Chapter 140
© Christiana’s POV,
It had been a week. Seven long, excruciating days where Alex barely spoke to me beyond the necessities. Seven days where the tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Seven days of watching him FaceTime the kids with a warmth and love that didn’t extend to me
When it came to me, his words were sharp, his tone clipped. The way he said my name felt like a punishment in itself, a constant reminder of his
anger.
1 sank onto the edge of the couch, running my fingers through my hair. “What was I thinking?” I muttered to myself, staring blankly at the coffee table. The question had haunted me since the moment we got back from Daniel’s house.
The answer was simple. I wasn’t thinking, I was reacting cacting to Daniel’s grandmother showing up at my suite, her frail hands trembling as she begged me to help her. I thought I was doing the right thing. And now? Now, it felt like I’d set my relationship on fire.
picked up my phone and stared at Alex’s number for what felt like the hundredth time that day. My thumb hovered over the call button, but I couldn’t bring myself to press it. Every time I tried, I remembered the way he’d looked at me that day..his eyes filled with hurt and anger.
I stood abruptly, pacing the length of the living room. “He’s still here,” I said aloud, trying to reassure myself. Alex hadn’t left. He was still in town, still FaceTiming the kids every night, still ensuring his men were stationed nearby to watch over us. He was angry, yes, but he hadn’t walked away. Not yet
But how long would that last?
The door to the suite opened, and Emma came running in, her laughter filling the space as Ethan followed close behind. I forced a smile, kneeling down to greet them. “How was your time with Nanny Clara?”
“Good!” Emma exclaimed, holding up a piece of paper. “I finished my castle drawing, Mom! Can we show Daddy tonight?”
I froze for a moment, then nodded. “Of course, sweetheart. I’m sure Daddy will love it.”
“Do you think he’ll come visit soon? Eihan asked, his wide eyes full of innocence.
“I don’t know, baby,” I said softly, brushing his hair back. “But he’ll call you tonight, like he always does.”
The kids ran off to their room, leaving me alone with my thoughts once again.
When the phon Content © NôvelDrama.Org 2024.
g a little later, my heart leapt into my throat. It was Alex. I answered quickly, trying to keep my voice steady. “Hi”
phone rang a
“How are the kide” he asked, his tone neutral.
“They’re fine.” I replied, gripping the phone tightly. “Emma finished her drawing. She’s excited to show you”
“TU FaceTime them after dinner,” he said.
I hesitated, my chest
tightening “Alex.” I began, my voice trembling. “Can we talk! Please?”
“What is there to talk about?” he asked coldly.
“I made a mistake,” I said, the words rushing out of me. “I know I shouldn’t have gone to Daniel’s. I wasn’t thinking about how it would affect you.. us. I just wanted to help his grandmother. That’s all.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me?” he countered, his voice laced with frustration.
“I didn’t think it would matter,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. “I was wrong, Alex. Late that now.”
There was a long pause on the other end. When he finally spoke, his voice was calm, but the anger was still there, simmering beneath the surface. “You don’t get to decide what matters, Christiana. Not when it comes to us.”
I felt the sting of his words like a physical blow. Tm sorry,” I said, my voice breaking.
“Sorry doesn’t fix this,” he said. “TI call the kids later.”
The line went dead before I could say another word.
I stared at the phone, tears streaming down my face. Alex hadn’t left me, but he was so far away, it felt like he might as well have.
Suddenly, a knock on the door startled me, jolting me out of my spiraling thoughts. I quickly wiped my tears with the back of my hand, taking a deep breath to steady myself. The guards wouldn’t just let anyone approach my suite, so whoever was at the door had to be important. Sull, I wasn’t prepared for anything.
MIPM
When I opened the door, my breath caught.
It was Alex
He stood there, tall and powerful, his sharp suit slightly rumpled, his piercing eyes locking onto mine. For a moment, I thought I might be dreaming. After a week of cold conversations and painful distance, seeing him here, just inclies away, left me stunned.
“Alex” I whispered, unable to say more.
He didn’t reply. Not a word. Instead, he stepped forward, closing the space between us in one swift motion. Before I could process what was happening, his arms were around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.
The warmth of his body, the strength of his hold, shattered something inside me. My tears, which I thought I had managed to hold back, started falling again.
“Tin sorry,” he murmured into my hair, his voice thick with emotion. He kissed the top of my head, his lips lingering as if trying to soothe away the pain of the past week. Im sorry for being so distant, for being so, mean.”“”
I closed my eyes, the relief washing over me in waves. His scent, that familiar and intoxicating mix of cedarwood and something uniquely Alex. filled my senses.
“I didn’t mean to hurt you, he continued, his voice cracking slightly. “It’s just.. it was so painful, Christiana. I wanted to forgive you the moment you apologized, but I held back. I thought if I forgave you too quickly, it wouldn’t mean anything to you. That maybe you wouldn’t learn how much
at hurt me.
I hugged him back, my arms wrapping around his waist tightly. “Alex,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “I’m so sorry, I’ll never do anything like that again. I promise. Please don’t ever act like that again either. I can’t take it. I can’t stand this distance between us.”
He leaned back just enough to look at me, his hands cupping my face. His thumb brushed away a stray tear as his eyes searched mine, raw and vulnerable. “You won’t.” he said firmly. “And I won’t, either. I’ll never push you away like that again. I’m sorry, Christiana. I was wrong.
Before I could respond, his lips found mine, silencing any words I might have said. The kiss was fierce, filled with all the emotions we’d both been holding bark. His hands slid into my hair, pulling me closer as if he was afraid to let go.
I melted into him, drinking in every moment. The world outside faded, leaving only the two of us. The pain, the guilt, the frustration all of it disappeared, replaced by the overwhelming love we had for each other.
When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against mine, his breathing uneven. “I love you,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.
“I love you too,” I replied, my voice barely audible.
We stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the weight of th
e past week lifting from our shoulders, At that moment, nothing else mattered. Just us.