Chapter 128: Waking up married 💖

Alina:

I woke up before him.

For a few quiet seconds, I didn’t move at all, my back ached like hell and my legs were numb and sore.

I stayed where I was with my cheek pressed against Kieran's bare chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat beneath my ear while the pale morning light slipped through the curtains and spread softly across the room. It felt too calm to be real, like the world outside had forgotten we existed for a while….me and my husband.

My husband!

The thought tingled my heart, the feeling of calm spreading in my body like warmth. It all felt strange though, like I just met a new version of my life, with a new version of myself, and everything happened in the flash of light that didn't let me hold onto anything at all.

My fingers shifted slightly under the blanket, brushing against his chest without intention, and that small movement pulled me more firmly into the moment.

I lifted my head slowly, careful not to disturb him too abruptly.

Kieran was still asleep, his breathing steady and deep. Without the usual sharpness that defined him, his face looked different in a way I couldn’t quite describe.

Less guarded. Less controlled….less nonchalant. Like the weight he carried during waking hours had finally loosened its grip for a while.

It made my chest warm.

My gaze drifted down to my left hand resting against him, and I saw the ring properly again.

It caught the morning light each time I moved my fingers, the engagement ring and wedding band sitting together with an unsettling certainty, like they had always belonged there and I was the only one still surprised by it.

I stared at it longer than I meant to, waiting for the feeling of disbelief to fade.

I was married.

Actually married.

Not in thought, not in a dream, not running away anymore…..

It took me so long to realize where I belonged.

To Kieran….

Completely and officially….as his wife.

A small breath left me, something between a laugh and a sigh, but it never fully formed because he shifted beside me at that exact moment.

His arm tightened instinctively around my waist without him even opening his eyes.

“You are awake,” he said, his voice rough from sleep.

I tilted my head slightly, my brows frowned. “Why do you sound offended by that?”

“I am,” he replied without hesitation. “You moved away from me.”

I smiled before I could stop myself. “That feels like a very personal boundary you are enforcing.”

His eyes remained closed for another moment, but his hold on me did not loosen, as if even sleep had taught him to keep me close.

“What are you smiling at?” he asked quietly with closed eyes.

“I am not.”

“You are.”

I exhaled lightly. “You are impossible in the morning.”

He finally opened his eyes then, and the softness of sleep faded quickly from his expression. His eyes softened as he scanned my face deeply, like he was searching for something. His hand lifted slowly, brushing my hair back before resting against my cheek.

“You are still here,” he whispered, almost to himself.

I paused. “Where would I go?”

He didn’t answer immediately, and the silence between us delivered the meaning of his words…

Then I lifted my hand between us.

His gaze followed instantly.

The rings caught his attention, and something like certainty, confidence and peace spread on his face, his lips curved slightly into a smile. It wasn’t just happiness.

It was a relief of knowing what he finally has.

“See these rings?” I whispered dearly.

“You put them on my finger, Kieran. Now I'm yours forever. I'm not going anywhere again….ever!” He released a deep breath as his hold on my bare waist tightened even more.

“I don't ever want to let you go Alina…. you're my only most prized possession…I died a hundred times to get to you! I don't want my fate to play with me again.”

He said with a voice that broke my heart into pieces….he sounded like a scared kid, talking in a hushed voice about his favorite toy so that nobody hears him and takes the toy away.

I caressed his chest with the ring hand. “You're thinking too much Kieran. Nothing like that is ever going to happen. If anything,” I looked him in the eyes, “everything is going to be alright from now on.”

He nodded, kissing my left hand as he caressed my bare back, warmth spread on my spine soothing me even more.

“I spent too long without having you Alina….twenty years were a hell to love you and not have you even for once,” he replied, his voice heavy with emotions.

I tried to ease his tension. “Twenty years is a bit exaggerated isn't it?”

He chuckled lightly.

“You were fourteen when I realized I was in trouble,” he said calmly.

That made me still.

“You cannot say things like that as if they are normal.”

“They are normal to me,” he replied simply.

“No,” I shook my head, eyes wide. “That's actually illegal, Kieran!”

“Not actually, I was a teen too….and I practically raised you too.”

“And that's gross!” I made a horrified face, he smiled.

“My heart never cared about that Alina, no emotion related to you has ever been gross for me.” He said rather proudly.

“You’re still older than me, you could have literally gone to jail for dating a fourteen year old you know?” I tried to make a point seriously.

“That's why I never made a move on you back then, I held it together….not knowing I would have to keep it together for the next fifteen years too! It's not like you would have dated me even if I had told you about my feelings. You would have cried and hit me, thrown a tantrum and told dad about it.”

I left an airy chuckle at that.

“Well, that's actually true. I would have been weirded out by you. Thank you for not ruining our relationship by staying silent.”

He pulled me closer again with a smile, looking fully satisfied now.

“We are not getting up yet,” he said instead with satisfaction.

“And what about breakfast?” I inquired

“Breakfast can wait, my heart can't. Let me savour you a bit more. I'm hungry for something else right now.” He said with a devilish smile, my eyes widened, my cheeks flushed.

“Kieran! You better not dare!”

“Alina–”

“I said no!”

“Come on now! We just got married. At least give me the reward of my patience. I deserve it.” He whined like a child.

“My whole body is sore Kieran! And you've too much stamina! I don't want to be unable to move around right when we have people downstairs.”

“I don't care about the people. They know we're just married. They should be ashamed of themselves for even thinking like that. I cherish you my little sweetheart. I have so much love to show you, you can't say no to me now!”

