Chapter 198 The End
Chapter 198 The End
Rainey's POV
First we spent the first two weeks in Italy.
Then Venice. Venice was gondolas gliding through golden canals, Sunny's arms wrapped around me as centuries-old buildings rose from the water. Florence was sunset walks through cobblestone streets, gelato melting on our tongues, the Duomo glowing terracotta in the dying light.
Then we went everywhere else.
Budapest's thermal baths made us laugh until we couldn't breathe. We watched the Bosphorus Strait at dawn, two continents meeting in shades of gold and blue. Iceland's glaciers stretched endless and white, so beautiful they made me cry.
On our last night in Reykjavik, standing under the Northern Lights, Sunny turned to me. Green and purple waves danced overhead, reflecting in his eyes.
"I want to see the world with you," he said, voice rough with emotion. "Every fucking corner of it. For the rest of our lives."
I threaded my fingers through his. "Promise?"
"Promise."
---
One Month Later - Airport
The airport felt too bright, too loud. My flight to Paris was boarding in twenty minutes.
Professor Steven checked his watch for the third time. "Your husband's certainly taking his time with goodbyes."
I tried to smile. Failed. "He's not great with... this."
"This" was me leaving. For three months.
Sunny appeared through the crowd, hands shoved in his pockets, face dark as a thunderstorm. He stopped in front of me, and I saw it—that flash of gold in his eyes that meant he was barely holding it together.
I stood on my toes, patting his soft hair. "Three months. I'll be back before you know it. Be good, baby."
He caught my wrist, eyes searching mine. "Will you still love me? In three months?"
My throat tightened. "Love you."
The words seemed to settle something in him. Then the boarding announcement crackled overhead.
Sunny's hand slid to my neck, pulling me close. His palm cupped my face as he kissed me—deep, desperate, like he could pour all three months into this one moment. People around us stopped to stare. I didn't care. I rose on my toes, meeting him halfway, fingers tangling in his shirt.
Like if we held on tight enough, we could merge into one person. Like we could make forever happen right here.
The announcement repeated. Sunny's forehead pressed to mine, and I saw the moisture gathering in his eyes. His voice came out hoarse. "I'll be waiting for you."
Tears burned my eyes. "Mmm."
He turned and walked away. Didn't look back. Probably couldn't.
I stood frozen, staring at the space where he'd disappeared.
"Come on, kiddo." Professor Steven's voice was gentler now.
Walking toward security, he couldn't help himself. "Three months and you two act like it's a life-or-death separation. I'm not some terrible old man dragging you away. You can come back—hell, you can even get divorced if you want!"
I slowly pulled my gaze from where Sunny had vanished, using the back of my hand to wipe away tears. Took a shaky breath. "Professor, you don't understand."
"I don't understand? I was young once too! Went through this whole dramatic phase—"
"Professor, didn't you feel sad when you had to say goodbye to your wife?"
He snorted. "What's there to be sad about? It's not like you're never coming back."
Of course he wouldn't tell me that back then, he cried through an entire handkerchief and his wife had to practically shove him out the door.
---
Three months.
Three months of French corporate law, networking events, drafting briefs until my eyes burned. Professor Steven pushed me harder than anyone ever had.
Every night, I fell asleep to Sunny's voice on the phone. Every morning, I woke to his texts.
Miss you
Love you
Coming home yet?
Days went on and on just like that.
And...
Finally.
The plane touched down in late afternoon. I grabbed my suitcase and stepped outside into Millbrook's crisp autumn air.
Wind caught my smoke-gray trench coat—I'd left it unbuttoned, the white chiffon blouse underneath fluttering.
I ran my fingers through my hair, pushing the windblown strands back from my face.
I checked my phone. Sunny still hadn't replied. Had he not seen my message?
When we turned onto our street, my heart started racing. There it was—our house. The one with the garden Sunny had built for me.
I paid the driver and stepped out, pulling my suitcase.
Then I heard it—the low rumble of his car turning onto our street.
I slowly lifted my head. He pulled off his sunglasses.
Our eyes met.
Time rushed by—summer faded to fall. But in his eyes, I still saw everything. Every moment. Every promise. My love for him was already overwhelming, and we were newlyweds who'd been apart—three months felt like forever.
I smiled, hands behind my back, eyes crinkling. "Today's a special day. Can't have a special day without presents, right?" I pulled out two small gift boxes. "So baby, do you want to open the left one first, or the right one?"
Sunny's dark eyes fixed on me, unblinking. His pale fingers lifted my chin as his other hand pulled my slender waist close, bringing me into his arms.
"Two presents?"
Then he laughed—cold and low—and suddenly lifted me, throwing me over his shoulder. I hung there, upside down.
People on the sidewalk turned to stare. The man held my suitcase in one hand, the other effortlessly supporting me as he strode toward the car. "I'm unwrapping three."
I froze for a second, then my face exploded with heat.
He set me down just long enough to toss my luggage aside, then backed me against his car.
"Sunny!" I tried to reason with him. "Calm down! I think right now, we should find a restaurant and have a proper conversation? Catch up?"
He didn't respond. Just tugged his tie loose with one hand.
His long fingers moved to his collar, pulling with just enough force. He yanked the tie off and tossed it onto me, then leaned down, slowly and deliberately fastening my seatbelt. His predatory gaze never left mine.
Compared to a year ago, the overwhelming pressure radiating from him had intensified.
Sunny's burning palm cupped my face, then smoothed back the hair by my ear. His expression carried a wild edge. "Baby, compared to restaurants—the bed, the balcony, the bathroom, my office, the pool... all much better places to catch up, don't you think?" His voice dropped dangerously low. "You still remember who owns this pussy? I've been fucking dying for you."
I wanted to run at first. But running—there was no running.
Because this was willing surrender.
I wrapped my arms around his neck, pressing my lips to his cool ones.