Banner By: AndreaChapter 1
Chloe sat at the dining room table and frowned down at the newspaper in her hands. A large headline covered the front page with a photo from their wedding splashed beneath it. “Playboy Billionaire Oliver Queen Rushes Nuptials, Baby on the way?”
She snorted and Oliver glanced up from his paperwork eyebrow raised. She caught sight of the questioning look on his face and she waved the paper in her hand.
“Have you seen the Gazette’s morning edition?”
Amusement colored his face as he spoke.
“How would I have seen it? You’re holding the paper.”
She reached forward and tossed it to him. It landed near his toast and Oliver shook his head as he turned it over and lifted it up. He winced at the headline displayed there. Honestly he had expected something like this. Speculation on why they had gotten married was to be expected.
He dealt with the press and the media every day. This was nothing new for him, but he could tell by the look on Chloe’s face she wasn’t happy about having her life splashed across the front page of the paper. He sighed.
“It’s gonna happen Chloe. We just need to deal with things as they come.”
“Oliver, the most read paper in Star City has announced to the world that I’m pregnant and that’s why you married me. How does that not bother you?”
He shrugged.
“Because I’m used to the rumors. You know you aren’t pregnant, I know you aren’t pregnant and in a few months everyone else will know too. We talked about this didn’t we?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips together. After finding out they had gotten married while in Vegas, they’d spent the last two days at the Bellagio talking through things and having copious amounts of sex.
Chloe was even able to forget about the impromptu marriage long enough to let lose a little, and enjoy herself. By the end of the weekend he’d been able to convince her that their marriage wasn’t a mistake and that everything would be okay. They’d landed back in Star City late last night because Oliver had an early morning meeting with the board.
“I know we did…I just didn’t realize it would be like this. We’ve barely been back a day and already it’s starting.”
He opened his mouth right as her phone went off. She glanced at it and rolled her eyes before lifting it to her ear.
“Good morning Lois.”
“How could you not tell me you were pregnant!?”
Chloe glared in Oliver’s direction as she spoke.
“Because I’m not pregnant Lois.”
“That’s not what the Star City Gazette says.”
“I’m aware, thanks for that bit of information.”
“When are you guys heading back to Metropolis?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll probably head back tomorrow.”
Chloe could practically here the scowl in Lois’s voice as she spoke.
“Without Oliver?”
“Yea?”
There was silence on the line for a minute before she continued speaking.
“You realize that’s only going to fuel the media right? If you just take off without him from Star City? Why don’t you guys come to Metropolis together?”
“Because I don’t know what his schedule is like Lois and I have work back home. Listen, we’re in the middle of breakfast, let me call you later.”
“Chloe is everything--”
She never heard the end of the sentence though because Chloe had ended the call and placed her phone back on the table before taking a sip of her coffee. Oliver could see the tension in her shoulders as she bit into a piece of toast.
“Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine.”
“You mentioned something about my schedule to Lois?”
Chloe nodded.
“She asked when we were coming back and I told her I’d probably head back tomorrow.”
Oliver frowned slightly.
“I’m not sure if I’ll be ready by tomorrow and school ends for Mia on Wednesday. So she’s coming back here.”
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
“Okay…did you want me to come with you to get her?”
“Yes…is that okay?”
“Sure. It’ll be nice to see her.”
They sat quietly for a few minutes, Chloe picking at her food and Oliver watching her with worried eyes. Oliver had known from the beginning that this wouldn’t be easy. That they’d have a lot of adjusting to do in order to make this marriage work and he was willing to do whatever had to be done.
But ignoring the issues wasn’t going to help. Before they left for his office they needed to figure a few things out. He cleared his throat and she glanced up at him.
“We should probably figure a couple of things out before we head out to the office.”
“I’m coming to the meeting?”
He shrugged.
“Sure, I mean you don’t want to sit around here all day right?”
“Yeah I guess you’re right…Okay…so figuring things out…like what?”
