He smiles—small, tender, almost relieved. I feel a flicker of warmth in my chest at the softness in his eyes.
The doctor moves efficiently, setting up the urine test with calm precision. I do as instructed, my hands trembling slightly despite his steadying presence at my waist. Niko doesn’t rush me—he just stays close, a silent anchor, his thumb brushing along my side in reassurance.
Ten minutes pass, each second stretching, taut with anticipation. Finally, the doctor examines the test, nodding professionally. “She’s pregnant,” she says.
Niko exhales softly, the tension leaving him in a long, slow release. He thanks the doctor, voice quiet, measured, and she nods before stepping away. I watch her go, the foyer suddenly feeling enormous and empty, the echo of her footsteps leaving a strange, hollow quiet in its wake.
Now it’s just us. Alone.
For a moment, it’s silent in the foyer.
“Niko, it’s okay if you don’t—”
He silences me by wrapping his arms around my body. His chest presses against mine, strong and warm, and I can feel the rhythm of his heartbeat under my ear.
“I’ll always protect you,” he murmurs, voice low, calm. “And our child…however many children we end up having. I’ll protect every one of you, Noelle. Always.”
The words hit me harder than I expected, and I can’t hold back the tremble in my body. Tears spill down my cheeks, hot and uncontrolled, and I sob quietly against him, letting the fear, the relief, the exhaustion all pour out.
He tightens his hold, rocking me gently, his lips brushing the top of my head. “Shh…it’s okay,” he soothes, voice thick with emotion. “You’re safe. You’re mine. I’ve got you.”
“I…I never had closure before,” I admit, tears still dampening my cheeks. “Not knowing what happened to my parents…it haunted me. Every day, I wondered. Every night, I carried that weight with me.”
He hums softly, brushing a thumb over my temple, grounding me with his touch. “And now?” he asks, voice gentle, patient.
“Now…now I know,” I whisper, letting the words sink in, the weight on my chest easing slightly. “And it doesn’t hurt as much anymore. I feel…lighter. Better. And…thank you, Niko. For helping me get here. For being here.”
He presses his lips to the top of my head, holding me tighter, possessive but tender. “I’ll always be here, Noelle,” he murmurs, low and certain. “Through everything—fear, pain, joy. You’ll never face it alone again. Not ever.”
I let out a long, shuddering breath, letting his strength and presence fill the spaces in me I didn’t even know were empty. Then an idea pops into my head, turning my tears into childish laughter. Niko frowns.
“What is it?”
“I’ve been thinking…I’d like to go to medical school now.”
“I thought we already agreed on that. It’s your dream, Noelle.”
“You’re going to pay for it,” I answer cheekily.
His arms tighten slightly around me, and then I hear the low, amused chuckle rumble through his chest. “I thought you insisted that you must pay with your own money? What’s changed?”
“Everything.” I grin, bold now. “Your money is mine now, too. I am your wife, remember?”
Niko freezes for just a moment, eyes darkening with a possessive glint, before laughter escapes him again—low, rich, and almost reverent. “You’re impossible,” he murmurs, shaking his head. Then, softer, almost a promise, he adds, “Fine…medical school it is. I’ll pay. Whatever you want, I’ll do it for you.”
He kisses my forehead. “And thank you.”
“For what?” I ask.
“Thank you for beginning to…own me. For actually accepting me as your husband.”
I feel a shiver run down my spine at his words. I press my forehead to his, breath mingling, heart hammering. “No…thank you, Niko,” I whisper back, my voice shaking a little. “Thank you for…making me your wife.”
He smiles, small, tender, and completely his, and draws me closer into his arms. “Forever,” he murmurs, almost a vow.
“Forever,” I echo, feeling the heat of him, the quiet intimacy of this moment, and the certainty that, for the first time in my life, I belong somewhere—fully, completely, and irrevocably.
We stay like that for a long while, wrapped up together, letting the closeness speak for everything words can’t, the silence humming with promise, possession, and love.
