Eliana stood with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed as she glared at George. "You forgot to text me back, didn’t you?" she accused, her voice laced with irritation.
George, who had just walked in after a long day, sighed inwardly. Here we go again. He pinched the bridge of his nose, already feeling the beginnings of a headache. It wasn’t like he deliberately ignored her—he had been swamped with meetings and last-minute project revisions.
But did she care about that? No.
Still, as much as he wanted to groan in frustration, he knew better. Instead, he schooled his expression, exhaling slowly before stepping closer. “Firecracker,” he murmured, tilting his head, “do you think I’d ignore you on purpose?”
Eliana huffed, turning her head away. "I don’t know, did you?"
George let out a low chuckle, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered for a second longer than necessary, his touch gentle despite his earlier annoyance.
“I was buried in work, trying to build a future for us,” he said, his voice softer now. “But even if I was drowning in paperwork, my thoughts were still with you.” He tapped his temple playfully. “Right here, all day.”
Eliana’s lips parted slightly, caught between maintaining her anger and melting at his words.
“And,” he continued, leaning in with a smirk, “if I have to make it up to you…” He gently cupped her chin, tilting her face up to meet his gaze. “Then I’ll make sure to remind you exactly how much I missed you.”
Eliana’s face turned red in an instant. "Y-You’re so unfair!" she sputtered, pushing at his chest weakly.
George laughed, catching her hand and pressing a kiss to her palm. “Unfair? I call it strategy.”
George leaned back against the couch, arms crossed, watching as Eliana paced the living room, her brows furrowed in frustration. The tension from their earlier argument still lingered in the air, but George—ever the strategist—was about to shift the conversation entirely.
“You know,” he began, his voice calm but laced with mischief, “there’s actually a well-known benefit when newlyweds argue.”
Eliana shot him a suspicious glance. “Oh? And what nonsense are you about to spout now?”
George smirked, tilting his head. “Making babies.”
Eliana nearly choked on air. “Excuse me?”
“I’m serious.” He sat up straighter, his expression now taking on a more confident, almost scholarly look. “Think about it—after a fight, emotions are heightened. Tension builds up, and what’s the best way to release all that pent-up energy?”
Eliana folded her arms, but the redness on her cheeks betrayed her. “By apologizing and talking it out like mature adults?”
George chuckled, shaking his head. “Sure, sure. But studies show that physical intimacy after an argument strengthens emotional bonds. It creates deeper connections, reinforces trust, and—” He cleared his throat, “—let’s just say it comes with added benefits if a couple is planning for a family.”
Eliana blinked, her mind trying to process his words. “Are you telling me that every newlywed couple who fights just—just makes babies to fix things?”
George shrugged. “Not all of them, but it’s a solid strategy. Stress relief, emotional bonding, plus it increases oxytocin, which promotes deeper attachment. Oh, and don’t forget—it’s a great way to make up.” He sent her a teasing wink.
Eliana stared at him, utterly speechless. “Is that real?”
George coughed, suddenly looking away. “Y-Yeah… totally.”
Eliana narrowed her eyes. “You hesitated.”
“I did not.”
“You so did.”
George cleared his throat again, suddenly very interested in the ceiling. “The point is, arguments aren’t always a bad thing. They can lead to, uh… productive outcomes.”
Eliana covered her face with both hands. “I can’t believe I married you.”
George leaned forward, resting his chin on his palm. “Well, Firecracker, believe it. And, just saying, if you ever want to test out my theory…” He grinned.
Eliana threw a pillow at his face.
Late at night, as the world outside lay still in slumber, George lay beside Eliana, watching the steady rise and fall of her breathing. Moonlight filtered through the curtains, casting a soft glow over her features. She looked peaceful—fragile yet strong, like a flame that refused to be extinguished.
As he gazed at her, an old thought crept into his mind, one he had buried deep but never truly forgotten. Villains in novels.
The villain was always doomed. No matter how cunning, how powerful, or how much they struggled, the world never let them win. Their role was to suffer, to be hated, to exist only as a stepping stone for the hero’s triumph.
And yet… here he was.
George clenched his hands into fists. Am I still the villain in this life?
He had done things differently this time. He had changed, shaped his own path, and refused to be bound by the script of his past mistakes. But there were nights—just like this one—when doubt whispered in his ear.
His gaze fell to the phone resting on the bedside table. The same phone that had swallowed him whole, yanking him into this world and forcing him to rewrite his fate. He was given a second chance, but there was no guarantee he’d get what he truly wanted in the end.
And yet… even if things didn’t go the way he dreamed, even if the world still found a way to cast him as the villain in someone’s story… he had no regrets.
Because in this life, he was choosing to be happy.
Slowly, George slid out of bed and knelt on the floor, his head bowed. He had never been the most religious man, but tonight, his heart spoke before his mind could hesitate.
"Please… let me make her happy. Let me give her everything she desires. If I can do that—if I can be the reason she smiles every day—then nothing else matters. Even if fate still sees me as a villain, let me be the kind that protects the one I love."
Unbeknownst to him, Eliana was still awake.
She had heard every single word.
Her heart clenched at the raw honesty in his prayer. He truly believed he was undeserving, that he was still fighting against the role the world had assigned him. But to her… George had never been the villain.
As he finished his prayer, George leaned forward and pressed a tender kiss to her forehead.
Eliana shut her eyes, willing her breathing to remain steady, though inside, her heart was racing.
Ultrasound Day
The clinic room was supposed to be a place of joy and anticipation. But for George, it had become a war zone.
"YOU EVIL MAN!" Eliana smacked his arm. Smack! "How the hell did you manage to make three girls?!" Smack! Smack!
George, still in a daze, was too stunned to even dodge. He gawked at the ultrasound screen, pointing at it as if his brain couldn’t process what he was seeing. "T-Three? Triplets?!" His voice cracked.
The doctor, struggling not to laugh, nodded. "Yes, Sir George. Congratulations, you're having three baby girls."
George’s face drained of all color. He turned to the doctor, panic setting in. "Are you sure? Could you check again? Maybe one of them is just... a reflection or something?"
The doctor chuckled. "Sir, this is not a magic mirror. You have three daughters on the way."
Eliana smacked him again. "Reflection?! Are you seriously trying to glitch our kids out of existence?!"
"But three girls, El!" George turned back to the screen in horror. "Do you know what this means? I’ll have to protect them from guys like—like me!" He grabbed the doctor’s shoulders. "Doc, are there any techniques to skip the teenage years? Can we fast-forward straight to adulthood?"
The doctor only laughed, shaking his head.
Eliana, on the other hand, crossed her arms and huffed. "You should’ve thought about that before you scheduled everything so perfectly, Mr. ‘I Know Your Fertility Window’!"
George groaned, running a hand down his face. "I was aiming for efficiency, not a triple combo attack!"
The doctor printed out the ultrasound images and handed them over. "Looks like you're in for a lively future, Mr. and Mrs. Good luck."
George slumped back in his seat, staring at the pictures in disbelief. "Three girls..." He gulped. "El, I need a moment. I need air. I need to—"
"You need to accept your fate!" Eliana smacked him one last time before smirking. "Congratulations, Daddy of Three."
George groaned dramatically, but deep down, a warm feeling spread in his chest. His life was about to become insanely chaotic… but if it was with Eliana and their three little girls, then maybe—just maybe—he was ready for it.