REWRITING THE RULES
CHAPTER 46: REWRITING THE RULES
The corporate world was used to seeing Jeffrey and Christine as a formidable power couple in sharp suits, commanding boardrooms with decisive authority. But after their one-month leave ended, spending long days at the office away from each other—and away from their newborn son—was a compromise neither was willing to make.
So, they rewrote the rules.
With Anna managing on-site daily operations with efficiency, Jeffrey and Christine transitioned to a flexible work-from-home setup. They only went into headquarters for critical board reviews, major client signings, or important site inspections. Their study in the condo was upgraded with dual executive desks, high-speed monitors, and an ultra-soft playpen just a few steps away.
The new arrangement was seamless.
Eleven months flew by in a blur of laughter, milestones, and soft baby giggles. Christian grew from a delicate newborn into a sweet, healthy, and energetic eleven-month-old boy. He had Jeffrey’s sharp, dark eyes and curious nature, paired with Christine’s warm smile and boundless affection.
On a sunny Tuesday morning, the condo study echoed with the pitter-patter of tiny thuds against the wooden floorboards.
Jeffrey was sitting at his desk, wearing a crisp navy dress shirt—and comfortable sweatpants safely hidden out of frame of his laptop camera.
“And as you can see from the Q3 projections, the expansion project is moving smoothly ahead of schedule,” Jeffrey was saying into his headset, his voice calm during a virtual executive committee meeting.
Suddenly, a tiny hand slapped against his knee.
Jeffrey paused mid-sentence. He looked down to see Christian standing on wobbling legs, holding onto his father’s trouser leg for balance, looking up with big, dark eyes and a toothy grin.
“Dada! Da-da-da!” Christian babbled proudly, waving a bright wooden rattle in the air.
In the middle of a high-level corporate briefing, the CEO’s stoic expression melted into pure warmth. Without skipping a beat, Jeffrey reached down with one arm, scooping his eleven-month-old son onto his lap.
“Pardon the brief interruption, team,” Jeffrey said smoothly into his microphone, a fond smile breaking across his face as Christian immediately grabbed the collar of his dress shirt. “My senior advisor just stepped into the office.”
On the gallery view of the video call, the department heads burst into soft smiles and chuckles. Christian babbled happily toward the glowing screen, reaching out a tiny hand as if trying to pat the video boxes. Jeffrey held him securely against his chest, continuing his presentation while casually preventing his son from pulling off his headset.
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Christine stepped into the doorway holding a small bowl of sliced fruits, her heart swelling at the sight. Seeing Jeffrey seamlessly blend executive authority with tender fatherhood never failed to touch her.
She walked over gently, setting the bowl on the edge of the desk. “Come here, little boss,” Chris whispered, offering her hands. “Let Papa finish his meeting.”
Christian let out a squeal and reached for Christine, tumbling into her arms. Jeffrey caught her eye, mouthing a quiet “Thank you, sweetheart” before pressing a quick kiss to her cheek as she pulled the baby away.
By nightfall, after a cozy evening bottle, a bedtime story, and a bath, Christian was fast asleep in his crib, tucked in comfortably with his favorite soft blanket.
The condo settled into a warm stillness. Ambient lights cast soft shadows across the living room as Jeffrey and Christine sat together on the plush sofa. Chris leaned her head against Jeffrey’s chest, her legs tucked up on the cushions, while Jeffrey wrapped his arms securely around her, resting his chin in the curve of her neck.
“Can you believe he’s almost a year old, Jeff?” Christine murmured softly, gazing toward the nursery door. “Eleven months felt like a heartbeat.”
“Time moves way too fast when you’re happy,” Jeffrey whispered, kissing the top of her head. He reached over to the coffee table, grabbing a leather-bound tablet and a stylus. “Which means we are officially on a tight deadline.”
Chris sat up slightly, raising an eyebrow with an amused smile. “A deadline?”
Jeffrey turned on the screen, opening a fresh document and titling it in his neat handwriting: Christian’s 1st Birthday Master Plan.
“We have three weeks, Christine,” Jeffrey said, his dark eyes sparkling with playful seriousness. “Our son’s first milestone needs proper project management. I’ve already drafted a preliminary guest list—family, close friends, and of course, Auntie Jane.”
Christine laughed, resting her chin on his shoulder as she looked at the screen. “An executive master plan for a one-year-old’s birthday party?”
“It’s a major event, Chris,” Jeffrey argued smoothly, wrapping one arm around her waist to pull her flush against him. “We need a venue, catering, interactive entertainment... maybe a tiny custom tuxedo for the birthday boy?”
“No tiny tuxedos, Jeff,” Chris chuckled, tracing her fingers over his wrist. “He’ll cover it in smash cake within five minutes.”
“Fair point,” Jeffrey smiled, updating the note to Comfortable party outfit instead. “What about a theme? A Little Prince theme? Or maybe a soft indoor playground setup?”
“I love the indoor playground idea,” Chris said, her eyes brightening as she leaned in. “We can set up a gentle ball pit, soft climbing blocks, and a sweet dessert table with pastel decorations.”
“Approved,” Jeffrey murmured, adding the details to the list. He looked down at Christine, his dark eyes brimming with a steady warmth. “What about the cake?”
“A custom two-tier cake, but with a small, healthy smash cake just for him,” Chris suggested softly, turning in his arms to face him. “And lots of photos. I want to capture every single second.”
Jeffrey set the tablet aside on the coffee table and wrapped both arms around her waist, drawing her into his lap.
“One year down,” Jeffrey whispered, cupping her cheek gently with his hand and looking into her eyes with deep affection. “And a lifetime of celebrating with you to go.”
“Happy planning, Chief Executive Husband,” Chris smiled softly, winding her arms around his neck and closing the small space between them for a sweet, deep kiss in the quiet magic of their home.