Second Love [Completed]

22. The Wedding

I'm really sorry for the have ever mette. I have been really busy these days, but I'll try my level best to update soonest possible.

New cover by @PriyankaGhosh6 a user thank you so much Priyanka for this beautiful cover.

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Susan's P.O.V.

A Month Before Wedding

Susan's P.O.V.

The smell of garlic and melted butter filled the air. I stood barefoot in Xavier's oversized penthouse kitchen, sleeves rolled up, attempting to rescue my tortured garlic bread from burning.

"You said you knew how to make this," Xavier said behind me, one brow raised.

"I do," I snapped, jabbing at the tray with tongs. "I just... didn't account for your dragon-oven from hell."

He chuckled, casual and unbothered as he leaned back against the counter, slicing tomatoes with the kind of precision that made me think he secretly trained as a chef. Shirt sleeves rolled, hair a little messy, and barefoot like me. Too perfect. Unfair.

"You're adorable when you're flustered."

"And you're annoying when you're smug," I shot back.

He only smiled, like he'd just won something.

The overhead lights were dimmed to a warm glow, soft jazz humming in the background from his playlist. I'd insisted we cook tonight—no private chefs, no restaurants, just... normal. Us.

If this even counted as normal.

"I've been thinking," I said, wiping my hands on a towel. "We should repaint your living room. It's too... grey. Makes me feel like I'm stuck in a password-protected file."

Xavier blinked. "It's modern."

"It's clinical."

He tilted his head, amused. "What color do you want then? Pink?"

"Don't be sexist."

He raised both hands in mock surrender. "Then what?"

I hesitated, looking around. "Cream walls. Gold accents. Warm wood shelves. And a gallery wall with photographs from our travels."

A beat passed.

"We haven't traveled anywhere yet," he said softly.

"Well," I looked at him. "We will."

He smiled, slower this time. "Anywhere in particular?"

"Florence," I said immediately. "I want to walk those winding cobblestone streets with a cone of gelato in one hand and fresh truffle panini in the other. I want to buy overpriced leather boots I'll never wear and pretend I'm a broke poet."

Xavier chuckled. "You'd look good as a poet."

I grinned. "And you?"

He paused, knife now idle. "Antarctica."

...What?

"I've always wanted to see the ice. Real silence. No people. No phones. Just wind and white."

I blinked. "That's... unexpected."

He looked thoughtful. "You're chaos. I'm calm. I guess we balance each other."

"Chaos?" I gasped. "Excuse you."

He took a step closer. "The best kind."

I tried not to react to how close he was, how warm. "You know, for someone who claims not to believe in love, you sure flirt like a man trying to get me to fall."