by Tia Wylder
“I would never treat him like trash. That is why I’d see him freed from your gnarled grip,” the blonde woman bit back. Jackson found himself grinning at the furious expression Lina turned upon them, though upon seeing the expression on his parents’ faces, he was certainly less amused.
“Jackson, what is the meaning of this? Lina told us that you were planning to marry her as we had arranged,” his father demanded, and Jackson hesitated, crossing his arms over his chest.
“That’s his whore of an assistant! She’s nothing but a man stealing, home wrecking skank,” Lina shouted, drawing the attention of everyone else on the floor. She stomped her foot, looking much like a child who had been deprived of their favorite toy.
“Hush now, girl. Don’t cause a scene,” Jackson’s mother hissed, looking between the obnoxious latina and her son. “She has a point, however. You and Svetlana do seem to be a bit… on again, off again. Deepest apologies, Miss Rhukov,” the older woman continued, and Svetlana obviously had to force a smile.
“Jackson and I have been getting a feel for our relationship. We broke up because of a tragedy within my family, but I realized what I was losing by giving him up. Your son is a wonderful man,” the blonde woman murmured. Lina snorted, glancing towards the elder Wethers and speaking in a stage whisper.
“If you ask me, I think they’re faking it just so Jackson can continue banging anyone he feels so inclined to. It’s not as if she’s someone worth writing home about. At the very least, you should have known your darling son held an interest in her, right?” Lina pressed, taking a brave step towards Svetlana. “Anyone could agree that she’s little more than a frumpy little cow. Jackson deserves someone at least on his level,” she whispered snidely. Svetlana smiled serenely for a moment, seeming nonplussed by the comment. However, in a split second she reared back and backhanded Lina as hard as she possibly could. Lina screamed as she stumbled back, clutching her cheek. Jackson had to swallow his desire to cheer, resting a hand on Svetlana’s shoulder and drawing her nearer to him once more.
“Miss Rhukov, we must ask you to be professional!” The elder Wethers male insisted, looking between the two young women with trepidation.
“Oh, Mark, you have to admit that Lina was crossing a line,” his wife muttered, looking at Lina with something akin to disdain. “I will ask both of you to behave professionally, and act like adults while we discuss this very serious matter. Now, Jackson, be honest with mommy. Did you start this whole affair with Svetlana as a means of getting us off your back?” She said seriously, though there were hints of compassion in her gaze. Jackson hesitated, looking between Svetlana and his parents. As much as he loved Svetlana, he couldn’t spend the rest of his life with such a heavy weight on his chest.
“Yes, mother. It started out that way,” he began. Lina laughed victoriously, lunging forward to jab a finger against Jackson’s chest.
“I knew it! I knew there was no way you could love her,” she grinned toothily. Svetlana took a step back, obviously unprepared for Jackson’s confession. Before he could continue, his father interrupted the scene.
“That’s it, Jackson! You’ve been playing this eligible bachelor for too long. You used your assistant as an excuse to get out of it, and I for one won’t stand for it any longer. You have one of two choices. Get married, and settle down for the sake of our company’s reputation. Or, continue living as you are, with one condition. You lose all stock in our company,” His father said coldly. Jackson’s eyes widened, and despite suspecting his father might suggest as much, he hadn’t been convinced the older man would truly go that far. Now, however, he was presented with very few options. It was to marry Lina and live unhappily, but well off, for the rest of his life. He could sacrifice his love for Svetlana, and give up the only thing he had come to care about for the sake of keeping his parents happy. He could also sacrifice his stock in the company, just to be with the woman he loved so dearly. It should have been an easy choice. His father certainly expected it to be. His mother looked more troubled by the ultimatum, but said nothing. Feeling all their eyes upon him, stress washed over Jackson more than it ever had before. He drew his lip between his teeth, worrying it frantically as he considered his options. Svetlana drew near him, resting a hand on his cheek. He waited, eager for him to convince him that she was the right choice. However, there was a sad expression on her face that seemed to indicate she had no intentions of doing as much.