I raised my brows. “We have the rest of our lives for you to show me your love. And you are starting to sound very comfortable giving orders like that aren't you?”

“I am your husband,” he said with a shrug, as if that explained everything.

That made me laugh despite myself. And Kieran dragged me close with a devilish smile.

—-----------------------------------------------------

When we finally came downstairs, the house already felt awake, filled with movement and quiet coordination. Breakfast was already being set on the table, the staff in black uniform moved around with smiles on their faces when they looked at us.

Hoseok noticed us immediately.

He leaned back in his chair and pointed without hesitation. “There it is. The married expression.”

I frowned slightly as I approached the table. “What expression exactly?”

“The finally satisfied one,” he replied. “It is disturbing how well it suits both of you.”

Emma laughed softly beside him, while Vocenzo stood near the sideboard as if observing a situation he had long since accepted as inevitable.

Kieran did not react to Hoseok at all, except for pulling my chair out for me before sitting beside me.

Hoseok leaned forward. “You are looking at her like she is the only one present here, look at us too…we’ve been waiting to look at that face of victory after putting everything to hell.” Vocenzo snorted and I pressed my lips together.

“I am not looking at her in any particular way,” Kieran replied calmly while looking at the breakfast menu now.

“That is false,” Hoseok said immediately.

“It is not.”

“It absolutely is,” Hoseok insisted.

Vocenzo spoke without looking up. “It is accurate though, you are glowing….finally!”

That ended the discussion in under a second.

Breakfast continued in a strange balance of teasing and quiet, until Emma and I naturally drifted slightly away after finishing.

I noticed her glance toward Hoseok more than once before quickly looking away again.

“So,” I said gently, “you two.”

Emma immediately straightened. “What about us?”

I raised a brow. “You have been orbiting each other all morning. It is very noticeable for days now..you’re not going to address that?”

Her expression softened, and after a brief pause she exhaled. “We are just seeing each other. Nothing official yet.”

“That is still something,” I said.

“He is different when it is just us,” she admitted after a moment, her cheeks pink as she played with her fingers. “Less loud. More… careful…we’re taking time to understand each other."

“That sounds good, but Hoseok doesn't look soft though,” I said, looking at Hoseok and Kieran talking.

That made her laugh under her breath. “He actually is kind…and we really like each other."

I looked at her for a moment, then stepped forward and hugged her lightly.

“I am happy for you,” I said finally.

She hugged me back a little more firmly this time, as if finally allowing herself to believe it.

When we returned, Kieran was already speaking to Vocenzo.

“I want perimeter security reinforced,” he said calmly. “No gaps..increase the security even more, I want you to check the CCTV footage outside the mansion everyday and don't wait for my orders if anything looks odd.”

“It will be handled,” Vocenzo replied immediately.

“Also, upgrade the security’s weapons too, I want you to inform them that they will be paid twice more now, I just don't want anyone to slack even for once. And I think you should stay here at least for a while, until we are done with announcing our marriage officially.”

“Noted.” Vocenzo nodded again.

Hoseok leaned against the wall. “You are pretty exhausting, Kieran. Like what the fuck? You just got married and it's your first day with your love that you dragged your ass for, and you're talking about weapons and salaries? Do you ever relax?”

“I am relaxed,” Kieran replied softly.

“That is another lie,” Hoseok said, rolling his eyes.

“I have the most precious person with me now, I do need to increase the security around her even more.” Kieran replied, looking at me with love filled eyes, making my face radiate heat.

Vocenzo glanced between them. “You both always bicker in the mornings.”

That ended it again.

“Come on, let me show you around the mansion properly Alina, you haven't seen it fully.” Kieran said, holding my hand and taking me around the mansion himself.

Seeing it with him beside me made everything feel different. Less intimidating, more lived in.

He explained things briefly, when he bought a show piece, his vision, his taste, and what were the things he got from his fans that he decorated in his mansion. At one point I stopped, taking in the dark interiors and old architectural details.

“This place feels like a haunted house,” I said finally.

“Haunted house?” he repeated.

“Yes,” I replied. “Ghostly mansion fits better. When I first tracked you down here, I was actually creeped out by these weird skulls hanging here and there.”

He looked at me for a moment before speaking again. “You can change anything you want here.”

That made me pause. “Anything?”

“Anything,” he confirmed. “It's your mansion from now on too.”

The simplicity and assurity of that stayed with me longer.

Later, we ended up sitting outside on the lawn, where the air was fresh and the silence between us didn’t feel heavy anymore.

Kieran turned slightly toward me.

“What do you want to do about Valemont villa?”

I hesitated before answering. “I am not going back there of course.”

“If you want, I can rent it out,” he said, reading my face. “You can keep the income.”

The offer surprised me more than I expected, it felt like he was already planning a life where I wasn’t restricted by anything I used to belong to.

Then another thought came to me.

“If Emma and Hoseok end up together,” I said slowly, “I would rather they stay there. Emma worked there for me. It would feel right if it goes to someone who actually cared about it.”

Kieran went quiet for a moment, watching me as if measuring something he didn’t say out loud.

“You are too generous,” he said finally.

I shrugged lightly. “It just feels right.”

His expression softened.

After a while, I exhaled slowly.

“We should tell our family,” I said in a hushed voice.

He nodded once. “We will go together…whenever you say.”

“Kieran–”

“Don't worry Alina,” he said, cutting me off. “I will take whatever comes with it, you do

n't have to be worried about it anymore…. you have me now!”

I gulped, nodding. “Alright, let's deal with it.” I muttered under breath.