BACK AGAIN​- ᴊᴜᴅᴇ ʙᴇʟʟɪɴɢʜᴀᴍ

54: no regrets

The Parisian sunset bathed the city in a soft, golden glow, casting long shadows across the streets as the day slowly wound down. From the balcony of our apartment, I could see the Eiffel Tower in the distance, its iron silhouette sharp against the pink and orange sky. The cool evening breeze carried the sounds of the city—distant chatter, the hum of traffic, the occasional laughter from a nearby café.

Leaning against the railing, I couldn't help but smile. Paris had become home in a way I never expected. Despite the chaos, the uncertainties, and the constant buzz of life here, it felt right. Jude stood beside me, his arm loosely draped around my waist, and I realized how much this city had changed us, shaped us, in ways we never saw coming.

"Remember when we weren't sure about moving here?" I asked, my voice soft as I rested my head on his shoulder.

Jude chuckled, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my hip. "How could I forget? It feels like a lifetime ago."

It really did. All the doubts, the delays, the uncertainties—none of it mattered now. Paris had become more than just a backdrop to our lives; it had become the place where everything had fallen into place.

The past few months had been a blur of new experiences, new faces, and new beginnings. Working with PSG had turned out to be everything I hoped for and more. The team had welcomed me as one of their own, and even though the pace was relentless, I loved every moment of it. Seeing the players progress, helping them recover from injuries, being part of their victories—it all made me feel like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.

Jude, too, had flourished. His transfer had been one of the biggest stories in the football world for weeks, but he had taken it all in stride. Paris had embraced him with open arms, and he'd become a key figure in PSG's success. His confidence on the field was matched only by the happiness he found off it. Seeing him play in this city, his name chanted by the crowd, was something I would never get tired of.

But more than our careers, it was the life we built together here that filled me with a sense of peace. The apartment, with its cozy corners and wide windows, had quickly become our sanctuary. On nights like this, we'd cook dinner together, laugh over spilled wine, and collapse onto the couch to watch old movies. We'd discovered our favorite bookshops, cafés, and quiet spots along the Seine where we'd sit for hours, talking about everything and nothing.

I glanced at Jude, his profile glowing in the soft evening light. He caught me staring and smiled, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "What?" he asked, his eyes full of warmth.

"Just thinking about how lucky we are," I said, feeling a warmth spread through me. "Despite everything, we ended up exactly where we were supposed to be."

He nodded, his smile widening. "Yeah. No regrets, right?"

"None," I whispered, meaning it more than I could ever express.

Despite the challenges we'd faced—navigating our careers, our relationship, and the media frenzy that sometimes felt overwhelming—there was nothing I would change. The move to Paris had tested us in ways I hadn't anticipated, but it had also strengthened us, made us more sure of each other, and more sure of the life we wanted to build.

Suddenly, there was a soft knock on the front door. I turned, curious.

"It's probably Sam," Jude said with a grin, heading inside to answer.

Sam had become a regular presence in our lives since that match day months ago. After the initial shock of discovering my relationship with Jude, she'd warmed up to him faster than I expected. Now, she was one of our closest friends in Paris, joining us for dinners and even occasionally sitting in on matchday preparations, much to her delight.

As Jude opened the door, Sam breezed in, holding a bottle of wine and a bag of pastries. "I come bearing gifts," she declared, making her way to the kitchen with a wide grin. Behind her followed her boyfriend, Lukas, who had fainted when he first learned about Jude. But now, they were best friends, and everything felt just like Madrid had felt. 

"You're spoiling us," I teased, giving them a quick hug.

Sam shrugged. "I figure if I keep showing up with food, you'll never kick me out."

Jude laughed as he grabbed some glasses. "Smart move."

The four of us settled onto the balcony, the wine poured and the pastries spread out on the table. It felt easy, like this was exactly how life was meant to be—surrounded by friends, good food, and the city we had come to love.

As we chatted and laughed, the conversation drifting from work to travel plans to random stories from our pasts, I took a moment to just breathe it all in. This was the life we'd built. A life I wouldn't trade for anything.

Sam leaned back in her chair, glancing between Jude and me. "You guys are disgustingly happy, you know that?"

I laughed, nudging Jude playfully. "We can't help it."

Jude smirked, squeezing my hand under the table. "Hey, it took us a while to get here."

Sam rolled her eyes, but I could see the fondness in them. "Yeah, yeah. You deserve it, though."

As the evening wore on, Sam nad Lukas eventually took their leave, waving goodbye with promises to meet up again soon. Jude and I watched them go, the sounds of the city settling around us as the night deepened.

We stayed on the balcony, the quiet moments stretching between us, the stars just starting to peek through the Paris sky. Jude pulled me close, his arm wrapped around my shoulders as we sat in comfortable silence.

"You know," he murmured, his lips brushing the top of my head, "I wasn't sure about Paris at first. All the delays, the pressure... but now? I can't imagine being anywhere else."

I looked up at him, my heart swelling with love for this man. "Neither can I."

We stayed like that for a while, wrapped in each other's warmth, watching the city that had become our home shimmer under the night sky. And in that moment, I knew, without a doubt, that no matter what the future held, we'd face it together. No regrets, no doubts—just the two of us, living the life we'd dreamed of, in the city that had welcomed us with open arms.

Paris was ours now, and we were exactly where we belonged.