“Jackson… I love you. I really do. But… I can’t ask you to sacrifice your life for me. You’re not the sort to work a job like flipping burgers at the local fast food joint. You have your dignity. You have respect for yourself. Moreover, you have your family and your happiness,” she trailed off, drawing away from him. “I won’t ask you to sacrifice your wellbeing just to be with me. I won’t allow it. If your parents can’t see that we love each other, then… there’s little I can do to convince them. Just know that whatever you decide, I will always love and respect the man you’ve become,” she continued, smiling bitterly. His eyes widened, and he reached out to her. She seemed uncaring of his desire for her, continuing to step back, back and further away until she was out of reach.
“Svetlana…,” he called desperately, not knowing how to put his feelings properly into words; especially with such a large audience. Svetlana considered him for a moment longer, turning her back to walk away. “Svetlana, wait! I have something to ask you!” He blurted, fumbling in his pockets. She paused, turning to face him with a curious expression. Jackson darted away from his parents and Lina, managing to rip the velvet box out of his pocket just as he slid to his knees in front of the woman he loved. She watched him with wide eyed confusion, gasping in disbelief as he popped open the lid of the box. Jackson didn’t like to brag, but he was certain she had never seen such a large diamond in her life. At the very least, he had hoped not. He had spent a good chunk of his savings to ensure that the ring he chose was just right. Her mouth fell agape, stayed agape, and he smiled up at her with a tender expression.
“Jackson, what are you--” she began, only to be cut off by Lina.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing!? Didn’t you hear your parents? They said you’ll lose your company share if you don’t marry me,” she screeched, but Jackson paid her little mind. He drew the ring out of the box, holding it delicately in his hand as he struggled to put the words together.
“I know it seems really sudden. But I had been considering this for… a while. I know you don’t think I’m ready to be a husband, let alone a father for Klaus. I don’t expect you to have much confidence in me, in that regard. I wouldn’t ask you to lead me by the hand, and I certainly wouldn’t want to put further strain on yours and young Klaus’ lives, but…” he trailed off, taking her by the hand. “I may not be ready. You may be right about me. I know for one thing I’m in way over my head. I’ve been in over my head for the entirety of this relationship. But I know that there’s no one I would rather be with. Rich or poor, I’d love to spend the rest of eternity with you. I don’t know how to flip burgers. I don’t know how to be a father. But if you give me the chance, I’ll do my damnedest to try,” he announced.
“Jackson, you can’t mean… you can’t possibly,” Svetlana stammered, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
“I mean it. If it means losing my stock in the company, then so be it. I want to be with you. I love you, Svetlana, with my whole heart. Will you… God, I know this is sudden, but will you marry me?” He blurted. He felt his own eyes grow moist with tears, and though he could vaguely hear Lina’s shrill shrieks, she all but fell into the background. Svetlana extended her hand, nodding her head mutely as Jackson moved to slip the ring on her finger. It was the perfect fit, though no one should have expected any less.
“Of course I’ll marry you. I love you, Klaus loves you, god, my sister was pushing me to pursue you every time I saw her, up until…,” she paused, choking up in sobs. “At least I know I had her blessing,” she managed. Jack
son smiled, rising to his feet and pulling Svetlana into his arms. For a moment, the entire world seemed to stand still. Their lips pressed together, not just as friends, and not even just as lovers. They kissed as future man and wife, for the entire office to see. Claps echoed all around them, and Jackson drew back, surprised to see his employees on the floor eagerly clapping their hands together and cheering.
“Stop clapping! Stop clapping! Don’t you see what a fool he’s being!?” Lina screamed, silencing everyone. “This isn’t some fairy tale ending. He won’t live happily ever after with the frog princess. He’s losing his share in the company, he’s losing his position as your boss, and you’re clapping like a bunch of idiots. I could have helped this company rise to the top, I could have made it so that all of your paychecks doubled within a week,” she continued, on a tirade. As she fell silent, gasping for air, everyone watched Jackson with baited breath. He hesitated, looking uncertain of what to say. Svetlana gripped his hand, and he steeled himself to face his parents. However, before he could face them and apologize for not being the son he wanted, he was interrupted by a softer clapping than before. He wheeled around to face his parents, surprised to see the two smiling joyfully at the scene that had taken place before them. Jackson’s mother rushed forward, drawing Svetlana into her arms and gingerly stroking the younger woman’s hair.
