Chapter 13

The ride back to the estate was bathed in a quiet, soothing stillness. The heavy chaos of the banquet dissolved behind us, replaced by the comforting hum of the Maybach's engine...a low, steady purr that seemed to cocoon us in its own private world. Outside the tinted windows, the city lights blurred into streaks of gold and silver, fading as we left the bustling streets behind and entered the exclusive, tree-lined avenue leading to the White estate.

When we arrived, the grand iron gates swung open silently, as if recognising their mistress's return. The sprawling mansion loomed ahead, its windows glowing with warm, welcoming light.

Taylor didn't let my feet touch the ground. Before I could even reach for the door handle, she scooped me up in her arms with effortless strength, cradling me against her chest as though I were something precious and fragile. I let out a small gasp of surprise, but she only smiled at me, her dark eyes soft with affection.

"I've got you," she murmured; her voice was low, reassuring rumble against my ear.

She carried me straight through the grand front doors past the marble foyer with its glittering crystal chandelier, past the sweeping staircase with its ornate wrought-iron railings and up the stairs directly into our master suite. The room was bathed in the soft, golden glow of the bedside lamps, casting warm shadows across the plush carpet and the king-sized bed with its crisp, white linens.

She gently set me down on the edge of the mattress, her hands lingering on my shoulders for just a moment before she pulled away. Without uttering a single word, she walked over to the adjoining luxury bathroom…a marble oasis with gleaming fixtures and returned with a warm, plush towel. The fabric was soft against my skin, carrying the faint, comforting scent of lavender.

Standing before me, Taylor began to carefully and tenderly wipe the lingering pool water from my skin. Her movements were slow, deliberate, almost reverent, as though she were tending to something sacred. She dried my hair with a gentle, patient touch, her fingers working through the damp strands with a care that completely melted away my remaining tension. The chaos of the evening the stares, the whispers, the cruel games faded into nothingness under her soothing ministrations.

"Taylor..." I whispered softly, my voice breaking slightly.

She paused, looking up from where she was standing before me. Her dark eyes, usually so sharp and commanding, were soft now, filled with something I couldn't quite name but desperately wanted to understand.

"Thank you..." I continued, lifting my chin to meet her intense gaze. "I... I wouldn't have known what to do today without you. I owe you everything."

Taylor reached out, her warm fingers cupping my chin as she sat down right beside me on the mattress. The bed dipped slightly under her weight, and suddenly the space between us felt impossibly small, charged with an electricity that made my heart race.

"I told you," she murmured, her thumb gently stroking my jawline. The touch sent shivers cascading down my spine. "I'll always protect you. No one dares to hurt you and get away with it. I always keep my promise."

My heart fluttered wildly against my ribs, a frantic bird beating its wings against a cage. Looking deep into her eyes those dark, fathomless pools that seemed to hold entire galaxies the words slipped out before I could stop them.

"Taylor... if you keep caring for me like this, I think I'll never be able to live without you."

The confession hung in the air between us, raw and vulnerable and terrifyingly honest. I half-expected her to pull away, to laugh it off as a joke or a moment of weakness. But instead, a breathtaking, genuine smile spread across her lips a smile that transformed her entire face, softening the hard edges and lighting up her features with an almost boyish charm.

"Then don't," she said simply, her voice steady and sure. "Stay by my side forever... Be mine."

The words wrapped around my heart like a warm embrace, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. The world outside this room the scheming, the lies, the cruel manipulations ceased to exist.

There was only Taylor, and the promise in her eyes, and the way she made me feel like I was the centre of her universe.

A sudden wave of playful, carefree energy washed over me, chasing away the dark shadows of the day. Something inside me shifted a door opening, a chain breaking and I felt lighter than I had in years.

"Taylor... would you like to watch me dance?"

The question escaped my lips spontaneously, surprising even me. But looking at her, I felt zero regret. Dance had always been my escape, my language, the one thing that was purely and completely mine. And in that moment, I wanted to share it with her wanted her to see the part of me that no one else had ever truly understood.

Taylor blinked in mild surprise, a soft chuckle escaping her throat. "Right now?" Her smile deepened into something entirely devoted, something that made my stomach flip. "Anything for you, my love. Get dressed, and I'll have everything set up in the backyard."

With a wink, she stood up and walked out of the room to let me prepare. The door clicked shut behind her, and I was alone with my racing heart and the lingering warmth of her touch.

Ten minutes later, everything was ready.

I slipped into a flowing, ethereal white chiffon gown that clung gracefully to my silhouette, the fabric whisper-soft against my skin. The bodice was delicately embroidered with tiny pearls that caught the light, and the skirt cascaded in layers of gossamer fabric that seemed to float around me like mist. I left my hair loose, the dark waves tumbling down my back, and applied just a touch of rose-colored gloss to my lips.

When I stepped out of the walk-in closet, Taylor was waiting. She had changed out of her formal attire and was now wearing a simple black shirt and tailored trousers, her hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. But it wasn't her outfit that made my breath catch it was the way she was looking at me.

Her eyes travelled slowly from my face to my feet and back again, and in them I saw a look of absolute reverence, as though I were a goddess descended from the heavens. She extended her hand, and I eagerly slipped my fingers into hers, marvelling at how perfectly they seemed to fit together.

"Everything is set, love. Let's go so you can have your fun," she murmured, leading me down through the back of the house toward her favourite sanctuary the estate's private botanical garden.

The garden was a breathtaking wonderland of midnight magic. Glowing fairy lights were strung intricately through thick overhead trellises of climbing white roses and midnight-blue hydrangeas, casting a soft, golden-amber glow over the sprawling stone pavilion. The cool night air carried the rich, sweet fragrance of night-blooming jasmine, mingling with the subtle scent of freshly cut grass and damp earth. In the centre of the lawn, a delicate wrought table had been set up, draped in crisp white linen and laden with crystal decanters, fresh fruits, and delicate pastries, illuminated by flickering candles that danced in the gentle breeze.

True to her word, Taylor had instructed her estate staff to set up a discreet, high-end portable sound system tucked neatly behind the flowerbeds. The speakers were invisible, hidden among the blooms, but the sound quality was impeccable rich and clear and immersive.

"You can begin whenever you're ready, my love," Taylor said softly, stepping back to take a seat on a velvet-cushioned garden chair giving me a full view of the dance floor. She crossed her legs and leaned back, her eyes never leaving my face.

A slow, hauntingly romantic violin and piano melody drifted softly from the speakers a piece I recognised instantly. It was "River Flows in You," the Yiruma composition that had always spoken to something deep within my soul. I closed my eyes for a fraction of a second, letting the music wash over me, before letting my body move.

It was a dance born of freedom and emotion. A blend of lyrical contemporary and a graceful ballroom waltz. As I spun across the stone patio, the lightweight fabric of my white gown caught the gentle night breeze, billowing around me like a cloud. Every step, every arch of my back, and every fluid sweep of my arms told the story of a woman breaking free from her chains. I flowed across the lawn with effortless grace, completely lost in the rhythm, while Taylor sat transfixed.

Her dark eyes followed my every movement with an intoxicating blend of fierce protection, pride, and burning, unfiltered desire. I could feel her gaze on me like a physical touch warm and electric and it only made me dance with more passion, more abandon, more joy. For the first time in years, I was truly free. I was truly myself. And I was truly seen.

The music swelled, and I spun one final time, my arms outstretched, my face tilted toward the star scattered sky. The world fell away, and there was only this the music, the night, and the woman who had somehow become my everything.