The space between us disappeared as the moment grew more intense, the warmth of her mouth against mine turning the kiss into something deeper and more intimate. Our breaths mingled. Our movements slowed. And the world dissolved around us.
I had no doubt whatsoever that I wanted her.Even after hearing everything about her past, not a single ounce of hesitation remained inside me.If anything, my feelings had only grown stronger.Multiplied.
I knew that if I could not have her, I would not want anyone else.
My love for her had turned into devotion.
I surrendered myself completely to the moment as our kiss grew more urgent, our bodies drawing closer together while the rhythm between us became impossible to ignore.
She had become something essential in my life.
Something I could not imagine living without.
She had stormed into my life and into my heart.
A soft sound escaped her lips as my hands moved from her face to her waist, pulling her gently closer.I lifted her into my arms and carried her toward my bedroom, unable to break the connection between us.Our breathing grew heavier as the distance between our bodies disappeared.My fingers traced the curves of her body while her hands gripped my shirt with growing urgency.
Every movement between us carried the weight of everything we had just confessed.
Our bodies pressed together as the moment consumed us completely.
And as we finally surrendered to each other, every barrier that had once stood between us fell away, like walls collapsing after a long siege.
39
JIYA
Two weeks later, I returned home after checking on the cafés and the restaurant, the long day still weighing on my shoulders.
The children were asleep, and the house was quiet.
I went upstairs and stepped into the shower, letting the hot water wash away the tension. My gaze dropped to my chest, and instinctively, my fingers moved to the faint scar just above my heart—the scar from my surgery.
I traced it slowly, the familiar line beneath my fingertips bringing back memories I rarely allowed myself to remember. Two years ago, on my birthday of all days, I was rushed to the hospital for the surgery that had saved my life. At the time, it had felt as though a shadow had loomed over me.
Now it was just a scar—a reminder of something I had survived, a mark that told a story only I truly understood.
I let out a soft breath, feeling grateful that the surgery had been successful. It had hovered over my life for so long, something that once made the future feel uncertain. But it had been fixed, and that chapter had finally closed.
My gaze shifted slightly downward, and I noticed the chain resting against my skin. The thin chain circled my neck, and at its center hung Caleb’s ring, the small metal band lying against my chest directly above my heart.
I stared at it as the water continued to run down my body, the emotions attached to that ring still lingered—memories, promises, and pain.
At one point in my life, that ring had meant everything to me. I had worn it as a vow I had made to myself—that I would never allow my heart to fall in love again.
But standing there in the shower, I knew something had changed. I had fallen in love, and the future no longer felt like something I needed to fear.
I could see it now—a bright future, one that held the possibility of happiness, peace, and a second chance at life.
But that future was not with Caleb.
It was with Cole.
I had been terrified to tell him my story. I wondered whether he would be able to handle it, whether he would accept it, and more importantly, whether he would still want me afterward.
The nightmare I had that night—Jeremy’s hands tightening around my throat—had only fed the doubts circling in my mind, especially since I was supposed to tell Cole the truth the next day.
Now, the thought of Cole brought a gentle sense of peace to my heart, something that felt completely different from the fear and pain I had once associated with love.
