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“I just finished the bowl of sweet papaya and mangoes. It’s delicious. Try it.”

Attikus took a fork, poked a cube of papaya, and popped it into his mouth. “It is sweet.” He poked another cube and fed it to me.

I broke off a piece of my croissant and fed him. We enjoyed breakfast in silence, like a couple who had been together for a while. The bright sun, the sound of the waves, and the salty breeze created a peaceful mood. I could live like this—a carefreelife with no deadlines, no worries, and no expectations. But this blissful state was temporary.

He smiled as he finished his cup of coffee. I wanted to see that smile on him forever. His story had touched me deeply. Most people in his situation would have succumbed to life’s cruelty and chosen a dark path, but he’d succeeded in building a thriving business. He inspired me with his persistence and determination.

We were similar in some ways.

Though he seemed stable, I knew that kind of darkness lingered in a person like a dormant illness. It lingered in me. There were days when I hated the world.

I wanted to create something for Attikus. According to our contract, I owed him an artwork. However, this would be something that came from my heart, not because of a contract. A few ideas popped into my head, and one of them made me blush.

We strode hand-in-hand as we walked along the shore. We had the private beach to ourselves.

“How’s your leg?” I asked.

He hadn’t used his cane since the attack. What if he was hiding the discomfort?

“It’s fine. I’d rather hold your hand than a cane.” His eyes gleamed. “The other hand can carry your sketchbook.”

“Why do you have sketchbooks in your vacation home when you don’t sketch?”

“I married an artist, so I need to stock up on art supplies in every home from now on.”

“You think of everything, don’t you?” I swung his hand.

“Part of being successful is planning ahead.”

“And for survival. If you want to defeat your enemies, you need to be several steps ahead of them.”

“Want to be my war strategist?” He smirked.

“No.” I laughed. “It’s common sense.”

“Oh, right. The pragmatic way of living like plants.”

“Hey, nature is intelligent, okay? If we paid more attention to plants, we wouldn’t have so many problems.”

“I’m only teasing you.” He kissed the top of my head. “I agree with everything you’ve said about nature. I’m trying to weave that wisdom into my life.”

We found a shady spot under a few palm trees that bent low to the ground. Attikus spread out the beach blanket,sat next to me, and watched me sketch the seashell near my foot.

I glanced at him. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“How long did it take for your leg to heal? Did you need constant surgery? How often do you go to physical therapy?”

He looked at me for a moment. “Why do you want to know?”

“Just curious about my husband.”

“It took a long time to heal and many surgeries. I go to physical therapy once in a while or when I feel like it.”

“When you feel like it?” Appalled, I gawked at him. “You should go as directed if you want to get better.”

“Iambetter.”