Chapter 154: Love

Clara blinked. This was the first time Dominic had openly admitted just how protective he was of her.

He looked into her eyes and spoke calmly.

"You want me to communicate with you, don’t you?" he asked. "Doesn’t that apply to you as well?"

Clara froze. He was right.

She had always wished Dominic would stop bottling everything up and tell her what was on his mind.

Now that he was finally doing exactly that... she was the one hiding things from him.

The realization made guilt wash over her.

Without another word, she climbed onto his lap and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"I’m sorry," she whispered, burying her face in the crook of his neck. "It won’t happen again."

She looked just like a little kitten searching for warmth after causing trouble.

Dominic couldn’t help smiling.

[Good... because I won’t let you do something that reckless ever again.]

Clara laughed silently after hearing his grumpy inner voice.

He’s still so overprotective...

Dominic tightened his arms around her, pulling her even closer.

Only he knew how much he had missed holding her like this.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The room fell into a comfortable silence. Then, out of nowhere, Mark’s words resurfaced in Dominic’s mind.

[...Am I really in love with Clara?]

Clara’s body stiffened. The thought echoed in her mind.

Love...

The word felt unfamiliar. Yet somehow... it also made her heart flutter.

She lowered her eyes.

Wasn’t she the same?

She had missed him every single day.

She couldn’t stop thinking about him.

The moment she was in danger, the person she wanted to see the most was Dominic.

His absence had hurt far more than she was willing to admit.

At some point... her feelings had quietly crossed the line between gratitude, guilt, and companionship.

Without realizing it... she had fallen in love with him too.

A mischievous smile suddenly appeared on her lips.

"Dom..."

"Hm?"

She looked up innocently. "My period is over."

"..."

Dominic’s entire body froze. His brain stopped working for a solid five seconds.

Clara blinked at his priceless expression before trying—and completely failing—to suppress her laughter.

"What?" she asked with exaggerated innocence. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Dominic narrowed his eyes.

"...You know exactly what you’re doing."

"Yes..." she breathed softly against his ear. "Which is why I’m asking you to finally fulfill your duty as my husband, Dom."

Dominic looked into her eyes, and the affection shining in them made his heart skip a beat.

Clara had waited for this moment for a long time.

What she felt for him was no longer simple attraction, nor was it the guilt she had carried from losing him so unfairly in their previous life.

Even back then, she had always wanted to give her heart—and every important first—to the man who truly loved her.

That man had always been Dominic.

Her husband. Her savior. Her companion. The man she loved.

"Take me, Dom," she whispered, her voice trembling with sincerity. "I want to be your wife in every sense of the word."

Her quiet plea sent a shiver through him.

For a long second, Dominic simply stared at her, as if making sure she truly meant every word.

Then, unable to resist any longer, he gently laid her back against the mattress.

"You asked for this," he murmured, his usually composed eyes now burning with unmistakable longing.

Clara’s heartbeat quickened.

Yet instead of feeling nervous, she reached up, cupped his face with both hands, and drew him down into another kiss.

"I want you, Dom," she whispered against his lips.

Their kiss deepened, filled with the love, trust, and longing they had both kept buried for far too long, as the rest of the world quietly faded away.

***

Time seemed to lose all meaning as they lay wrapped in each other’s arms, their breathing gradually settling into a peaceful rhythm.

Dominic brushed a tender kiss across Clara’s forehead before capturing her lips once more.

Every touch was gentle, every caress filled with patience rather than urgency.

For both of them, this wasn’t simply a physical moment.

It was the first time they were truly giving themselves to each other without fear, misunderstandings, or regrets from the past.

Dominic rested his forehead against hers.

"I’m going to continue," he whispered softly. "If it hurts too much, tell me. I’ll stop immediately."

His voice was so gentle that Clara’s heart trembled.

"Hmm..." she answered with a small nod.

As he moved carefully, Clara instinctively tensed.

A quiet gasp escaped her lips as she felt the unfamiliar sting.

Dominic stopped at once.

"Should I stop?" he asked, his brows knitting together with concern.

No matter how much he wanted to be close to her, hurting Clara was the last thing he ever wanted.

She blinked back the tears gathering in the corners of her eyes and slowly shook her head.

"No..." she whispered. "Don’t stop."

Dominic searched her face, still uncertain.

"Are you sure?"

Instead of answering with words, Clara cupped his face and gently kissed him.

"I’m sure," she murmured against his lips. "Just... stay with me."

A warm smile appeared on Dominic’s face.

"I will."

True to his promise, he remained patient, giving her all the time she needed until she gradually relaxed in his embrace.

Clara closed her eyes, focusing on his reassuring touch and the comforting rhythm of his heartbeat.

The initial discomfort slowly began to fade, replaced by the warmth of being held safely in his arms.

She knew that if she asked him to stop, Dominic would do so without hesitation.

And somehow... that unwavering respect made her love him even more.

Back then, Clara had never understood what it truly meant to entrust herself to someone completely. She had mistaken love for obligation, gratitude, and guilt.

But now, lying in Dominic’s embrace as he treated her with nothing but tenderness and patience, she finally understood.

Love wasn’t about possession. It was about trust.

About knowing that even at your most vulnerable, the person holding you would never let you fall.

And at that moment, Clara realized there was nowhere else in the world she would rather be than in Dominic’s arms.