𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞

40 | Jade

Although Liam's confession last night was unexpected, it was still part of my plan.

After Aurora had gone to bed last night, I had watched the video of his confession—which was exactly how I had wanted it. When Adrian had called to let me know that the plan had succeeded, I had reached the pinnacle of happiness, but when Aurora burst into my arms, I could feel the anguish she must be going through right then.

Rachel was completely unaware that I had made his confession public. The initial phase of my strategy, which involved luring him into a business agreement that would ultimately cement his doom, was all that she was aware of. She was also taken aback by last night's news conference release.

I am aware that her tears had nothing to do with Liam or their previous relationship; rather, they were a result of her experiencing, for the first time, the sense of justice that her bruised soul had long craved and the realization that she no longer needed to be scared.

I spent the entire night holding Aurora in my arms, providing her with the necessary warmth, while she remained soundly sleeping in the morning. She was so heartbroken that even when she was simply half sleeping, I had to make sure she didn't wake up and weep by herself if I had fallen asleep.

She wasn't alone anymore. I will always hold her in my arms, if that means making her feel secure and loved every second of her life.

When she stirs slightly in her sleep, I look down at her face that was resting on my naked chest, and a smile appears on my face.

"Jade?" She croaks and slowly opens her eyes, but shuts them back quickly when the daylight coming through the windows pierces her gaze.

"Ocean." I move to her side and cradle her face against my chest, shielding her sleepy eyes from the light.

She inhales a deep breath. "When did you wake up?"

"I don't remember." I place a kiss on her head. "Good morning, sweetheart."

"Good morning." With my t-shirt pulled up a bit, I draw circles on her naked skin at the side of her waist, and she giggles.

I stop and pull her toward me. "How are you feeling?"

She looks away from my eyes as soon as I ask that question. Her eyes wavered, and she took a deep breath, as if all the things just flashed before her eyes again.

She gulps. "I don't know how to feel, Jade." She looks at me. "I don't know if I should feel happy or not."

"Tell me just one thing, sweetheart." I touch her cheek with my hand. "Do you feel relaxed?"

She snuggles herself in the crook of my neck. "Yes."

"That is what's more important for me."

Our hugs became kisses, which became desperate touches, and then all of that resulted in my groans, her panting breathlessness, and her calling out my name as I buried my head between her legs and ate her till she repeatedly gave me that delicious taste of her all over my senses.

My mornings were never as perfect as today.

Heck, my life was never better than it is now, with her by my side.

━━━━━━━━━━━

We had the breakfast that I had ordered for the two of us after we had both taken showers. She didn't say much the entire time we were eating, just sometimes smiling in response to my questions or comments. However, the tension in her facial expressions and nonverbal cues was clearly apparent.

She asked me if she could go outside near the river and be alone for some time, and I understood that she needed time for all of this.

Our date and us being together.