Alexander POV.
The pool was calm, the water cool against my skin as I leaned back, letting my arms rest on the pool’s edge. Alone, for once, with my thoughts. The past few days had been… complicated. Christiana was avoiding me, and I couldn’t blame her. It felt like each time I looked at her, my guilt grew, pressing into my chest like a weight I could barely bear. I missed her, missed the way we used to laugh and talk about everything. And I missed just… being with her. But I knew I had to be patient; she deserved that.
Then I heard the faint shuffle of footsteps.
I lifted my head, and there she was….Christiana, with a towel wrapped around her, stepping carefully across the tiled floor. She wasn’t smiling, her face calm and unreadable, but just seeing her was enough to make my heart skip a beat.
I froze, my breath catching as she stopped by the side of the pool, her fingers curling around the edge of the towel. She paused, then let it drop, and I swear time stopped.
She was wearing a black bikini that hugged every inch of her curves, a perfect balance of elegance and allure. The top had thin straps that emphasized her bare shoulders, and the bottom was high–waisted, accentuating her hips in a way that made me forget, just for a moment, every other thought in my mind. She was absolutely stunning, her skin glowing, her hair cascading over her shoulders like some goddess walking into a dream.
I tried to keep my cool, but the sight of her left me dazed. She slid into the water with an effortless grace, dipping her head back as she swam a few slow, measured strokes. I forced myself to keep my distance, my gaze following her while I tried not to intrude. Maybe she just needed this…some time to herself. I could respect that.
But after a minute, she drifted closer, her gaze finding mine as she moved through the water. And then, she stopped right by my side, looking up at me with that small, soft smile that I’d missed so much.
“Hey,” she said, her voice quiet, almost hesitant.
“Hey,” I replied, managing a tight–lipped smile. I kept my hands resting against the edge of the pool, not wanting to push her. I could feel every beat of my heart echoing in my chest as I took in her expression, the way water glistened on her skin, the light catching in her eyes. God, I missed her.
She took a breath, glancing away for a moment before meeting my eyes again. “I wanted to say… I’m sorry. For the way I acted these past few days. I just…” She paused, pressing her lips together. “I needed some time to process everything.”
I nodded slowly, letting her words sink in. “I understand,” I said, my voice calm. “You had every right to feel that way.”
But she shook her head, looking almost frustrated with herself. “No, I… I was being selfish. You’ve been trying so hard, and I kept shutting you out.”
I watched her, feeling the urge to reach out but holding back. “Chris, you went through a lot,” I said, my tone gentle. “Idon’t blame you for needing space.”
She took another step closer, water swirling around us as she held my gaze, her expression softening. “It’s just… seeing you with the kids, remembering all those moments… It hurts, Alex. But it’s not because Ldon’t love you. I just needed to find my balance again.”
I smiled, feeling something ease in my chest, the weight of doubt finally lifting. “So…. you’re not leaving me?” My voice was light, but beneath it, there was an ache, a need to hear her answer.
A faint smile curved on her lips, one that made my heart beat faster. “No. I never meant that,” she murmured, reaching up to touch my face, her fingers trailing along my jaw. “I just needed some time alone…. to find my way back to you.”
And with that, everything else faded away. I closed the distance between us, pulling her into my arms as our lips met, the
1/3
<
09:49 Mon, Nov 11
Chapter 128
79%
world falling away. The kiss was slow, lingering, filled with all the words we hadn’t said. I could feel the warmth of her skin against mine, the way she melted into me, her hands tangling in my hair.
In that moment, nothing else mattered—just us, here, together, finding each other again.
+5
As the days passed, Christiana and I found our way back to each other, step by step. It was like slowly peeling back layers of hurt and doubt, revealing the bond we’d shared all along but had been buried under years of regret. She was opening up to me again, and I could feel the warmth in her presence….her real, unguarded warmth.
Even Ethan and Emma picked up on the shift between us. They watched us with that boundless curiosity only children had, with wide eyes and knowing smiles, as if they were aware of some unspoken magic. One morning, as we sat down for breakfast, they both looked at us with that mischievous spark that could only mean they were plotting something.
“Mommy,” Ethan piped up, wiggling in his chair, “are you and Daddy still mad at each other?”
Christiana gave a soft laugh, her eyes sparkling as she glanced over at me. “No, sweetheart. Mommy and Daddy are okay now,” she said, her voice filled with a gentleness I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed.
Emma gave me a sly look. “So you like Mommy again?” she asked, as if daring me to admit it.
I reached over and ruffled her hair. “I always liked Mommy,” I replied, smiling at Christiana. “I just needed to remind her how much.”
Ethan tilted his head thoughtfully, the way he did when he was trying to figure out something big. “So… does that mean you’re never gonna leave again?”
Christiana’s hand slid over mine, her fingers lacing through mine as she looked down at our hands, then up at me. There was something raw in her gaze, a vulnerability that I knew had cost her a lot to show.
“No,” she said softly, squeezing my hand. “Daddy’s here to stay. For good.”
The kids broke into huge smiles, Emma practically bouncing in her seat. “Good! ‘Cause you two are supposed to be together forever, Like in those movies!”
I couldn’t help but laugh, leaning over to press a kiss to Christiana’s cheek. She blushed, but didn’t pull away, wrapping her arm around my shoulders and pulling me closer. It felt natural, comfortable, as if all the wounds and regrets had finally begun to fade into the background.
Later that afternoon, we took the kids to the park, their laughter filling the air as they chased each other through the grass, their little voices echoing with joy. Christiana and I sat on a bench, watching them run around, the weight of everything that had come between us lifting more and more with each passing moment.
“Thank you, Chris,” I said quietly, breaking the comfortable silence between us. “For giving us another chance?
She looked at me, her eyes reflecting a softness, a forgiveness I wasn’t sure I deserved. “I think we both needed this time, Alex,” she replied. “To let go of everything that hurt us. To really let ourselves move forward.”
I wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close, and for the first time in a long time, I felt like we were exactly where we were supposed to be. Together, with our children laughing around us, our past fi
nally behind us, and our future brighter than I’d ever dared to hope.
