Adrian's POV The house felt different now, brighter somehow, as if Noah’s proposal had lit a fire inside its walls. The next morning, I woke up with his arm draped across my waist, sunlight spilling through the curtains and warming our skin. There was a soft, lazy hum in the air, like the universe itself was giving us permission to just be. Noah stirred beside me, his breath tickling the back of my neck, and for a few long, beautiful moments, we simply lay there, basking in the peace we’d fought so hard to earn. When we finally rose, the day unfolded in a blur of phone calls, laughter, and endless plans. Emily had wasted no time, already sending a stream of ideas and inspiration. By noon, she was at our doorstep, notebook in hand and determination in her eyes. “I’ve been thinking about colors,” she said the moment she stepped inside. “And flowers. And venues. Oh, and food. This wedding is going to be perfect, you’ll see.” I laughed, taking her coat and ushering her into the livin
Adrian's POV The moment Noah slipped the family heirloom ring onto my finger, everything around me seemed to blur. My chest felt tight, my vision hazy, and all I could focus on was him kneeling before me, his face glowing with the kind of love I once thought was reserved for fairy tales. His eyes shimmered with tears, his lips curved into the most beautiful smile, and the weight of what he had just asked settled over me like a warm, safe blanket. I couldn’t stop the tears streaming down my face. My voice trembled, caught between laughter and sobs, as I whispered the words that had been sitting on my tongue since the moment I met him. “Yes, Noah. Yes, a thousand times, yes.” The relief and joy in his expression broke me completely. He surged to his feet and wrapped me in his arms, spinning me around in a circle as if we were the only two people in the world. My laughter echoed against the walls of our home, and for a moment, I let myself just exist in that dizzying happiness. When
Noah's POV The morning sun filtered through the open curtains, spilling golden light across our bedroom floor. I sat on the edge of the bed, watching Adrian as he stirred beneath the blankets, his face soft and peaceful in a way that still caught me off guard. After everything we had been through, moments like this felt like fragile treasures, reminders that we had fought, bled, and survived to get here. I reached out, brushing my fingers gently over his hair, and he sighed, leaning into my touch before his eyes fluttered open. “You’re staring again,” he murmured, his voice still heavy with sleep. I smiled, my chest tightening with affection. “Maybe I like what I see.” Adrian chuckled softly, stretching before sitting up beside me. “You say that every morning.” “Because it’s true every morning,” I replied, leaning down to kiss him. He kissed me back with a slow tenderness that made me want to stay in bed all day. But there were things to do, plans to make, and dreams we had both
Adrian's POV The morning after the gathering, I woke to the smell of coffee drifting through the air. Sunlight poured into the bedroom, warm and golden, wrapping around me like a soft blanket. For a moment, I stayed still, listening to the quiet hum of our home. There was no shouting, no hurried footsteps, no fear clenching my chest. Just peace. It still felt strange sometimes, this calm after everything we had been through. I rolled over and reached for Noah, but his side of the bed was empty and already cool. My heart dipped slightly. I sat up, running my fingers through my hair, and listened. The faint clinking of a mug and the low sound of Noah’s voice reached me from the kitchen. At first, I thought he was talking to himself, but then I realized he must have been on a call. The text from last night immediately came to mind. The unexpected offer to consult in security. I hadn’t asked more questions then because the night had been full, and we were both tired. But now, as I pul
Adrian's POV The weeks that followed felt like stepping into a different life. After everything Noah and I had endured, the chaos, the blood, the fear, there was something almost surreal about waking up to a quiet house and a world that didn’t seem intent on tearing us apart. The mornings became my favorite part of the day. I would wake to the soft sound of Noah breathing beside me, sunlight stretching across the sheets, warm and golden. It was a reminder that we were still here, still together, still breathing. Life had slowed down, and in that slowing, I found healing in the small things. Making breakfast together in the kitchen, arguing playfully about whether pancakes or waffles were better, taking long walks through the park where the world felt vast and calm. The nightmares didn’t disappear overnight, and there were nights I woke trembling, my mind dragging me back to memories I wished I could erase. But Noah was always there, holding me close, grounding me with his steady vo
Adrian's POV The sunlight streaming through the window was warm against my skin, soft and golden, a gentle reminder that life went on even when you felt stuck in the dark. I sat at my desk, fingers tracing the edge of a stack of papers that had been sitting untouched for weeks. They were proposals, grant applications, and reports for my nonprofit, Second Chances. Before Jasper, before the chaos, these papers had been my world. Now, they felt like relics from a past life I wasn’t sure I could step back into. Noah had left early this morning, pressing a kiss to my forehead before slipping out quietly so I could rest. But instead of sleeping in, I found myself here, staring at the symbols of everything I’d built and wondering if I still had it in me to fight for them. It wasn’t just about the work. It was about me. The part of me that Jasper had tried to break. The part of me that had spent endless nights terrified, haunted by memories I wished I could erase. I took a deep breath, c