Page 42

“I love you, Nicholas,” she said softly, her voice trembling with emotion. “I love you, and I don’t care about your fears or your doubts or whatever it is that you think makes you unworthy of that love. You’re so, so wrong.”

His breath hitched. He searched her eyes for any signs of insincerity, but all he saw was the truth staring back at him.

“I’ll only end up hurting you,” he finally said.

“You’ve already hurt me, Nicholas. Leaving hurt me. Pushing me away hurt me. But what hurts most is knowing that you don’t believe we’re worth fighting for.”

His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard. With every word she spoke, his own resolve seemed to crumble.

“Violet…”

“I don’t want a divorce, Nicholas. I don’t want freedom from you. I want you .” Violet’s own words came out choked, tears now streaming down her face. “Please don’t do this.”

For a moment, he said nothing, his gaze locked on hers, his chest heaving as he struggled to process her words.

Then, slowly, as though drawn by a force he couldn’t resist, he walked over to her and lifted a hand to her cheek, his thumb brushing away the tears that had slipped free.

“You love me,” he said, as if the words were foreign to him.

“I do. And I’m not afraid of that.”

His hand trembled against her cheek, as he wrestled against himself. But then something inside of him relented, and he leaned in, his forehead pressing gently against hers.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for all the ways I’ve hurt you.”

Her hands moved to his face, cradling it gently as she looked into his eyes. “Then stop hurting me,” she said simply. “Stay with me. Be my husband. Let me love you.”

Nicholas closed his eyes, exhaling a shaky breath. And then, he kissed her.

He could not stop himself. It was the only way he knew how to convey his feelings since words seemed to fail him. Violet kissed him back, her arms wrapping around his neck.

When they finally broke apart, he rested his forehead against hers, his breathing uneven.

“I love you,” he admitted, the words tumbling out in a rush. “I love you, Violet. I’m terrified of it, but I do. And I’ll do whatever it takes to make this right.”

“Then start by staying,” she whispered. “Start by not running away.”

He nodded, his hands cupping her face as he pressed another kiss to her lips. “I promise. I’ll never leave you again. Not if you’ll have me.”

“I want nothing else,” she nodded. “We can make this work. All we need here is love.”

The word was so foreign to him, but coming out of Violet’s mouth, it no longer felt so strange.

For her, he was willing to take the risk of falling deeply in love. She had refused to let him abandon her—something that he would have to spend the rest of his life making up for.

A sharp knock at the door interrupted the moment. They both turned toward the sound, startled. Nicholas’s brow furrowed as he reluctantly pulled away, his hand lingering on her shoulder.

“Come in,” Violet called softly.

The door opened, and Daphne stepped in, looking concerned. Her gaze immediately darted to Violet, taking in her tear-streaked cheeks.

“Violet,” Daphne said, “I heard you fainted. Are you—” She stopped abruptly when her eyes landed on Nicholas, who stood protectively close to Violet.

Daphne’s brows knitted together, and her tone became more protective. “Is everything all right here?”

Violet’s lips curved into a soft smile as she reached out to squeeze Daphne’s hand. “There’s nothing to worry about, Daphne. I’m safe and happy.”

Daphne’s gaze flickered between them, her worry morphing into surprise. “Happy? So… things have been resolved between you two?”

Nicholas glanced at Violet, his expression softening as he waited for her to answer. He realized that Violet might have shared their troubles with her friend.

“Yes,” Violet said firmly, turning her attention back to Daphne. “Nicholas and I are doing just fine. I’ve found my Prince Charming.”

The declaration hung in the air, and Daphne’s eyes widened slightly. For a moment, she looked as though she didn’t know how to respond, but then she gave a small, knowing smile.

“If that’s the case,” she said, “then I feel quite bad for interrupting your moment. I was just worried, but clearly, you are fine now.”

Nicholas stepped closer to Violet, his hand slipping into hers as he addressed Daphne. “I will take care of whatever she needs. You may return to your guests.”

Daphne raised a brow at him, “Yes, I hope that you do. But Violet, if you ever need anything at all—you know where to find me.”

Violet confirmed, “I know, Daphne. Don’t worry.”

With that, Daphne gave a small nod and turned to leave, casting one last glance at Nicholas.

When the door closed behind her, Violet let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “Don’t take offense to her concern. I had confided in her earlier about you… leaving. And I suppose she was just confused at seeing you here with me.”

“She’s very protective of you,” Nicholas remarked.

“She has every right to be. We are practically like sisters,” Violet replied, turning to him with a teasing smile. “But I think you passed her test.”

Nicholas smiled. “Test or not, it does not matter anymore. Because I don’t intend to let you go again.”