The doctor bid Cecilia farewell, reassuring her that the sense of loss and anxiety she was feeling were only side effects of the medication. He reminded her to take it easy and allow herself to relax.

Before she realized it, Cecilia was aboard Victor’s private jet. He gently invited her to lie down in the back room while he handled a few things with the pilot. As soon as Cecilia laid eyes on the plush bed inside the cabin, a wave of bittersweet nostalgia washed over her. She dove onto the bed, burying her face deep into a pillow, clutching it tightly as though it could shield her from everything.

"Are you feeling unwell?"

Victor's voice startled her, she hadn’t noticed him come in. She just shook her head, pressing herself deeper into the pillow.

"I’ll get your medicine," he said, unconvinced by her denial.

"No—" she whimpered. "Don’t go."

"What’s wrong?" he asked softly, his hand stroking her hair as he tried to coax her face up with the other.

"I don’t know. How long until we get the apartment?"

Victor sighed. "We're not going to the apartment. We're going to our house in the countryside. Didn’t you hear the doctor say it’d be better for you to be somewhere peaceful? I told you that."

"Right. Yeah." Her voice was muffled against the pillow. The truth was, she hadn’t really listened to anything either the doctor or Victor had said. She didn’t want to hear them tell her, again, not to push herself to remember.

After a moment, Victor lay down beside her and gently encouraged her to face him. Once their eyes met, he stared at her as if he had a thousand things to say, but all he did was give her a brief kiss on the lips and whisper, "Get some rest."

Cecilia nodded and closed her eyes, savoring the soft touches of his hand running gently over her clothes. Despite how tired she was and how little sleep she had gotten the night before, she couldn’t drift off. Her mind was too crowded, her thoughts spiraling as she tried to make sense of everything.

Half an hour later, as the plane glided through the sky, gently rocking, she heard Victor whisper, barely audibly, "I love you." The words calmed her. She waited, hoping he’d say more, but he didn’t. Still, it was enough. As she finally slipped into sleep, her last thought was the realization that they had been together for seven years, and they were planning to marry.

Somehow, in the chaos of recent events, she hadn’t noticed, her life had quietly become everything she had ever dreamed of.

The plane didn’t land at a regular airport, but on a private airstrip. When they disembarked, a sleek limousine was already waiting. As soon as they got into the car, Victor guided Cecilia’s head onto his lap, and she melted into his care.

Victor wanted her to relax. At first, he simply played with her hair, but soon his hands traveled down her neck, over her shoulders. He lingered along her side, circling her waist with his fingers, eventually brushing her hip. Then he paused, as if unsure whether to continue, or where to go next.

Cecilia guessed he was hesitating because of her recent accident. He probably didn’t want to get too intimate too soon. But Cecilia didn’t care. Her body ached for touch. She didn’t want patience or restraint. She wanted Victor to take her, right then and there, with her clothes on.

Biting her lip, feeling like she might explode from tension, she whispered his name. "Victor," She sat up clumsily and practically climbed onto his lap, pressing a kiss to his lips.

Victor was taken by surprise at first, Cecilia had pulled him from his thoughts, but then he welcomed her, adjusting his posture so she could straddle him more easily.

Their kisses grew hungry. Cecilia positioned her legs on either side of him, and the moment their chests brushed together, she moaned softly. That slight contact was all it took for Victor to grip her hips firmly and pull her closer.

They both gasped. The kiss turned frantic, their bodies grinding together in frustration, there were too many clothes between them. They needed feel the skin of the other.

Victor slid a hand up to her back, and Cecilia began undoing his shirt. In his mind, one word echoed over and over, finally, together.

But just then, the limo came to a halt.

"Noo!" Cecilia growled.

Victor blinked, then chuckled. "Come on," he said with a bright grin as he tried to fix Cecilia’s shirt and smooth down his tousled hair. Cecilia scowled, buttoning up the shirt he had just unfastened. They stole one last kiss before stepping out of the car.

Cecilia shot the driver a glare, but quickly forgot about it when she saw the house. It was stunning.

The cream-yellow facade was accented with ochre tones. Tall windows were crowned with beveled, etched glass, and the entrance featured a massive red cedar door. The front garden, which Cecilia hadn’t noticed before thanks to Victor stealing all his attention, was bursting with white roses. The fragrance was intoxicating.

"I’ve probably said this already," he murmured, "but this place is amazing."

Victor waved goodbye to the driver. "It’s our first time here."

"Really?" Cecilia walked to the front door, heart pounding with excitement. If the outside looked this good, the inside must be even more beautiful.

"Wait," Victor called, grabbing her wrist. Without warning, he swept her into his arms bridal-style.

"Hey! Wait, careful!" she cried, bringing her hands to her head. "You’re making me dizzy!"

"Sorry," Victor muttered, a little regretful. He gave her a quick kiss as he carried her inside. "I bought this place thinking it would be our first home, after we got married. But—" He fell quiet as they passed through the foyer. A shadow crossed his face, a flicker of anger and sadness, before he composed himself.

Cecilia, still glowing with joy, was brought back to reality. "I’m sorry about the accident. I didn’t mean to ruin your surprise."

"Don’t worry about it. We’re here now. I just need to make a few calls." He gently set her down, pulled out his phone, and gestured toward the second floor. "Our room is upstairs, to the right. My assistant should’ve left some clothes for you."

Cecilia felt a flutter of anticipation at the mention of the room they’d be sharing. The sooner, the better.