Chapter 112. Accepting Feelings

**112.** **Accepting Feelings**

***Travis's POV***

Sab was right—it felt like a weight had been lifted off my chest the moment I let out all the anger and pain I had buried inside me.

Even after all these years, I hadn’t truly moved on from Den’s death. Maybe a part of me had been holding on, secretly hoping she’d somehow come back to me. That hope hurt more than facing the truth.

Sabrina was also right when she said I needed to accept reality and cherish the time I’d spent with Den. She’s not coming back, but she left me the greatest gift of all—Wynter. Our daughter is Den’s essence, her living legacy. Wynter has a piece of her mother’s soul in her, and in many ways, she’s become like Sabrina, which is something I’ll never complain about.

Now that I think about it, Sabrina and Den share certain qualities, even though they are entirely different people with distinct personalities.

I sat on the ground, savoring the calm around us. For the first time in years, my heart felt lighter, as though the suffocating weight had been lifted.

But my gaze kept drifting toward Sabrina. She’s changed my life in ways I never thought possible. She brought joy and completeness to a life I thought would remain broken forever.

She’s flawless in every way, the kind of woman who could have any man at her feet. But she chose Wynter and me. She put us first, above everything else, and for that, I owe her everything.

Deep down, I know I’m starting to fall for her, but I’m terrified to tell her.

Why, you ask?

Because at night, when Sabrina and I share a bed, I sometimes hear her whisper someone else’s name in her sleep. I can’t make out the name, but I know it belongs to someone special—a boy she occasionally refers to as "Angel." She speaks his name with such tenderness, and her face lights up whenever she mentions him or dreams about him.

I’ve convinced myself that Angel is someone from her past, someone she loved or still loves. And it eats at me. I don’t want to confess my feelings for her only to find out her heart belongs to someone else.

I can admit it—I’m jealous of this mysterious "Angel."

I’ve fallen for Sabrina. Hard.

I don’t know when it started, but I’ve grown to love everything about her—the way she cares for Wynter, her intelligence, her beauty, her unshakable strength. Sabrina has a way of lighting up a room, of making everyone around her feel valued. She prioritizes everyone else’s happiness over her own, and I’ve never met anyone like her.

I turned to Denissa’s tombstone, my heart heavy yet hopeful.

"Den, I couldn’t have wished for a better mother for our daughter. Wynter is the light of my life because of you, and for that, I’m forever grateful. But there’s something I need your blessing for. I want to start a new chapter—with Sabrina. I hope you’d have loved her, Den, because your opinion still matters to me. I just need to find the courage to resolve my doubts before I take that step."

I stared at the stone, letting my silent vow settle.

If not now, then soon.

One day, I’ll tell Sabrina how I feel. Even if she doesn’t feel the same, I’ll find peace knowing I tried. No regrets. I’ll respect whatever choice she makes.

As these thoughts swirled in my mind, "Nio?" I felt Sab’s hand on my cheek. Her gentle touch pulled me back to the present. My head rested on her shoulder, and Wynter leaned against us, her small frame a comforting presence.

"Hmm," I muttered absentmindedly.

"You should answer your phone," Sab reminded me, her voice snapping me out of my thoughts.

I hadn’t even noticed the buzzing in my pocket. Fishing out my phone, I saw Stav’s name on the screen—the private investigator I had hired to look into Sab’s parents’ deaths. I had made a promise to her to uncover the truth. If they had been wronged, I would make things right. I had also asked him to revisit Den’s case.

“Yes, Stav,” I answered.

“Sir, I’ve uncovered some critical information about the Kline deaths,” he said, his tone serious. “I’m on my way to Manhattan now.”

“At least give me a hint. What did you find?” I pressed.

“There’s a lot to explain, Sir. I need to meet with you in person to go over everything,” he said firmly.

“All right, Stav. Call me first thing tomorrow morning,” I instructed before hanging up.

Sliding the phone back into my pocket, I turned to find Sab waiting.

“Who was it?” she asked, her expression curious but guarded.

“It was Stav. He’s found some leads about your parents’ deaths,” I explained.

Her posture stiffened. “What did he say?” she asked, her voice strained.

“I don’t know the details yet.” I stepped closer, tilting her chin so she’d meet my gaze. “Hey, look at me.” Her eyes met mine, and I could see the emotions she had worked so hard to bury for years. “Do you trust me?” I asked gently.

She hesitated for a second before breaking into a soft laugh. “No.”

“Seriously?” I mock-growled, narrowing my eyes at her.

“Okay, fine, I do,” she replied, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips.

“Then trust me when I say I’ll handle everything,” I assured her, pulling her into my arms. I traced slow, soothing circles on her palm, hoping to calm her nerves.

I turned to Wynter. “Can we leave now, Princess?”

“Yes, Daddy, but we need to promise Mommy we’ll visit her more often,” she said, her tiny face set with determination as she stared up at me.

I nodded, smiling down at her. “Yes, sweetheart, I promise we’ll visit our parents more often,” I said, glancing meaningfully at Sabrina.

Wynter bent down and kissed Den’s gravestone softly. “Mommy, we’ll come back soon. I love you!” she whispered.

Sabrina couldn’t hold back a small smile. “Aww, isn’t she just the cutest sometimes?” she murmured.

“She’s always the cutest,” I agreed with a nod.

“Come on, Princess, Mama Iris is tired,” I called, and Wynter skipped toward us, her energy seemingly endless.

