LOGINEmma’s POV
The evening of the corporate gala had finally arrived, and as I stood before the mirror adjusting the delicate clasp of my necklace, a mixture of anticipation and anxiety swirled within me. Killian’s presence behind me was both reassuring and grounding; his hands rested gently on my waist, his touch a silent promise of support. “Are you absolutely certain about this?” he inquired softly, his breath warm against the nape of my neck. I met his gaze in the mirror, noting the concern etched in his deep blue eyes. “Not entirely,” I confessed with a wry smile. “But what I am certain of is us. I’m tired of the shadows, of stolen moments and hidden glances. Tonight, we step into the light together.” His fingers tightened slightly, conveying understanding and solidarity. “If at any point it becomes overwhelming, we can leave. This is about us, no one else.” I turned to face him fully, placing a hand over hiEmma Coming home felt different this time. The house was exactly how we left it—Alina’s princess slippers by the stairs, Amelie’s toy giraffe perched on the windowsill, the scent of lavender and baby lotion lingering in the air. Familiar. Comfortable. Ours. But something had shifted. Not just in the house, but in us. We were lighter. Closer. More in tune, as if something during our time away had recalibrated our hearts. The quiet walks in the vineyards, the late-night whispers under the stars, the way he looked at me in that garden in Germany—all of it had carved deeper grooves into our bond. I still felt the echo of his touch—how his fingers had threaded through mine under the moonlight, how his mouth tasted like red wine and promises. The way he had whispered my wife like it meant something holy, something eternal. As we stepped inside, the chaos resumed in a heartbe
KILLIAN She had no idea. Emma thought our garden vow renewal was the grand finale of our romantic stretch—but I had one more surprise tucked away. Two weeks. Just her and me. No kids. No phones. No schedules. Just… us. As the car pulled up to the airport, she blinked at me, confused. “What are we doing here?” she asked, laughing. “Stealing you away,” I said, pulling out two passports. “Paris first. Then Germany.” Her eyes widened. “Wait—what?” I leaned in, brushing my lips against hers. “A surprise honeymoon. You’ve taken care of everyone else for so long. Now it’s your turn.” Tears pooled in her eyes, but she laughed and hit my chest. “You’re impossible.” But she was already kissing me. ⸻ EMMA Paris was everything. Morning kisses under crisp white sheets, café strolls, art galleries, midni
EMMA The sun filtered softly through the canopy of trees, casting dappled light over the garden that had become our sanctuary. I looked around, heart fluttering. Twinkling fairy lights intertwined with delicate white florals, the scent of jasmine and roses mingling in the warm breeze. It wasn’t a grand affair—it didn’t need to be. This was our home, our haven. And today, it would witness a new promise. I stood just inside the house, holding Alina’s tiny hand as she twirled in her flower crown. Her little giggles filled the space. Amelie , curled in her grandmother’s arms, cooed softly in her sleep. And I—despite the life we’d built, the storms we’d weathered—felt nervous. This wasn’t just about saying vows. It was about telling the man who challenged me, changed me, and made me fall deeper in love every day… that I’d choose him again. In every life. The music began to play—a soft melody we once danced to in the d
Emma’s POV I stood barefoot in the garden, soft grass tickling my toes, holding a steaming mug of tea as the early morning sun warmed my face. This was where it would happen—where Killian and I would promise each other all over again. Our garden had always been our little sanctuary, but now it was transforming into something even more sacred. I could already imagine the soft string lights draped between the trees, the delicate petals strewn down the aisle, the floral arch where we’d stand with our children by our sides. A flutter of nerves buzzed through me—not the anxious kind, but the excited, sentimental kind. Planning this vow renewal felt different than planning our wedding. This time, we had lived the love we were celebrating. “Are you picturing it too?” Killian’s voice came from behind, and I turned with a smile. He stepped out into the sunlight, his hair
Emma’s POV The soft clinking of cutlery against porcelain filled the dining room, a gentle backdrop to the familiar hum of Sunday brunch. The scent of cinnamon waffles, fresh berries, and brewed coffee lingered in the air, mingling with the warmth of family conversation. This chaos had somehow become my comfort. Alina was halfway through a waffle, more interested in drawing on the back of her napkin than actually eating. Across from her, our son sat in his highchair, gleefully smearing mashed banana over his tray like it was finger paint. Killian’s father leaned in to inspect Alina’s art and chuckled. “Is that a unicorn with a cape?” Alina nodded proudly. “It’s Supercorn. She saves jellybean planets!” Killian’s mother smiled warmly, sipping her tea while my mother, ever elegant, raised a curious brow at the chaos unfolding but said nothing. Her fingers tapped rhythmically against her cup, probably
Emma’s POV This time, we didn’t oversleep. We woke up just before the alarm—wrapped in warm sheets, limbs tangled together, the world still hushed in the soft gray of early morning. I opened my eyes to find Killian already watching me, his hand gently tracing shapes on my bare shoulder. The night before hadn’t been wild or frenzied like it had been in our earlier years. It had been soft. Sweet. No rush, no need to chase the high. We made love slowly, savoring every touch. There had been laughter between kisses. Whispered confessions in the quiet. A closeness that felt deeper than skin. “Morning,” I whispered, smiling into his chest. His fingers slipped down my arm, featherlight. “Morning, Mrs. Blackwood.” We lay there in silence for a moment longer, letting the warmth between us stretch across the space. The kids would be up soon, but for now, it was just us. “We’re ge