“Oh thank heavens, I knew my son had better taste than that monster of a woman,” she murmured. Lina’s eyes widened at her words, though the vibrant latina certainly wasn’t the only one in shock. Svetlana drew away from Jackson’s mother, staring at her with blatant confusion in her gaze.
“You… didn’t want him to marry Lina?” Svetlana managed, looking between the older woman and her husband. The elder man simply watched the scene with a look of amusement, drawing a pair of cigars out of his pocket and offering one to his son. Jackson accepted it reluctantly, allowing his father to light the tobacco before taking a puff off it.
“Oh, God, no. Lina was our last resort, really. Despite how much money we may have, and how much money she could have added to our company, we know money isn’t everything. We just thought Jackson needed a bit of a push to find someone to his actual tastes,” the eldest Wethers man said with a wry smile.
“Exactly, darling, exactly. While we did frown upon his playboy lifestyle, we simply hoped Jackson could find someone he loved to settle down with. It was all a giant farce, I suppose you could say.” Jackson’s mother murmured. Jackson stared between the two, obviously in disbelief.
“You… tricked me…?” He blurted, seeming on the verge of anger.
“Oh, honey. Are you really going to try and be angry at us? You’re just upset that the tables were turned upon your little act,” his father said dismissively. Jackson looked imploringly at Svetlana, as if expecting some sort of backup. However, that backup never came. His assistant simply stared between the older couple before meeting Jackson’s gaze and erupting into laughter.
Oh my god. Oh my god, your parents aren’t totally awful people,” she cackled, and the elder couple in the room chuckled along with her. “Aww, Jackson. They were just looking out for you. And the company, I suppose. But don’t you see? If this situation had never brought us together, we would have never fallen in love. You never would have asked me to marry you. You… you don’t regret it, do you?” She trailed off in an uncertain mutter, meeting the gaze of her future husband. He snorted, running a hand through his hair as he began to laugh as well.
“I don’t regret it. I just can’t believe those two would do something so sneaky!” He blurted. He drew his mother into his arms, gesturing for his father to step forward as well. The older man seemed hesitant, but allowed himself to be pulled by Svetlana into the group hug. “So… you’re not taking my stock of the company?” Jackson grinned sheepishly as Svetlana quirked a brow at him.
“Of course, we’re not cutting you off. We’re your parents, not monsters.” Jackson’s father quickly assured him.
“You can’t be serious right now! You… all of you! This is some extravagant prank! There’s no way in hell I was the last resort choice,” Lina blurted with a shaking voice. Jackson blinked, as if just remembering she were still there. Truthfully, he had forgotten about her presence. He glanced over to her with a quirked brow, seeming to consider his words. Before he could come up with a polite way to ask her to leave, his mother cut him short.
“Oh heavens, would you take the hint and leave already? We’re trying to have a family moment here,” Jackson’s mother stared down at her icily. Lina sputtered, desperate to argue the point. “Right now, girl! Before I have security haul you out! Or better yet, have my future daughter in law rip you a new one, again,” the elder woman barked out. Seeming to take the hint, Lina scrambled away, cursing under her breath as she slinked out of sight. Jackson watched her go, smiling in amusement.
“You know, I almost feel bad for her,” he murmured. Svetlana slapped his arm, looking at him through narrowed eyes.
“You can’t be serious,” she deadpanned.
“I just said I almost feel bad for her! Not that I do,” he stammered out. Svetlana rolled her eyes, giving his shoulder a light shove. “Oh, come on baby, you know you’re the only one for me. I was going to give up my company share for you; doesn’t that mean something?” He pressed teasingly, and Svetlana smirked in response.
“I’m not sure it counts if it was never really at risk, lover boy,” she hummed. He feigned an offended look, and his parents looked at the two before roared with laughter.
