Page 40 of Single Dad’s Fake Bride (Billionaire Baby Daddies #7)
HARRISON
I woke before dawn, my internal clock refusing to let me sleep past six even on days when I had nowhere urgent to be.
Sadie lay curled against my side, her breathing deep and even, one hand resting protectively over her stomach.
The morning sickness had been brutal these past two weeks, but she'd finally managed a full night's sleep without waking up nauseous.
I studied her face in the gray light filtering through the curtains.
Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and her cheekbones seemed sharper than they had a month ago.
The stress of the depositions combined with early pregnancy had taken a toll, but she never complained.
She just endured, the way she always did.
My phone sat on the nightstand, and I found myself staring at it. Blackwood had said he'd call as soon as he heard from the judge. That could be today, or next week, or next month. Legal proceedings moved at their own glacial pace, indifferent to the anxiety they created for the people waiting.
I slipped out of bed carefully, not wanting to disturb Sadie's rest, and snatched my phone to take with me.
I padded to the kitchen, automatically starting the coffee maker and checking my email.
Nothing from the lawyer. Nothing from the court.
Just the usual administrative messages from Hawthorne that could wait until normal business hours.
The coffee had just finished brewing when my phone rang. The sharp sound cut through the quiet house, and I grabbed it quickly, my heart rate spiking when I saw Blackwood's name on the screen.
"Hello?" I answered, my voice still rough with sleep.
"Harrison, it's Theodore. I hope I didn't wake you. I know it's early, but I wanted to call as soon as I got word from the courthouse."
My stomach dropped. Early morning calls from lawyers rarely brought good news. I gripped the phone tighter, preparing myself for whatever blow was coming.
"What's the verdict?" I asked, moving to the kitchen window and staring out at the frost-covered lawn. We either went to trial or it got dismissed, but I prayed for the latter.
"The judge threw the case out."
I blinked, certain I'd misheard. "He what?"
"He threw out your sisters' challenge completely."
"I don't understand." I sat down heavily in one of the kitchen chairs, my legs suddenly unsteady. "On what grounds?"
"After what happened yesterday during Sadie's deposition—seeing how you cared for her when she was sick, learning about your intimate relationship as husband and wife, your joint care for her mother living in your home—he said the evidence of a genuine marriage was overwhelming."
The words washed over me, but I couldn't quite process them. After months of legal maneuvering and sleepless nights, it seemed impossible that it could be over this simply.
"The will stands," Theodore continued, his voice warm with satisfaction. "You've met all the terms. The inheritance is yours, the school is yours, and your sisters have no further legal recourse."
"What about the five-year requirement?" I managed to ask.
"Still in place, naturally. You can't access the full inheritance or make major changes to the school's governance until that period is complete. But the judge ruled definitively that your marriage is legitimate and that your sisters have no grounds to contest it."
Relief crashed over me in waves, so intense it was almost nauseating. I doubled over in the chair, pressing my free hand against my forehead as the tension I'd been carrying for months finally began to release.
"Harrison? Are you there?"
"Yeah, I'm here." I straightened up, running my hand through my hair. "I just… I can't believe it's really over."
"It's over," Theodore said firmly. "Your sisters can file appeals if they want, but they have no case. Any judge would laugh them out of court at this point."
"Thank you." The words came out rougher than I'd intended, thick with emotion I hadn't expected. "Theodore, I can't tell you how much?—"
"You don't need to thank me. You and Sadie did the work by building a real marriage. I just handled the paperwork."
After I hung up, I sat in the kitchen for several minutes, staring at my phone and trying to absorb what had just happened. No more depositions. No more lawyers dissecting every aspect of our relationship. No more wondering if my sisters would find some new angle of attack.
The relief was so profound it almost hurt.
I climbed the stairs slowly. Sadie was still asleep, but she stirred when I slipped back into bed beside her.
"Harrison?" she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep. "Everything okay?"
"Blackwood called."
She was instantly alert, pushing herself up on her elbow, her brown eyes wide and cautious. "And?"
"We won." I reached for her, pulling her against my chest. "The judge threw out the case completely. It's over, Sadie. Really over."
