I didn’t want her to shut herself off from the world, to stop believing in love.
She deserved more than that.She deserved another chance.Another life.Another love.Even if it wasn’t with me.
The thought gutted me, but it didn’t change what I wanted for her.
I wanted her to be happy.
To live.
To love again.
I held her a little closer, pressing a kiss to her forehead as her breathing began to slow, her body relaxing against mine.
Eventually, sleep pulled me under too.
For that moment, wrapped in her, I felt content.
I felt… complete.
But somewhere beneath that fragile peace, dark days were coming.
And no matter how tightly I held onto this moment…I couldn’t stop them.
I stopped goinginto the city after the wedding.
Liam had insisted—almost argued with me—until I finally gave in.
Rest. Stay home. Spend time with your family.
At first, it had felt odd stepping away from everything, from the routine I had built for myself, but as the days passed, I began to understand what he was trying to give me.
Time.
Time I hadn’t realized I desperately needed.
Time I could spend finishing the project I had started for Jiya.
Time I could spend with them.
My days moved into a quiet, simple, and predictable routine. Mornings blurred into afternoons, afternoons into evenings, each one marked by small moments that I held onto more tightly than I ever had before.
We ate together—Jiya, Geeta, the children, and me.
Or at least, I tried.
Some days, I could manage a few bites. Other days, even the smell of food made my stomach turn. But I still sat there with them, still showed up, because it wasn’t about the food anymore.
It was about being there.
About not missing a single moment I didn’t have to.
In between, I worked on my list.
The one I had written that night in the basement.
Each task felt heavier now, more urgent, like a countdown.
But I didn’t let it show.