“Well for starters we need to figure out where we’re going to be living. Do you have a preference? There’s the tower in Metropolis…the penthouse here…we could always buy a bigger place in metropolis or there’s always the Queen manor.”
“The Queen manor?”
He nodded.
“The house I grew up in. I haven’t been there in at least ten years, but I know everything’s still in working order. It just really depends on whether or not you want to be in Star City or Metropolis.”
She swallowed hard.
“I actually haven’t given it much thought. What about Mia? Do you think she has a preference? And you?”
Oliver grinned.
“Either way I’ve gotta go back and forth Sidekick, so it doesn’t really matter.”
“Mia?”
He gave her a thoughtful look.
“Well during the school year she’s away, you remember you helped me pick out the school? So she’d just be with us in the summer until she graduates next year and then College maybe? I dunno what she has planned.”
She glanced back down at the table, brows furrowed. Metropolis was her home. She wasn’t sure she wanted to leave it, but was it fair to make Oliver leave his home? She opened her mouth as the table vibrated again. Chloe glanced at her phone, but Oliver waved her off.
“It’s mine. I’m having all calls forwarded to my secretary so she can weed out the press who’ve managed to get a hold of my private number. If the person calling is on the approved list she’ll put them through.”
“Ah, so who made the cut huh?”
She smirked and he chuckled as his cell phone rang. He glanced down and answered it, humor in his voice as he spoke.
“Hello.”
“Oliver?”
“Hey, we were just talking about you.”
“By we do you mean you and your wife?”
He winced slightly at her irritated tone.
“Uh yeah about that--”
“I’ve been trying to call you since Saturday Oliver. You haven’t answered any of my calls.”
“I’m sorry Mia things have been really hectic.”
“I want to come home. Today, now if possible.”
He frowned. It wasn’t like Mia to be demanding or to sound so genuinely angry with him.
“Hey calm down, is everything okay?”
“No Oliver everything is not okay. The minute you decided to go crazy and get married on the freakin' internet there’s been nothing but a ton of reporters here! I had to find out from someone who shoved a camera in my face after U.S. History class let out on Saturday! I don’t know how they got on school grounds but they are everywhere. The school even tried to call you and nothing!”
He swallowed hard, his eyes falling on Chloe who arched a questioning eyebrow.
“Mia I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think they would come there. I want you to see if the headmaster will let you wait in his office and I’ll send Chloe and a car to come pick you up.”
There was a pause on the other line, her voice lowering slightly as she spoke.
“Why can’t you both come?”
“I’ve got an important meeting in a half hour. If you think you can wait a little longer I’ll rush the meeting and Chloe and I can come get you together.”
“…I guess.”
Oliver frowned.
“Is something else wrong?”
“No…I mean…no nothing. I’ll see you guys soon.”
Before Oliver could say anything else the line went dead. He sighed and put the phone down as he glanced at Chloe.
“What happened?”
“Apparently we’re not the only ones being bombarded with press. They showed up at Mia’s school on Saturday and have been camping out ever since.”
“Oh God Ollie that’s horrible. We need to go get her.”
“I can’t blow off this meeting. Jack Wilson the head of my Board of Trustees is pissed. I might be CEO of this company, but their decisions count for things. They can’t overthrow me or anything, but it’s probably a good idea not to piss them off anymore.”
He stood and pulled his suit jacket on and motioned for her to follow.
“Come on we’ll head out now, hopefully we can get this over with quick.”
“Give me a sec and I’ll clear off the table.”
He shook his head as he placed his phone in his pocket.
“Don’t bother, I’ll have Evelyn take care of it.”
“Evelyn?”
He smirked and guided his confused wife to the elevator, as he pushed the button for the lobby.
“Yes, I’m a busy guy Professor, you don’t think it’s weird that every time you come here it’s spotless?”
She frowned as the elevator descended.
“I just assumed you cleaned up.”