She was quiet for a long moment, and when I looked down, tears were streaming silently down her cheeks.
"Really?" she whispered. "They can't challenge it anymore?"
"Really. The marriage is legally recognized, the inheritance is secure, and Eloise gets to stay at Hawthorne for as long as she wants."
She buried her face against my chest, her shoulders shaking with the release of months of held anxiety. I held her tightly, running my hand through her hair and marveling at how it felt to finally breathe freely again.
"I was so afraid I'd ruined everything yesterday," she said against my shirt. "Throwing up in front of the judge."
"You didn't ruin anything." I tilted her chin up so she had to look at me. "You proved we were real. He saw a husband taking care of his pregnant wife, not a business arrangement."
She kissed me then, soft and sweet and full of relief and gratitude and love that made my chest ache in the best possible way.
By nine o'clock, the news had spread through Hawthorne's administrative offices with the speed of wildfire.
Dr. Caldwell had called an emergency assembly for the high school, ostensibly to celebrate my birthday but really to address the elephant in the room that had been disrupting the school's equilibrium for months.
The auditorium was packed beyond capacity.
Students filled every seat, their voices creating a buzz of excitement and speculation.
Faculty members lined the walls and side sections, some looking genuinely relieved, others professionally neutral.
The entire board of trustees sat in the front row, their faces carefully composed.
I stood backstage, adjusting my tie for the third time and trying to calm nerves. This wasn't just about sharing good news—it was about claiming my place as headmaster definitively, in front of everyone who'd questioned my legitimacy.
Dr. Sterling appeared beside me, clipboard in hand. "Ready for this?"
"As ready as I'll ever be."
She squeezed my shoulder. "You've earned this moment, Harrison. Enjoy it." It felt odd taking praise from someone who had so vehemently opposed me only weeks ago, but I didn't let the awkward sensation tighten my chest.
When she introduced me, the applause was polite but reserved. I walked to the podium feeling the weight of hundreds of eyes tracking my movement, assessing my demeanor, looking for signs of weakness or uncertainty.
"Thank you all for being here today," I began, my voice carrying clearly through the auditorium's sound system. "I know Dr. Caldwell arranged this assembly as a birthday celebration, but I have some news I wanted to share with our entire school community first."
The conversations died away completely. Even the youngest students seemed to sense the gravity of the moment.
"Yesterday, the Superior Court ruled on the legal challenge to my father's will. Judge Morrison dismissed the case entirely, affirming that all terms have been met and that my position as headmaster is legally secure."
The applause that followed was scattered at first, then built as students began to cheer. I noticed the adult faces remained more guarded—some showing relief, others calculation, a few barely concealed disappointment.
"I want everyone here to understand that my commitment to Hawthorne Academy is absolute and unwavering. This school has been my home since childhood, and I intend to honor both its proud traditions and its potential for continued excellence in the years ahead."
I paused, scanning the crowd until I found Sadie in the faculty section. She was watching me with unmistakable pride, one hand resting protectively over her stomach. The sight of her gave me courage for what came next.
"I also want to share some wonderful personal news. My wife and I are expecting our first child together. The baby is due in early summer, and we couldn't be more thrilled to expand our family."
This time the applause was genuinely warm. Several students actually whooped, and I caught sight of a few board members who looked upset but resigned.
"Hawthorne Academy has always been about more than academics," I continued. "It's about building character, fostering intellectual curiosity, and creating a community where every student can discover their potential. That mission remains unchanged under my leadership."
When I stepped back from the podium, the applause was sustained and genuine. But I'd been around long enough to read the room—I'd won the legal battle, but winning over every member of this community would require time, consistency, and results they could measure.
The reception afterward was a masterclass in polite New England social dynamics. I spent over an hour in the lobby shaking hands and accepting congratulations that ranged from genuinely enthusiastic to diplomatically correct.
"Wonderful news, Harrison!" Mr. Henderson from development pumped my hand with real enthusiasm. "The uncertainty has been difficult for everyone. We're thrilled to be working with you long-term."