The world is a rather cruel place, a never-ending rat race if you will. He who fights for what he wants earns it but sometimes fighting alone is not enough. Sometimes, a little more is required i.e a little bit of cheating.
Ethan wanted Penelope in his life and he wished more than anything that Skylar would pick him in the end. But with the way things were progressing, he doubted she would. She'd invited him to her engagement party, for fuck's sake. Things between them were now rather civil. Ethan went over to her apartment every weekend to try and bond with Penny and the toddler was slowly warming up to him.
The change had been too slow for his liking and she still squealed as though on a sugar high around Stefan but she was gradually starting to accept Ethan's presence in her life.
Skylar admired her reflection in the full-length strobe mirror, smoothing out the non-existent creases in her rose gold-hued gown. Her hair had been intricately placed in a chignon with Swarowski hair pins to hold them together and wisps of auburn hair framed her face.
Today was the day, the day her engagement to Stefan was to be made public. It was also the day she would meet the rest of his family. Stefan's mother, Mrs.King had painstakingly planned the party, down to its nitty-gritty details. So the party was bound to be a rather grand affair.
Samantha walked into her bedroom with Penny in her arms, both of them giggling at something the former had said. Samantha's dress was a pastel blue with silver sequins on top and a net overlay. Penny's dress was a custom made blush pink gown that complemented Skylar's.
Penny gasped as soon as she saw her, "you look pwetty mommy."
"Thank you, baby." Skylar blew her a kiss, much to the toddler's delight.
"You look beautiful Sam, Sharp's not going to be able to keep his eyes off you," Skylar commented, earning a blush from her best friend.
"You're one to talk," Samantha rolled her eyes in mock annoyance but the smile on her face gave it away.
"Let's go, he's waiting downstairs in the lobby." Skylar couldn't stop smiling, today was the first day of the rest of her new life but a small speck of doubt lingered.
Stefan's smile lit up his face when he saw her approach him, the beautiful dress draped over her like a second skin and made it look like she was floating rather than walking. He knew for sure that she would always be the most beautiful woman in the room.
"You look beautiful, Sky." He breathed out when she reached him.
The smile she returned was breathtaking, "You look pretty dapper yourself."
"Daddy?" Penelope peeked from behind her mother.
He picked her up and spun her in the air, "you look, beautiful baby. Just like a real princess." He kissed her rosy cheeks causing her to giggle.
"Shall we?" He held his hand out and Sky placed hers in it.
That night, The Ritz Carlton's Grand Ballroom was decked up in shades of champagne and rose gold, with crystals and white roses serving as companions. Centerpieces comprising of tall golden branches, encased in glass vases with crystal beads and candles in jars hanging from them, decorated each table. Individual placemats had been assigned while making sure that no feuding relatives would be forced to sit next to each other.
The guests started to trickle in early and by eight-thirty almost every guest was in attendance. It was a rather grand affair, with celebrities from the fashion, film and business industries in attendance. The only ones missing were the engaged couple.
Ethan was already regretting it. He berated himself for even accepting her invitation to her engagement party. But she had looked at him with so much hope and he wanted to mend bridges with her, he couldn't refuse.
So there he was, at the engagement party of the mother of his child, a woman he now found himself wanting to spend more time with. He loved the sound of her laughter, something Penelope had inherited from her. He loved the singular dimple on her left cheek and the way the green in her eyes melted into the blue and truthfully, he had spent many nights the past few weeks, trying to remember what that night with her had been like through his hazy memories of that day.
And he found himself keeping the promise he had made to himself. He hadn't so much as looked at another woman with ulterior motives or entertained their interest in him. He was trying to be a better man for himself and for Penelope.
He was seated next to Alejandra and things couldn't possibly be more awkward for him. As it turned out, Alejandra had never really understood that no message was also a message and as soon as she saw him, she threw herself at him and landed a kiss smack on his lips. Ethan sighed, his Casanova ways were now coming to bite him in the ass and there was nothing he could do about it.
Ethan had spent a lot of time around beautiful women and he was a man well capable of appreciating their beauty but the moment he saw her, glide down those steps in a gown that looked like liquid gold, everything and everyone else became white noise.
She smiled dazzlingly at the crowd waiting for her arrival, all of their faces reflecting expressions of either awe or envy and why wouldn't they? Walking down the stairs with an equally stunning man on her arm, they made quite the power couple and Ethan could help but hate himself a little for letting a woman so stunning walk away from him.
Samantha followed them and handed Penelope over to Stefan before finding her place next to Damian at one of the tables ahead. Stefan clinked a champagne flute to get everyone's attention. He wanted to make the announcement. Ethan stilled in his chair, stopping the idle chat he'd been forced to indulge in with those around him.
"Thank you so much, everyone, for being here today with us," Stefan began, "on this joyous occasion. You all know why you're here, I assume. A month ago, on this very day, this stunning woman made me the happiest man alive by agreeing to marry me." The attendees cheered at this and Stefan grabbed Skylar's hand and kissed her knuckles.
"We wanted you all here today, our loved ones, friends, colleagues and media," he let out an exaggerated sigh at the media part, getting a chuckle from everyone, "when we made it official. Now that we've made the announcement, let's celebrate."
As if on cue, the band hired started playing a soft romantic melody and the couples took to the dance floor and an overall air of happiness filled the room.
Everyone except Ethan, that is.
The newly engaged couple had their first dance to Ed Sheeran's Thinking Out Loud and the paparazzi invited to the party had an amazing time clicking choice pictures of the picture perfect couple. Even Damian was on the dance floor with his girlfriend Samantha who had left Penelope with Ethan who had refused entreaties to dance from quite a few women.
Ethan didn't mind babysitting Penny, he loved it in fact because it made him feel like a hands-on parent, something he was only starting to get used to. His relationship with Penny was improving gradually. In fact on their trip to the Bronx Zoo the week before, Penny had held his hand while walking around and exploring all of the exhibits. As it turned out, the father-daughter duo shared a love for penguins and he'd bought her a penguin plush toy that she had been carrying everywhere since then.
Skylar observed her baby and her baby daddy from her position on the dance floor. The man never failed to surprise her. There he was talking intently to their daughter while a bevy of women stood a little away staring and talking about him with lustful looks. He contentedly ignored them instead of choosing to entertain the toddler who was snuggled in his lap. What shocked her, even more, was how quickly Penny had taken to him, despite the small hiccup that was their first meeting.
The most beautiful part was seeing him step up and take responsibility for her, he came over every weekend to spend time with her and take her out to the park and the other day when he came to pick her up, she saw the baby car seat and seeing him so attentive gave her some type of feeling she was too scared to admit, even to herself.
When Stefan saw her looking in that direction, he pulled her closer possessively and his hand around her waist tightened. "What are you thinking about so much, baby?" He asked her.
"Nothing...I'm just thinking about how well Penny has taken to Ethan. He's a good father. She needs that in her life."
Stefan stopped moving and stared at her with a look of hurt and anger, "So now that he's here, I'm not needed anymore right?"
Skylar stared at him in shock, "No! God no, baby that's not what I meant. That came out all wrong. Of course, she needs you, you're the only father figure she's known since she was baby. She can make space for him too. But you're her dad, baby. That's never going to change, I'm sorry if what I said made you feel that way."
"It's okay. I just... I just panicked." He sighed, kissing her forehead. "You know I love you right? No matter what happens I'll always love you." Skylar smiled at him but it didn't reach her eyes.
He nodded his head but didn't say it back.