"I always thought I could live my life alone," she continued, her voice steady despite the vulnerability in her words. "Forever, if I had to. I convinced myself it was safer that way—no attachnts, no vulnerabilities, no one to hurt or leave behind."
Aiden cupped her face then, his thumb brushing gently along her cheekbone. She smiled faintly, turning her head to press a soft kiss to the inside of his palm before continuing,"And the truth is, I still can. I’ve proven it to myself. I can live without you, Aiden Hawk."
Aiden felt his chest tighten as if her words had pierced him directly. But he didn’t dare interrupt her. He let the warmth of her kiss on his palm serve as reassurance, a silent promise that her words were leading sowhere deeper.
"But," she said, her voice softening, her gaze finding his and holding it with unwavering intensity, "I don’t want to."
The weight of her words settled between them, heavy yet undeniable, as though they were shaping the very air around them. She took his hand from her cheek in hers, her fingers intertwining with his in a way that felt both deliberate and natural, as though their hands had always belonged together.
"When we first discussed divorcing for the sake of the plan even though you promised we’d marry again... I thought I’d lost you. Completely. I was unsure—of you, of , of us. I questioned everything. But then, I realized sothing. It’s not about whether I can live without you. It’s about the fact that I don’t want to live without you. I choose you, Aiden. Every ti. No matter what. Even if we’re separated a hundred tis, I will always choose you."
Aiden swallowed hard, his throat tightening as her words seeped into him. This wasn’t the confession he had expected, but it was everything he didn’t know he needed. "Serena," he murmured, his voice hoarse. He had no words, honestly and yet, he had so much to say to her.
For a mont, silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken emotions. Then, Aiden tightened his grip on her hand, his thumb brushing against her knuckles. "You think you’re the only one who’s been unsure?" he asked, a soft smile playing on his lips. He leaned forward and brushed his nose against hers.
"I told you, didn’t I? That I never really cared who I ended up getting married to? "But the mont you opened your eyes in that hospital bed, jumping on and scared almost but then, you called Husband... sothing inside shifted. And then, when you stood by , defended without hesitation, I knew. I knew I was wrong. I knew I’d fallen for my little knightess. From that mont on, I knew there would be no one else. You’re the only one I want calling Husband. Always."
Serena’s grin broke through like sunlight after a storm, bright and full of mischief. She slipped her hand into her pocket, pulling out a small ring and then untied the ’placeholder ring’ before slipping on the large wide gold band on his finger, "For to call you Husband," she said, her tone teasing yet earnest, "I’ll have to marry you first."
Aiden’s smile widened, and he held his hand up," Well, this just goes to show... this ring is going to be visible from far away..."
Serena held his hand and looked at the vintage gold band... it was wide but not that wide. It suited him perfectly. " I like it on your hand."
Aidne smiled then," Hmm. I like it too. But... sothing is missing."
Serena blinked in surprise as Aiden reached into the pocket of his shorts, his grin widening.
"Wait," she said, holding up a hand before he could even open it, even though she felt a thrill inside her. "You were sleeping in these clothes when I brought you here. When on earth did you grab a ring box?"
Aiden’s smile turned mischievous, the kind of smile that always made her heart flutter and her eyes narrow with suspicion. "Would you believe if I told you I’ve been carrying this around for days?"
Her jaw dropped. "You’re joking."
"Not at all," he replied smoothly, "I’ve been sleeping with it on , just in case, the mont you said you would propose. Wanted to make sure I was ready whenever you decided to propose."
Serena stared at him for a mont, her surprise giving way to laughter. She clutched her stomach as giggles bubbled out of her even as he pulled her to sit on the couch and took her previous place, on his knees. "You’re ridiculous!" she managed between breaths. "And adorable. The cutest, actually."
Aiden chuckled, waiting patiently for her laughter to subside. When she finally cald, she leaned closer, her eyes sparkling. "Alright, Mr. Prepared. Let’s see this ring of yours."
He opened the box and turned it toward her, revealing a vintage gold band with a princess cut diamond in the middle. Her breath hitched. It matched his perfectly.
Serena looked at him, her eyes wide. "How—?"
Aiden shrugged nonchalantly, though the twinkle in his eyes betrayed his amusent. "Let’s just say I might have threatened your ’helper’ to make sure our rings matched."
She gasped, a hand flying to her mouth. "You didn’t! Poor Nathan."
"Hey! That is poor . I had to threaten my brother." he admitted with a smirk, taking her hand in his. "Now, are you going to let do this properly, or are you going to keep accusing of being too adorable for my own good?"
She bit her lip, a smile breaking through as she extended her hand to him. "Go ahead then, husband... to be."
Aidne grinned and quickly slipped the ring onto her finger before pressing a kiss on the back of her hand. She caught her hand in his and turned it over and the two of them stared at the matching bands in their hands and Serena sighed. Finally, they were going to be together. Really together.
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