As we began to walk away, I placed my hand on Sabrina’s back, a small gesture of comfort and connection. Both of us turned around one last time to glance at Den’s gravestone.

“I know you’re happy, Den,” I whispered under my breath. “You always wanted me to find joy again, and I believe you brought Sabrina into my life to fill the void you left.”

We smiled one last time at the grave before heading home, the three of us walking together, lighter and brighter than when we’d arrived.

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"Sab, I’m not letting you sleep in that room anymore," I declared firmly.

She raised an eyebrow at me, skeptical. "And why is that?"

"Because starting now, you’re moving into my room—for the rest of your life," I said, not giving her a chance to argue as I strode to her wardrobe and started gathering her things. If I moved them myself, she wouldn’t have a choice.

"Not that door!" Sabrina exclaimed, rushing forward, but it was too late.

As I swung open the wardrobe door, an avalanche of her underwear spilled onto the floor.

She flushed deeply, quickly dropping to her knees to scoop them up, mumbling under her breath.

I couldn’t help but laugh. "I thought you were always perfectly organized. Guess I didn’t know all your secrets."

"Stop laughing!" she huffed, still flustered. "I’ve just been so busy lately. I haven’t had time to organize everything."

"Sure, sure," I teased, chuckling as I began packing her belongings. "But whether you like it or not, I’m taking all of this to my room. If it makes you uncomfortable, I’ll sleep on the couch. I’ve grown used to sleeping on one since I met you, anyway."

Sabrina’s expression softened as she paused to look at me. "Nio, I trust you," she said quietly, then sighed. "It’s just... never mind."

"So, are you coming or not?" I asked, my voice gentle but insistent. Deep down, I knew sharing a space might make her uneasy, but I couldn’t help myself. Having her close had become a necessity.

She hesitated, then nodded. "Okay, I trust you. But you’ve left me with no choice now, have you?" She said with a small smile. "And stop being dramatic—we can share the bed."

Her words made my chest tighten, though I kept my grin playful.

"Fine, but there’s one condition," she added, halting me in my tracks.

"Anything you want," I replied immediately.

"I want your jacuzzi," she said, her lips curving into a mischievous smile.

I smirked. "That’s it? Consider it yours. Although... I could always join you," I teased, giving her a cheeky wink.

Her face turned crimson, and she playfully smacked my chest with her palm.

Laughing, I tugged her toward my—no, our—room. I wouldn’t let her slip away from me again. She didn’t know it yet, but this was the start of something permanent.

As we entered, I began rambling, "So, you can use this space, or better yet, I can ask Lily to design a walk-in closet for you. Or we could even convert your old room into a vanity area if that helps—"

"Nio." She interrupted me, her tone firm, pulling me back to reality.

"Yeah?"

"You know I’m not staying here forever, right?" She said softly, her words cutting through me like a knife.

My shoulders sagged. "Oh."

"But," she added with a small yawn, "it’ll be a while before we decide anything. Let’s just get some sleep for now."

I tried to stay positive. "All right, we’ll sort it out tomorrow. For now, go change into something comfortable."

She nodded, grabbing her clothes and heading to the bathroom.

As soon as the door closed, I quickly stripped down and threw on a pair of shorts—the only thing I could ever sleep in. Climbing into bed, I pulled the comforter halfway over my body, leaning back against the headboard as I waited for her to return.

Sabrina appeared in her pajamas, and for some reason, she looked even more adorable in them. Maybe it was because that’s how I saw her for the first time—hair down, relaxed, and effortlessly beautiful. She had no idea how much she captivated me.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her as she hesitated before sitting down next to me.

“Come on, lay down now,” I said gently, patting the space beside me.

She nodded, shifting to create room for herself, and nestled in beside me. Even though she closed her eyes, I could tell neither of us was ready to drift off just yet. I found myself watching her, mentally scolding myself for acting like some lovesick teenager. But she had that effect on me, making me feel emotions I hadn’t felt in years.

“Are you still awake, Sab?” I asked in a soft, almost hesitant whisper.

Her eyes fluttered open, and when I saw her gaze meet mine, I couldn’t resist the pull. I drew her closer, gently guiding her head to rest on my arm. In that moment, the distance between us seemed to vanish entirely, and I realized I wanted her there always.

“I want to know more about you,” I murmured, my voice low.

Sabrina gave a small smile and began sharing pieces of her childhood. She spoke of her parents—how they had always supported her dreams and spoiled her in ways only loving parents could. It struck me how similar she was to them, doting on Wynter with the same care and generosity. She mentioned how, despite her parents leaving her everything in their will, she had always preferred to pave her own way, carving out her identity through her passions and ambitions.

Her voice began to trail off, and soon I could hear her slow, steady breaths. She had fallen asleep mid-conversation, her guard completely down. A soft smile tugged at my lips as I pulled her closer, wrapping the comforter around us. This was my favorite version of her—vulnerable, peaceful, and entirely mine, even if just for the night. Content, I closed my eyes and followed her into sleep.

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The next morning, I woke up feeling strangely energized. Sabrina was still curled up beside me, her peaceful expression warming something deep inside me. As much as I wanted to linger in the moment, I had to pull myself away—I had a meeting to get to. Stav, the investigator I’d hired, was waiting in my office.

By the time I arrived, my impatience had started to build. Stav stood by the desk, shifting uncomfortably under my gaze.

“Well? Speak up,” I demanded, my tone sharper than I intended.

He flinched slightly but quickly straightened up. “Sir, you were right. The deaths of Mrs. Denissa and Mr. and Mrs. Kline are connected.”

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