Christiana’s POV.
98%1
The next few weeks felt like a dream. Every morning, I woke up in a new city, greeted by towering skylines, busy streets, or the soft, endless blue of the ocean. The entire world had opened up for us, each new destination more dazzling than the last. I looked over at Alexander as he gave directions to our driver in fluent French, his presence a magnet for attention wherever we went. The kids, wide–eyed and bubbling with excitement, clung to his hands, pulling him forward as if they couldn’t wait another second to explore the next corner of the world.
We were in Paris first, with the Eiffel Tower glowing against the night sky. Our twins, Ethan and Emma, couldn’t stop talking about it. Their eyes shone brighter than any of the lights as they ran around, giggling in awe, while Alex lifted them high on his shoulders one by one, so they could “touch the stars.”
“Mom, look!” Emma squealed as she held my hand, pointing up. “It’s even prettier than I imagined!”
“It’s magical, sweetheart,” I whispered, and I meant it. Seeing Paris with them, seeing it through their eyes….was surreal. I glanced at Alex beside me, who was grinning like I hadn’t seen him grin in years, and it struck me how surreal this entire trip
was.
It was impossible not to feel like a family again, with him effortlessly switching between languages, ensuring we had the best seats, the best views, the best of everything. Despite the lavish treatment, it was his warmth with the kids that surprised me. Every glance, every gentle touch, spoke volumes about how much he adored them. And they, in return, clung to him as if he were the one constant in their ever–changing world.
In Italy, he took us to the opera, where the twins were spellbound, sitting between us as the music swept over them. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen Ethan and Emma so happy. They were practically glowing, laughing and holding our hands as if they were afraid it would all disappear if they let go.
“Can we go to another one tomorrow?” Ethan asked, his face alight.
Alex leaned down, his eyes warm. “Anything you want, buddy.”
I found myself watching Alex more than the performers. He looked at the kids with such softness in his eyes, it was like Seeing a whole new man. It was overwhelming, being here like this, as if none of the pain or distance had ever existed between us.
One night, in a quiet restaurant on the Amalfi Coast, Alex ordered enough pasta to fill a table. He poured us all sparkling water, clinking glasses with the twins, making them feel so grown–up.
“To our world tour,” he announced with a grin, and the kids echoed him in excited voices, their laughter ringing out as we toasted to new adventures.
By the time we arrived in Dubai, Alex had arranged for us to attend a grand gala, complete with sparkling lights, marble floors, and chandeliers that seemed to touch the sky. The twins wore matching outfits he’d picked out, and I had a stunning gown waiting in my room. When I walked down the staircase to meet him, his gaze swept over me in a way that made my heart flutter, the memory of old sparks slipping into the air between us.
“You look incredible,” he said softly, as he offered his arm. I could only nod, my breath caught, feeling that familiar thrill that had once drawn us together.
As the night wore on, we danced with the kids under the glimmering lights, and their laughter echoed around us. I caught sight of Alex looking down at me, a soft smile playing on his lips as he lifted Emma into his arms to spin her around.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d seen her so happy. And as I watched them together, something inside me softened. It was surreal. The man who had once been my world, who had once broken me, was now doing everything to heal the broken pièces without even knowing it.
At one point, Alex slipped his hand into mine as we walked back to the hotel, the kids fast asleep in our arms. I didn’t pull
178
Sat,
Chapter 118
away. For the first time in years, it felt right, as if we were still bound by something deeper than words.
“It’s been incredible,” I whispered, glancing over at him.
He looked down at me, his expression gentle, almost vulnerable. “I’m just glad I could give this to them… and to you.”
For the first time in a long time, I felt something I hadn’t expected….peace. The pain of our past was still there, but for now, it felt like we had put it aside. For Ethan and Emma. For ourselves. For the family we were slowly becoming again.
And as I held his hand, I found myself wondering if, maybe, just maybe, it was possible to believe in second chances.
The hum of the helicopter filled the air as we soared above the city, and despite my attempts to maintain my composure, couldn’t help but feel a thrill bubbling up inside me. Beside me, Alex was relaxed, his hand lightly intertwined with mine as he poured champagne into my glass, his eyes never leaving my face.
“To us,” he murmured, his voice low and warm, laced with that smile that always melted my defenses. I clinked my glass with his, feeling a grin I couldn’t contain spread across my lips.
“To us,” I iterated, taking a sip. The champagne was exquisite, a taste that lingered, making everything around me seem that much more surreal. The city sparkled below us like a scattering of diamonds, the world stretching out in every direction. The sight was breathtaking, but it wasn’t the city that had my attention. It was him, right here with me.
“What are you planning, Alex?” I teased, narrowing my eyes at him as he tried, and failed….to hide a smug grin.
“Can’t a man take his stunning woman on a helicopter ride without an ulterior motive?” He leaned back, tilting his head to look at me with that teasing gleam in his eyes.
“Not when that man is you,” I shot back, raising a brow. “You always have a trick up your sleeve.”
He chuckled, reaching over to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re right. I guess I do.”
As we neared a wide, open field, Alex’s grip tightened on my hand, and he leaned forward, a mischievous smile playing on his lips. “Look down,” he whispered.
Curious, I glanced down, and the moment my eyes focused, my breath caught in my throat. Across the lush green field below, in letters so large they could be seen from the air, were three simple words, spelled out in vivid, white flowers: I love
you.
For a moment, I couldn’t speak. My heart hammered in my chest, overwhelmed by the sheer beauty and effort behind it. I glanced over at Alex, stunned, and found him watching me, his expression soft, vulnerable, and more open than I’d ever seen it before.
“You… you did this?” I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.
His gaze held mine as he nodded, his lips curving into a small smile. “Only for you, Christiana,” he murmured. “Only ever for you.”
I felt my heart melt, the walls I’d so carefully built around it crumbling piece by piece. Alex had done many things to impress me, but this… this was something else. It wasn’t the grandeur that struck me, or even the spectacle of the flowers and the words written across the earth below. It was the thought, the sincerity, the way he made me feel like the only person in his world. Like I was someone worth everything.
In that moment, I couldn’t hold back the smile that stretched across my face, a laugh escaping me that was pure and unrestrained. I reached over, grabbing his face with both hands, and pulled him in for a kiss, my heart racing. He laughed softly against my lips, his arms wrapping around me as we held each other, suspended above the world.
When we pulled away, he rested his forehead against mine, a playful glint in his eyes. “I take it you approve?”
09:50 Sat, Nov 2
Chapter 118
I let out a breath, shaking my head in disbelief. “You’re impouble. Alex. Utterly impossible”
“Maybe,” he replied, his voice a low rumble. “But you still love me
I laughed, my ch
est light, all the tension from earlier gone. “Yes,” I whispered. “Yes, I do
