Dreams to vows

Chapter 20: Conflict and Compromise

*"Sometimes, the greatest relationships are the ones you never expected to be in."* — Unknown

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POV: Priscilla 💕

I sat at the kitchen counter, absently stirring a cup of tea that had long gone cold. The house was quiet, but not the peaceful kind of quiet—the kind that feels heavy, like something’s off. John hadn’t come home yet, and it was late, much later than I expected. Again.

This had become a routine over the past few weeks. Between merging his company with his father’s, the late nights had gotten more frequent. And every time we talked about it, I kept reminding myself that it was temporary that things would settle once the merger was complete. But sometimes, that didn’t make it any easier.

As if on cue, I heard the sound of the front door opening. I turned to see John, still in his work clothes, shoulders slumped with exhaustion. He looked up at me with an apologetic smile, his briefcase dangling from his hand.

“Hey,” he said, his voice soft as he walked toward me.

“Hey,” I replied, trying to sound neutral, but I knew he could hear the tension underneath. I wasn’t angry. I just missed him.

John set his briefcase down and walked over, leaning in to kiss my forehead. “I’m sorry I’m so late. I tried to get out of there earlier, but things ran over.”

I sighed, resting my hands on the counter. “I know, John. I know you’re trying. But it’s just been a lot lately, and we haven’t had any time together.”

John looked at me for a moment before pulling out a chair and sitting down across from me. His face softened, and I could see that he understood.

“I hate that it’s been like this,” he said, his voice quiet but firm. “And I know I haven’t been around as much as I should be. But this whole merger—it’s taking more time and energy than I thought it would. I’m still trying to get both companies to work as one, but I promise, Pris, it won’t be like this forever.”

I folded my arms and leaned forward slightly, trying to take in what he was saying. “But what happens after, John? Even when the merger’s done, won’t you still be busy managing everything?”

He shook his head. “It’s different, Pris. Right now, I’m in the thick of it because I have to merge everything—the teams, the processes, the finances. It’s a lot to juggle. But once it’s done, I’ll have everything in place, and I’ll be able to step back. I won’t be running both companies day-to-day. I’ll just be overseeing things. The late nights? They won’t be like this forever.”

I sat back, feeling a small sense of relief. It was the first time he’d explained it in detail like that, and it helped to know that there was a light at the end of this tunnel.

“You mean once you’re done with the merger, you’ll actually have time again?” I asked, my voice softening as hope crept back in.

John nodded. “Exactly. It’s about setting things up now so that later, I won’t have to be there all the time. The companies will run smoothly, and I’ll just be managing from a distance, making decisions when necessary. My goal is to let my money work for me while I oversee everything from a higher level.”

I chewed on my bottom lip, processing his words. The idea of him being able to pull back once the merger was complete did give me hope, but I couldn’t help but think about the toll it was already taking on us now.

“I want to believe that, John. And I do, mostly. But it’s hard not to worry about how much time we’re spending apart. It’s been weeks, and we barely see each other.”

He reached out, taking my hand in his. “I get that, Pris. I feel it too. But I’m asking for patience. Just for a little longer. I want to build something that’ll give us freedom—not just for me, but for both of us. When this is all done, we’ll have more time together. I promise.”

I met his gaze, and for the first time in a while, I could see that familiar determination in his eyes—the one that always made me believe he could accomplish anything he set his mind to. John wasn’t just a man who worked for his money; he was building something sustainable, something bigger than both of us. And that was part of why I fell in love with him in the first place—his vision, his ambition.

“Okay,” I said, nodding slowly. “I trust you. But we need to find a way to stay connected, even when you’re this busy. It can’t just be work all the time.”

John squeezed my hand, his expression softening. “You’re right. And I’ve been thinking about that too. Once this merger is done, let’s plan a getaway. Just the two of us. We’ll take some time to reset, and we won’t think about work or anything else.”

A getaway. The thought of it instantly made me feel lighter. It was something to look forward to, a chance for us to reconnect outside of the chaos of our careers.

“That sounds perfect,” I said, feeling a smile tug at the corners of my lips. “But in the meantime, maybe we can try to carve out some time during the week. Even if it’s just a quick dinner or a morning walk. Something that’s just ours.”

John nodded, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. “I’m with you. I’ll make sure we do that. I don’t want us to drift apart, Pris. I’m doing all this for us—for our future.”

Hearing him say that, I felt a wave of calm wash over me. We were in this together, and even though it was tough right now, I knew John was working toward something that would ultimately give us the life we both wanted.

“I love you,” I said softly, reaching out to touch his cheek.

“I love you too,” John replied, his voice gentle as he leaned into my touch. “And I promise, we’ll get through this. Just a little longer, and we’ll be back to normal.”

I realized that this was just another part of our journey—one filled with challenges, but also compromise. We were building something together, and while the road wasn’t always smooth, I knew we’d find our way. The key was remembering that we weren’t just two people with separate dreams; we were a team, working toward a future that would bring both of our visions to life.