Chapter 84

Two weeks later, a little over two months old, Alex rolled over for the first time. He didn't roll completely; he jerked to his side, reacting to a toy, and accidentally landed on his tummy. Hence, a "roll." I, who was getting him a fresh onesie after his bath, froze.

The pediatrician had said they'd start rolling around three months, but Alex had just turned two. Gabriel grinned widely, announcing his son was an "overachiever." I spent a week explaining that it was a fluke, accidental, but Gabriel, a proud father, wanted to celebrate.

That's how we found ourselves in the city, despite my numerous protests. With the twins in their car seats in the back, strollers in the trunk, and Gabriel driving, we arrived at a fancy diner of his choosing.

I looked at the twins, then at him. "Are we sure this is a celebration for the babies?"

He grinned, looking up from the menu. "No, they're too young. This celebration is for us."

"Us?" I suppressed an eye roll.

"Yeah. We made something awesome. Actually, two somethings."

I laughed, cringing. "Only you could say that."

"And it's pretty here," he added. The top-floor diner, with glass walls overlooking the city lights and our private section (allowing privacy for feeding the twins), was indeed pretty—and extravagant. I couldn't fault him there.

After ordering, I asked a question I'd been pondering for weeks. "How was your time in London?"

He looked surprised. Holding Aurora's hand, he said, "It was lonely."

"Lonely?"

"You know I took the subway instead of a car? It's called the Tube there."

"You did?" I ignored the last part.

"Early in our marriage, when I had a meeting and Alister asked me to bring you, you offered to take the subway to avoid bothering me," he recalled, smiling gently.

"I remember," I mirrored his expression. "The meeting was at Arthur's, and you really didn't want me there."

"Now you know why," he deadpanned.

I giggled, fondly remembering those early months, when I fell in love with him. "I also remember you calling me 'middle class' for wanting to use the subway."

He sucked in a breath, hiding a sad smile. "I used the Tube because I thought if you were in London"

"I'd travel by train," I finished his sentence, and he nodded.

Chapter 81

"Every company I worked with, I asked for their list of financial analysts."

My lips pursed. "I didn't work much," I murmured. "I was busy being pregnant."

"I did everything to find you except check my voicemails," he joked, and I smiled at the irony. "I don't know how I could have been so stupid. I never thought you'd change numbers if you wanted to contact me."

"I had to change numbers," I reminded him.

"We're here now." He raised his glass of sparkling water; I raised mine (regular water—no alcohol while breastfeeding). He was keeping me company by forgoing things I couldn't have. Coffee, by far, was the worst for him.

"We're here now," I repeated, acknowledging all we'd been through. We were still together as a family, and always would be.

It was midnight after dinner. Time flew when you have six months' worth of stories to share and need to feed twins mid-meal.

"Are you sure you're up for a three-hour drive?" I asked Gabriel, noticing his droopy eyes as he started the car. He'd been staying up to let me sleep, and the twins' schedule had been exhausting. Plus, the coffee withdrawal.

"Actually, I'm quite tired," he yawned.

"Should I drive?" I offered.

"Aren't you tired too?"

"This is why driving to the city for dinner was a bad idea."

"I have a place we can stay," he offered reluctantly. "If you're okay with it."

I eyed him, then the twins (awake but not crying—though hungry soon). "Are you referring to your house?"

"No," he shook his head. "That's been closed for months; it's uninhabitable."

My eyes widened. "Closed? You had tons of staff. What happened to them?"

"They're not unemployed. I reassigned them to my grandfather's."

I nodded. "Okay. To this other place."

Gabriel concealed a smug smile as he drove. The place was closer than expected, in a neighborhood, not isolated, and smaller than his previous house.

I liked it. It was warm and welcoming.

"Come?" Gabriel asked, noticing my gaze on the large garden and wrap-around porch. I followed him inside, Aurora safely in my arms.

"Whose house is this?" I asked.

"You like it?"

"Mhm," I said, admiring the modern furniture with a traditional touch—intricately designed, but not overly ostentatious.

Gabriel sat across from me, Alex on the couch.

"Do you know the best part of this house?" he asked. I shook my head. "Let me tell you." He grinned smugly and called out, "Luna?"

Luna entered from a room, grinning.

"Luna's the best part?" I joked. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to care for the babies while Sir shows you around."

"What?" I blinked as she took Aurora and sat next to Alex. "Go!"

I reluctantly took Gabriel's hand and let him show me around: the master bedroom (his-and-hers wardrobes), the rustic-brick-walled kitchen, a spare room, an unusually empty room, and gold-rimmed stairs leading to a rooftop telescope.

My heart racing, I finally asked him on the porch. "Gabriel," I whispered, stopping him. "Please tell me this house isn't yours?"

"What, you're not impressed?"

"I'm too impressed," I said, almost fearfully.

"This house isn't mine," he said, and I released a held breath. "Didn't you see the name at the entrance?"

I shook my head, and though I didn't want to walk any further, I let him take me to the gate, where the name was engraved: Sophia.

My mouth dropped open. "What?"

"It's yours," he said, turning me to face him. "This is your house, exactly as you dreamed. I left a room blank because I knew you'd want to paint the twins' room. Oh, and I didn't add a last name because, though we aren't legally divorced yet, I won't keep you trapped if you don't want to be."

I shook my head, confused.

"Sophia," he said, taking my trembling hands in his firm ones. "I never thought I'd tell anyone this. In Italy, I'd watch you sleep, admiring you, every freckle. I wondered what would have happened if we hadn't gotten married—it was a contract, a purpose. But the truth is, even if we hadn't met that way, I would have fallen for you. Nothing could keep you hidden from me, except maybe death. And even then, I'd haunt you. I've been haunted by you for a year and a half."

He paused. Tears filled my eyes.

"The first thing I noticed at the hospital was that you still wore my ring. Even thinking we were divorced, you wore it. So I carried this—the ring you left me—every day, thinking I'd wear it when I felt worthy of being your husband." He squeezed my hand, removing the band I'd bought him, with my initials engraved. "But I realized, I don't get to decide that. You do. So, Sophia Baker, you bewitched me. 'Love' is too small a word, but I'm irrevocably in love with you. And I'm begging you to be my wife again. This is your house, and I'm begging you to let me have a place in your life, as you have in mine; but the decision is entirely yours. If you wish to part, I'll love you from afar, as you thought you had to love me. And if you let me, I'll be loud with my words, but louder with my actions, every day until death do us part."

I wiped away tears. I stepped toward him, putting my arms around his neck. He pulled me close.

My nose almost touched his. "You can wear that ring," I whispered, smiling widely.

He pulled back slightly. "Does that mean you'll give me a chance?"

"One chance," I said. "And that's only because I love you too. More than the stars and the light, I love you."

"Say it again," he grinned as I took the ring and put it on his finger.

"I love you," I repeated, biting my lip. My hair stood on end as he intertwined our hands, our rings shining.

"Can I kiss you now?"

"I'd be pretty mad if you didn't," I teased, and he kissed me eagerly, passionately, hungrily, affectionately, pulling away only when I gasped for air.

His forehead rested on mine. I sensed his longing, but instead of pinning me against the wall, he smiled.

"Let's go," he whispered. "It's Alex and Aurora's bedtime."

I nodded, cheeks flushed. Gabriel as a devoted father was endlessly captivating.

"And after they sleep, I'll have you all to myself. All night long," he promised. My giggles echoed in our new home, which we would fill with happy memories and love, together, for the rest of our lives.