After the chaos of the last twenty-four hours, the world feels too quiet. Like it’s calmed the noise so we can have this time together to reconnect and breathe.
There’s so much I want to say to him. I know he has a lot to say to me, too.
He leads me into the kitchen and switches on the light, his movements as practiced as if this is our home.
“Let’s go over here.” I let him steer me toward the breakfast table, where he sits me down. He pulls up another chair, sits in front of me, then looks me over. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m…” I inhale a sharp breath. “I feel like I've been stuck in a nightmare and am slowly making my way back.”
He offers me a faint smile and reaches across to take my hand into his. “How about we talk, then I’ll make you something healthy to eat, and you go upstairs and rest. I’ll check in at the hospital for updates.”
“That sounds like a good plan.” I fold my hands in my lap. “I'm just grateful you're here.”
He nods. “Thanks to Mia.
I would’ve never guessed it was her. I kept thinking he still had eyes on me somewhere, so one of his people told him Mom was in the hospital.
He leans closer, his knees brushing mine. “You should have called me, Isla.”
My head dips, and I nod slowly. “I know. I’m sorry. That was foolish of me. It’s just that with everything going on with us, and it all happen so sudden…I didn’t know what to do.” A ball of bad luck blew in on a storm and knocked me off my feet.
“Always call me. Especially for something like this. It doesn’t matter if we’re arguing.” He squeezes my hand and traces his finger over my wedding band. “You and I are fire and ice. I’m sure we’ll clash again and again in the future. I can already picture years of arguments… and even more years of happinessto make up for the times I piss you off. Or when I try to kill someone for hitting on my wife.” His gaze drops to my ring, then lifts to mine. “We won’t part at death, Isla Vale.”
Tears sting my eyes. “That’s a long time, Knox Vale. And it sounds like you still plan to keep me.”
“Absolutely. That was never up for discussion. Because I love you.”
A tremor runs through me, sharp enough to shake my bones. My lungs seize, and something inside me breaks open quietly and painfully. Like every part of me has been waiting years to hear those words.
A tear slips down my cheek, and my heart warms under the weight of his words. “I love you, too, Knox. I do.”
He leans closer and brushes his lips over mine, lingering in a light kiss as if he’s trying to remember what I taste like. When he inches away, a look of seriousness washes over his face. “If I truly love you, and I do, then I need to make you happy.”
“That works both ways. I understand about the restaurant, Knox. I know I just need to accept it. Because you need to?—”
“I’m not doing it, love. There will be no demolition. The restaurant stays.”
My breath snags, and I stare at him in wide-eyed disbelief. “What? What do you mean?”
“I mean I choose you. Your happiness. Your family legacy. The place that was another home to you. That makes it important to me, too.” He smiles. “How could it not be? It brought you to me.”
My heart swells. A wave of emotion sweeps through me, and I can no longer hold back the tears.
“Oh, Knox. Thank you. It brought you to me, too. But what are you going to do about the board and your investors?”
He smiles. “I already took care of everything. I took back control of my status at Vale Global. I realized I didn’t need toprove myself anymore to people who don’t matter. The only person who matters to me is you.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you. I’m also wiping your father’s debt clean.”
“No, Knox.” I shake my head. “I can’t let you do that. That’s too much. You already spent so much on my mom. That’s money I can’t even dream of paying back.”
“It doesn’t matter. That was a gift, love. This is a gift, too. So, by this time tomorrow, our contract will be void because I’m forfeiting. You win.”
I let out a shaky laugh. “Forfeiting. I can’t believe you’re doing this.”
“Well, I am. I want a clean slate with you. The restaurant’s yours, and I’ve made sure no one can come after you or your family for whatever your father may have done. Let his sins die with him.”