“No, I’ve got a housekeeper.”
“Oh jeez…”
He laughed.
“It’s not like I’ve got a staff full of people. Just a housekeeper oh and Maggie.”
“Who’s Maggie?”
“She was my nanny when I was a kid. She was really the only person I had after my parents died. Once I was old enough I got rid of the rest of the staff, but not her. Now she mostly does work for Queen Industries.”
“Oh…I didn’t realize. You never mentioned her.”
The elevator doors opened and he steered her towards the front lobby.
“I probably have, but only in passing without using her name. She lives out here, which is why you’ve never met her. You don’t visit Star City too often.”
He stopped in front of the desk and smiled at Lenny, the doorman.
“Hey, how’s it looking outside? Any chance someone can bring the car around back?”
“Good morning Mr. Queen…Mrs. Queen. Absolutely I’ll notify your driver.”
Chloe raised an eyebrow at Oliver.
“We’re taking the limo?”
“I need to finish reading over a few emails on the way into the office if we’re gonna head out to get Mia right after the meeting is over.”
She nodded as they moved towards the back of the building. She could feel her stomach flutter, nervous energy surging through her. They waited right in front of the glass doors as the car pulled up.
Today would be the first day she and Oliver would make a public appearance as husband and wife and she was terrified. The feel of his hand gripping hers snapped Chloe out of her thoughts. He gave her a warm smile and she gave him half of one in return. Chloe took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Ready or not here they go.
Chloe sat at the dining room table and frowned down at the newspaper in her hands. A large headline covered the front page with a photo from their wedding splashed beneath it. “Playboy Billionaire Oliver Queen Rushes Nuptials, Baby on the way?”
She snorted and Oliver glanced up from his paperwork eyebrow raised. She caught sight of the questioning look on his face and she waved the paper in her hand.
“Have you seen the Gazette’s morning edition?”
Amusement colored his face as he spoke.
“How would I have seen it? You’re holding the paper.”
She reached forward and tossed it to him. It landed near his toast and Oliver shook his head as he turned it over and lifted it up. He winced at the headline displayed there. Honestly he had expected something like this. Speculation on why they had gotten married was to be expected.
He dealt with the press and the media every day. This was nothing new for him, but he could tell by the look on Chloe’s face she wasn’t happy about having her life splashed across the front page of the paper. He sighed.
“It’s gonna happen Chloe. We just need to deal with things as they come.”
“Oliver, the most read paper in Star City has announced to the world that I’m pregnant and that’s why you married me. How does that not bother you?”
He shrugged.
“Because I’m used to the rumors. You know you aren’t pregnant, I know you aren’t pregnant and in a few months everyone else will know too. We talked about this didn’t we?”
She crossed her arms over her chest and pursed her lips together. After finding out they had gotten married while in Vegas, they’d spent the last two days at the Bellagio talking through things and having copious amounts of sex.
Chloe was even able to forget about the impromptu marriage long enough to let lose a little, and enjoy herself. By the end of the weekend he’d been able to convince her that their marriage wasn’t a mistake and that everything would be okay. They’d landed back in Star City late last night because Oliver had an early morning meeting with the board.
“I know we did…I just didn’t realize it would be like this. We’ve barely been back a day and already it’s starting.”
He opened his mouth right as her phone went off. She glanced at it and rolled her eyes before lifting it to her ear.
“Good morning Lois.”
“How could you not tell me you were pregnant!?”
Chloe glared in Oliver’s direction as she spoke.
“Because I’m not pregnant Lois.”
“That’s not what the Star City Gazette says.”
“I’m aware, thanks for that bit of information.”
“When are you guys heading back to Metropolis?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll probably head back tomorrow.”
Chloe could practically here the scowl in Lois’s voice as she spoke.
“Without Oliver?”
“Yea?”
There was silence on the line for a minute before she continued speaking.
“You realize that’s only going to fuel the media right? If you just take off without him from Star City? Why don’t you guys come to Metropolis together?”
