Page 170 of Sweet Obsession

“Then I’ll change the plans,” he says softly. “How about you and Gabriella come live with me in Yakutsk? You’ll have your own space. She’ll have hers. She can continue her college there, live her life however she wants. But at least then, we’ll be together. And you’ll never have to feel alone again.”

The offer is too much to process. But somehow, in this moment, it feels like it’s the only thing that makes sense. The only thing that might allow me to keep my heart from splintering into a thousand pieces.

I nod, still trembling in his arms, my tears slowing. But as he holds me, I know one thing for sure—this time, he’s not going anywhere.

And neither am I.

EPILOGUE

LUNA

It’s strange being back in Yakutsk. After everything that happened in Paris, after the way Misha found me there, we decided to come home.”

The cold feels familiar, yet sharper now, like a chill that has sunk deeper into my bones. I had missed it, missed the way the air bites at your skin, the way the snow always seems to be falling, creating a constant gray haze. It’s the cloudiest place in the world, and yet, there’s a warmth here now I didn’t expect. It’s in the way Misha looks at me, like I’m the only thing that matters.

It’s in the quiet moments, the soft ones, when he’s not saying anything but I feel it all the same. His hands, gentle, even when they’re rough with everything else. The way he’s taking care of me now.

I sit in the large, marble bathroom of the suite he's prepared for us. The water runs warm over my body as I lean back, the steam rising, curling into the air. My hair, wet and dark, clings to my back. It’s long, thick, the dark waves swirling down past my shoulders. It’s the same color it’s always been—deep brown, almost black, but with a softness to it that I’ve always liked.

Misha kneels behind me, his hands steady and careful as he works through the strands, massaging the shampoo into my scalp. The touch is almost reverent, like he’s trying to memorize the feel of my hair, the softness of it.

He moves slowly, every stroke deliberate, and I close my eyes, letting the sensation of it wash over me. His hands are strong, but there’s this tenderness in the way he handles me that makes my chest tighten in ways I’m still learning to understand.

When he’s done washing it, he dries my hair with a towel, his fingers lingering as he tousles it gently. He doesn’t say anything for a while, but I can feel his gaze on me. It’s like he’s seeing me for the first time, the quiet reverence in his expression making my heart skip.

“I have a confession,” I murmur, voice low.

His hands still for a moment, and I feel the tension ripple through him. He doesn’t speak, just waits, eyes locked with mine in the mirror.

“I didn’t want to say it right away because I wasn’t sure... but now I am.”

He turns me gently toward him, his brows knitting. “Luna... what is it?”

I take a breath, heart pounding.

“I’m pregnant.”

His eyes go wide, and for a moment, it’s like the world stops. The air thickens between us, and I feel his shock, his joy, his disbelief all at once. His hands still, and then, with a low exhale, he turns me to face him, his hands resting on my shoulders.

“You’re...” His voice cracks, the words thick with emotion. “You’re pregnant?”

I nod, feeling the sudden weight of the moment. It’s real. It’s happening.

And then, without warning, his face lights up. A smile so wide, so full of joy, that it feels like the room brightens with it. “Luna, that’s... that’s incredible,” he says, his voice thick with happiness. “We’re going to have a child. Our child.”

I can’t help the smile that tugs at my lips as he pulls me close, wrapping me in his arms, his face buried in my neck as hebreathes me in. “I can’t believe it,” he mutters, more to himself than to me. “We’re going to be parents.”

I laugh, a soft sound in the quiet room. “It’s crazy, right?”

“Crazy in the best way possible,” he replies, his voice rough with emotion. “I can’t even imagine what it will be like. Holding our child, raising them together. It’s going to be everything, Luna. I swear it.”

We stand there for a while, wrapped in each other’s arms, the future suddenly feeling so much bigger, brighter. For once, it feels like there’s no darkness. Just us, and this new chapter we’re about to start together.

Later that evening, Misha takes me out for dinner. Just the two of us. We’re in a quiet restaurant in the heart of Yakutsk, the air between us charged with the quiet excitement of everything that’s happened today.

But as we sit at our table, I notice something. Two men at the far corner of the room, their eyes trained on me. I can feel their gazes on my skin, their interest in a way that makes my stomach twist uncomfortably.

I try to ignore them, but it’s impossible. They’re watching me too intently, too openly. The air around us feels thick.