Chapter 16
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I never thought I’d say this–but I was truly, utterly happy.
The moment we landed in Europe, it felt like a dream. A soft breeze kissed my face, the sky a pastel hue of lilac and blush, and right beside me–Rozen. His hand never left mine as we stepped off the plane, and the way he looked at me? Like I was his world.
And maybe, in that moment, he was mine.
“You’re quiet,” Rozen said, sliding his sunglasses down and flashing me that half–smirk he always wore when he was teasing me.
I glanced at him, lips twitching. “Just taking it in. Europe… honeymoon… my emotionally constipated husband showing actual emotion.”
He chuckled. “I’ll let that slide since you’re pretty.” He leaned in, brushing his lips against my temple. “And because I’m madly in love with you.”
That still made my heart stumble.
We toured some cities for a couple of days–hidden corners of Paris, a quiet gondola ride in Venice, and a breathtaking sunrise at the Swiss Alps. He booked the most beautiful penthouses and suites, but none of those places could compare to what came next.
He had saved the best for last.
Rozen owned an island.
A whole damn island.
When we arrived by private yacht, I stood frozen on the dock. The crystal–clear turquoise waters lapped against the wooden planks, palm trees swayed lazily with the breeze, and a villa stood nestled between white sand and a backdrop of lush greenery.
“It’s ours for the week,” Rozen whispered against my ear. “No interruptions. No people. Just us.”
And just like that, the world faded away.
We spent our first afternoon walking barefoot on the sand, our fingers intertwined, our laughter lost in the wind. At night, we dined under the stars. Rozen had prepared everything -from the lights strung around palm trees to the candlelit dinner table near the shore.
He pulled the chair out for me, poured wine into my glass, and looked at me like I held the stars in my palms.
“You always knew how to surprise me,” I murmured, fingers trailing over the rim of my glass.
“I’ll spend the rest of my life doing just that,” he said. “If you’ll let me.”
His words–genuine, soft, raw–hit deeper than anything ever had. There was no trace of the cold man I once married out of convenience. This was Rozen stripped bare. No pretense. Just him. Just us.
That night, in the villa, our love unfolded like poetry.
Chapter 16
19:28 Fri, 18 Apr 01 –
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The moonlight poured through the sheer curtains as his hands found my skin. He undressed me slowly, reverently, as if each inch of me was something sacred. His lips traced every line, every curve, worshipping and branding me as his.
“I want you,” he whispered, breathless, lips against my collarbone. “Every part of you. Your laughter. Your pain. Your strength. I want to see you–really see you–every day for the rest of my life.”
And he did.
He saw the version of me no one else did–the vulnerable, scared, soft woman who had been hurt but still dared to love again. And when we made love, it wasn’t just passion. It was surrender. Healing. A promise without words.
I fell asleep in his arms, lulled by the sound of his heartbeat and the ocean beyond.
Every day on that island was a new kind of beautiful.
Mornings were filled with lazy kisses in bed, Rozen trying to convince me to skip breakfast. Afternoons were spent swimming in the ocean, racing along the shore, and laughing so hard I forgot what it felt like to be broken.
We had bonfires at night, danced barefoot on the sand, fed each other chocolate–covered strawberries, and played stupid card games where the loser had to do a dare. He lost on purpose. I knew it.
“Your dare is to sing,” I said one night, trying not to laugh.
Rozen groaned. “You want me to humiliate myself?”
I grinned. “Absolutely.”
And so he sang–horribly off–key–but the way he looked at me the whole time, like I was the only thing that mattered, made my heart swell.
One morning, I woke up tangled in sheets, sunlight peeking through the windows, and Rozen already making breakfast shirtless.
“You keep doing this, and I might never go back to work,” I teased, watching him flip pancakes.
He raised a brow. “That’s the plan.”
I giggled, walking over and wrapping my arms around his waist. He leaned into me, placing a soft kiss on my head.
“You’re glowing,” he whispered.
“I’m just happy.”
“Good,” he said. “Because I’ve never seen you this free before. I love it. I love you.”
I looked up at him. “I love you too.”
And that was it. We didn’t need anything else. No grand gestures. Just honesty. Warmth.
Us.
As the week came to an end, we sat by the shore, watching the sky bleed into gold and crimson.
Chapter 16
19:28 Fri, 18 Apr
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“Do we really have to leave tomorrow?” I asked, head resting on his shoulder.
“We’ll come back,” Rozen promised. “As many times as you want.”
I turned to him. “You really mean that, huh?”
“I meant every word I’ve ever said to you, Jasmine.” He looked at me then, eyes full of devotion. “You’re not just the woman I married. You’re the woman I’ll spend the rest of my life loving.”
And I believed him. Because for once, there was no more pretending. No more running.
Just us. The woman who once promised not to love–and the man who never believed he could. Now hopelessly, completely, irreversibly in love.