“Because I don’t know what his schedule is like Lois and I have work back home. Listen, we’re in the middle of breakfast, let me call you later.”
“Chloe is everything--”
She never heard the end of the sentence though because Chloe had ended the call and placed her phone back on the table before taking a sip of her coffee. Oliver could see the tension in her shoulders as she bit into a piece of toast.
“Is everything okay?”
“Everything’s fine.”
“You mentioned something about my schedule to Lois?”
Chloe nodded.
“She asked when we were coming back and I told her I’d probably head back tomorrow.”
Oliver frowned slightly.
“I’m not sure if I’ll be ready by tomorrow and school ends for Mia on Wednesday. So she’s coming back here.”
Chloe raised an eyebrow.
“Okay…did you want me to come with you to get her?”
“Yes…is that okay?”
“Sure. It’ll be nice to see her.”
They sat quietly for a few minutes, Chloe picking at her food and Oliver watching her with worried eyes. Oliver had known from the beginning that this wouldn’t be easy. That they’d have a lot of adjusting to do in order to make this marriage work and he was willing to do whatever had to be done.
But ignoring the issues wasn’t going to help. Before they left for his office they needed to figure a few things out. He cleared his throat and she glanced up at him.
“We should probably figure a couple of things out before we head out to the office.”
“I’m coming to the meeting?”
He shrugged.
“Sure, I mean you don’t want to sit around here all day right?”
“Yeah I guess you’re right…Okay…so figuring things out…like what?”
“Well for starters we need to figure out where we’re going to be living. Do you have a preference? There’s the tower in Metropolis…the penthouse here…we could always buy a bigger place in metropolis or there’s always the Queen manor.”
“The Queen manor?”
He nodded.
“The house I grew up in. I haven’t been there in at least ten years, but I know everything’s still in working order. It just really depends on whether or not you want to be in Star City or Metropolis.”
She swallowed hard.
“I actually haven’t given it much thought. What about Mia? Do you think she has a preference? And you?”
Oliver grinned.
“Either way I’ve gotta go back and forth Sidekick, so it doesn’t really matter.”
“Mia?”
He gave her a thoughtful look.
“Well during the school year she’s away, you remember you helped me pick out the school? So she’d just be with us in the summer until she graduates next year and then College maybe? I dunno what she has planned.”
She glanced back down at the table, brows furrowed. Metropolis was her home. She wasn’t sure she wanted to leave it, but was it fair to make Oliver leave his home? She opened her mouth as the table vibrated again. Chloe glanced at her phone, but Oliver waved her off.
“It’s mine. I’m having all calls forwarded to my secretary so she can weed out the press who’ve managed to get a hold of my private number. If the person calling is on the approved list she’ll put them through.”
“Ah, so who made the cut huh?”
She smirked and he chuckled as his cell phone rang. He glanced down and answered it, humor in his voice as he spoke.
“Hello.”
“Oliver?”
“Hey, we were just talking about you.”
“By we do you mean you and your wife?”
He winced slightly at her irritated tone.
“Uh yeah about that--”
“I’ve been trying to call you since Saturday Oliver. You haven’t answered any of my calls.”
“I’m sorry Mia things have been really hectic.”
“I want to come home. Today, now if possible.”
He frowned. It wasn’t like Mia to be demanding or to sound so genuinely angry with him.
“Hey calm down, is everything okay?”
“No Oliver everything is not okay. The minute you decided to go crazy and get married on the freakin' internet there’s been nothing but a ton of reporters here! I had to find out from someone who shoved a camera in my face after U.S. History class let out on Saturday! I don’t know how they got on school grounds but they are everywhere. The school even tried to call you and nothing!”
He swallowed hard, his eyes falling on Chloe who arched a questioning eyebrow.
“Mia I’m so sorry. I didn’t even think they would come there. I want you to see if the headmaster will let you wait in his office and I’ll send Chloe and a car to come pick you up.”