“Oh, I have a feeling I’m going to like this one, Jackie. Now, come along. Send your workers home for the day. We’ll grab dinner and discuss the future a bit,” Jackson’s mother announced with her eyes wide and shining.
“The future?” Jackson repeated, quirking a brow as his parents led his bride to be and himself out of the office building. Svetlana drew out her tablet, presumably to scrawl out a message for everyone to take the rest of the day off. As they stepped out the door of the office building, uproarious cheers throughout the floor indicated that the message was well received.
“Oh, well, of course honey. We have a wedding to plan. Then there’s also the matter of grandchildren,” the elder Wethers woman murmured, winking teasingly at Svetlana. The blonde met the older woman’s expression with a wry grin of her own, glancing at Jackson and winking.
“Well, I think we’re way ahead of you on that front, Mumsie,” she teased. The elder woman’s eyes widened, and Jackson cackled as he and Svetlana jogged ahead, leaving the elder Wethers male to take care of his swooning wife.
Once they were far enough away to have a moment of silence to themselves, the two grabbed each other in an embrace. Jackson kissed his bride to be tenderly, tangling a hand in her long golden locks. Moments later, he drew away, a mildly concerned expression on his face.
“You… did mean Klaus, didn’t you?” He cocked his head to the side. Svetlana smiled, looping her fingers around his tie and pulling him along behind her.
“For now.”
Chapter Ten
Jackson snoozed peacefully, his arm draped across his eyes as a warm body shifted beside him in his king-sized bed. He rumbled contently, rolling over to grip the woman he loved in his arms. He was startled to find a much smaller figure, and his eyes popped open to see Klaus staring at him head on. He gave a startled little jump, clutching his chest as the young boy jumped up and down on the bed.
“Heavens, son, what has got you all excited?” Jackson mumbled, looking in the immediate area for his wife. She wasn’t in bed, the shower wasn’t running, but the tantalizing scent of pancakes wafted through the open bedroom door.
“Mama said it was take-your-son-to-work day,” Klaus blurted, rising on his feet and jumping up and down full force. Jackson groaned under his breath, glancing at the clock and cursing the fact that he’d been woken well before the alarm was due to go off. “She said I should come wake you up. Something about you being a lazy bum and t
rying to put off the work day,” Klaus continued, as he idly bounced up and down. Jackson quirked a brow, sitting upright and considering the young boy. He bared his teeth, lunging towards the child who had dared to disturb his rest. Klaus screamed as he was captured in Jackson’s grip, his squeals giving way to loud peals of laughter as Jackson tickled him relentlessly.
“And you listen to her over me? You should know better than to drag me out of hibernation! Now, you must suffer!” Jackson roared, pinning Klaus to the bed and tickling his sides. The young boy managed to scramble away, nearly falling out of bed before Jackson caught him. “Seriously, son. Go tell your mom I’ll be ready for work soon. I have to get a shower, find something to wear, get you dressed…,” he trailed off as Klaus offered him an indignant look.
“I am dressed, dad,” he insisted, gesturing to the vibrant green t-rex shirt he wore with a pair of matching dinosaur pajama bottoms. “I’m dressed for business! I’m gonna be a fun boss, unlike you and mom,” the young boy grinned, bouncing away from the bed and towards the door. “Mom also told me to tell you that she laid your clothes out in the bathroom. See you at breakfast!” Klaus called, slipping out of the room. He sang loudly and out of key as he descended the stairs, some awful made up ditty about take your child to work day. Jackson could have killed the person who’d come up with such a day for his place of work, but mused he would then be a widow. He chuckled to himself as he slipped out of bed, grabbing a quick shower and getting dressed before meeting the rest of his small family at the dining room table. Klaus was stuffing piles of hotcakes into his mouth, and Svetlana rose from the table to greet Jackson with a tender kiss. Klaus pretended to gag between his bites of pancakes, nearly choking in the process.
“Easy, easy,” Jackson chuckled, thumping the young boy on the back.
