We're okay. I promise you. This isn't blind optimism. I've planned for the future. I've invested well. I've taken precautions. Even if I never worked another day, we'd still have more than we'd ever need."
Aria looked up at him, but her eyes held a different emotion. Not doubt—guilt.
"It's not just about the money," she admitted quietly. "It's the not knowing. The waiting. The feeling that if something goes wrong, it'll be my fault. That I didn't think far enough ahead. That I wasn't ready. I—I never thought I'd get to have this. And now that I do… I'm terrified I'll ruin it."
Leon's expression softened instantly.
"You're not ruining anything," he whispered. "You're building it—with me. Every time you hold your belly. Every time you write to them. Every time you look at me like I'm not the man who hurt you once. You're creating this family."
She swallowed hard, emotion rising. "Sometimes I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."
"Then I'll throw the damn shoes out the window," he said with a quiet laugh. "Aria… it's okay to be scared. But don't let your fear talk louder than your heart."
She leaned into him slowly, resting her head against his chest. "I'm trying."
"I know," he murmured into her hair. "But I won't let you do this alone. And neither will they."
She smiled into his chest. "They kick harder when you talk."
"They know who's boss."
"Arrogant."
He grinned. "Rich, arrogant, and madly in love with their mother."
"Lucky for you, I'm easy to impress."
He pulled back just enough to cup her face, brushing his thumb across her cheek.
"No, Aria. I'm the lucky one. Always have been."
And for the first time that morning, the weight inside her eased—just a little.