There was a pause on the other line, her voice lowering slightly as she spoke.
“Why can’t you both come?”
“I’ve got an important meeting in a half hour. If you think you can wait a little longer I’ll rush the meeting and Chloe and I can come get you together.”
“…I guess.”
Oliver frowned.
“Is something else wrong?”
“No…I mean…no nothing. I’ll see you guys soon.”
Before Oliver could say anything else the line went dead. He sighed and put the phone down as he glanced at Chloe.
“What happened?”
“Apparently we’re not the only ones being bombarded with press. They showed up at Mia’s school on Saturday and have been camping out ever since.”
“Oh God Ollie that’s horrible. We need to go get her.”
“I can’t blow off this meeting. Jack Wilson the head of my Board of Trustees is pissed. I might be CEO of this company, but their decisions count for things. They can’t overthrow me or anything, but it’s probably a good idea not to piss them off anymore.”
He stood and pulled his suit jacket on and motioned for her to follow.
“Come on we’ll head out now, hopefully we can get this over with quick.”
“Give me a sec and I’ll clear off the table.”
He shook his head as he placed his phone in his pocket.
“Don’t bother, I’ll have Evelyn take care of it.”
“Evelyn?”
He smirked and guided his confused wife to the elevator, as he pushed the button for the lobby.
“Yes, I’m a busy guy Professor, you don’t think it’s weird that every time you come here it’s spotless?”
She frowned as the elevator descended.
“I just assumed you cleaned up.”
“No, I’ve got a housekeeper.”
“Oh jeez…”
He laughed.
“It’s not like I’ve got a staff full of people. Just a housekeeper oh and Maggie.”
“Who’s Maggie?”
“She was my nanny when I was a kid. She was really the only person I had after my parents died. Once I was old enough I got rid of the rest of the staff, but not her. Now she mostly does work for Queen Industries.”
“Oh…I didn’t realize. You never mentioned her.”
The elevator doors opened and he steered her towards the front lobby.
“I probably have, but only in passing without using her name. She lives out here, which is why you’ve never met her. You don’t visit Star City too often.”
He stopped in front of the desk and smiled at Lenny, the doorman.
“Hey, how’s it looking outside? Any chance someone can bring the car around back?”
“Good morning Mr. Queen…Mrs. Queen. Absolutely I’ll notify your driver.”
Chloe raised an eyebrow at Oliver.
“We’re taking the limo?”
“I need to finish reading over a few emails on the way into the office if we’re gonna head out to get Mia right after the meeting is over.”
She nodded as they moved towards the back of the building. She could feel her stomach flutter, nervous energy surging through her. They waited right in front of the glass doors as the car pulled up.
Today would be the first day she and Oliver would make a public appearance as husband and wife and she was terrified. The feel of his hand gripping hers snapped Chloe out of her thoughts. He gave her a warm smile and she gave him half of one in return. Chloe took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Ready or not here they go.
Lovely, lovely! Why does Mia seem so upset? Please tell me she likes Chloe! Everyone likes Chloe! And Lois really needs to stop believing everything she reads! This is amazing so far, can't wait for more :D
ReplyDeleteI still not getting this hesitation with Chloe...but I know you are a Chlollier...so I have hope. Reason I think she has valid concerns but she also seems a bit self involved rather than how Ollie thinks: They are a team. I get the new status terrifies her, but obviously she did something she secretly wanted to do and didn't have the courage to do in the first place...So I'm just a tad concerned why she reacts like this. Anywho...I'm worried...what's going on with Mia and hope she doesn't have an issue with Chloe! On to next chappie! Great chapter! :)
ReplyDelete@justbeyourself Aww, don't give up on Chloe just yet. She's got some severe commitment issues in this. It's one thing to be dating and another to be married. Plus not remembering the wedding...well she's freaking out lol.
ReplyDeleteBut hopefully you'll like her better soon! :)