Chapter 0829
“I was thinking we could grab some vanilla ice cream and sit somewhere to talk. Sound good?”
“Perfect.”
We stopped by an ice cream shop and bought a liter each.
As expected, she devoured hers.
I watched her for a moment before taking a deep breath.
“Mary… there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
She looked up, concerned. “What is it?”
“I know we’re getting married soon, and Serene will have my last name. But I’ve been thinking a lot about what I proposed to you….”
“What do you mean?”
“About being Serenity’s father.”
She froze, her face unreadable. “Are you… backing out?”
“No! How could you even think that?”
“Then why bring it up?”
I hesitated. “Because today, I had a terrible nightmare…”
“What did you dream?”
“That I died.”
She gasped. “What?!”
“Yeah… It felt so real. Everything about it–it was like living a normal day, but it ended with me dying. It left me with this awful feeling, Mary. That’s why I needed to talk to you.”
“You’re scaring me, Peter…”
“I’m more scared than you are.”
“Why?”
“Because if something happens to me, you and Serenity are my responsibility. Do you really think I could just leave you two behind like that?”
“But it was just a nightmare.”
“Maybe. But it felt real.”
I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
“Mary, this has been weighing on me all day. If I ever died. I’d want you to move on. I’d want you to keep living, to surround yourself with people who love you. I wouldn’t want you to be alone. I wouldn’t want you to stay alone.
She swallowed hard, her grip tightening around her cup.
Chapter 0820
+25 BONUS
“I’d want you to grow, to reach your goals, to live your life to the fullest. And now that we know we’re having a girl, we need to make sure that every choice we make is to help her become strong–strong enough to go after whatever she wants in life.”
I hesitated, then added carefully,
“And for that… we have to be honest. We can’t hide the trull about Serenity’s father.”
“No! You’re crazy! That would mean Maximus has to find out, and I don’t want that!”
“Mary… He deserves to know. When our daughter is born, she needs to know who her real father is. You can’t take that right away from her.”
“But you were the one who didn’t want him involved!”
“I know what I said. But at least give him the choice. If he wants nothing to do with her, that’s his decision. But he needs to have that choice.”
She frowned, visibly torn. “I don’t know… Besides, Maximus is about to marry Alexia, and that woman hates me.”
“I know. And I also know she’s pregnant with his child.”
She stiffened at that.
I continued, “But that idiot has to take responsibility for all his actions–whether he was conscious of them or not.
I hesitated before adding, “I was thinking… maybe we should move back to Hesperia,”
Her eyes widened.
She hadn’t expected that.
What she didn’t know was that I had already asked Marcus to buy a house–a small one, nothing flashy, because I knew Mary hated anything excessive.
I wanted her and Serenity to go to Solaria–the place she had once dreamed of living with Albert.
“Are you serious?” she asked in disbelief.
“Of course. I can work from anywhere. Besides, Marcus lives in Coravela now. We could find a place nearby and settle there. It would be good for us. You’d be home. And Serene could grow up in a healthier environment than here.”
She looked at me like I had lost my mind.
“Peter… you’re really worrying me today.
I exhaled, gazing at her softly.
“Mary, Hove you. I want you to always remember that. You’re still young and beautiful, and when Serenity is born, it might feel like your whole world is crashing down. But you’ll always find a way forward.”
I reached out, tucking a curl behind her ear.
“You’ll never be alone.”
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because even though I’m by your side, you’re the strongest and smartest woman I’ve ever known.”
2/3
Chapter 0829
I smiled sadly.
+25 BONUS
“I’ve never told you this, but that’s what I love most about you. Despite everything you’ve been through–your father, Maximus–you survived it all. You’re strong, Mary, You always have been.”
I pulled her into my arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
She li
lifted her head, gazing at me with a bittersweet look.
And then, for the first time all day…
I let myself kiss her.
A jolt of electricity surged through me.
It burned.
It hurt.
It seared my soul.
I wanted to pull away–but I couldn’t.
Because deep down… I knew.
This was the last time I would ever kiss her.
