SR3. 20. The Truth Revealed

Aryan held Laura tightly, his arms providing a comforting sanctuary for her. He gently wiped away her tears with his thumb, his expression filled with love and understanding.

"Honey, I'm not going anywhere. We're in this together, no matter what challenges come our way," Aryan reassured Laura with a soft, tender voice. "I meant it when I said I love you, and that includes accepting you, your past, and any mistakes you might have made. What matters most to me is our future together."

Laura nodded, her heart feeling lighter with each reassuring word from Aryan. She realized that she had been carrying the weight of her fears and insecurities alone, but now, with Aryan by her side, she could face anything.

"I promise, from now on, we'll tackle any problems together. No more secrets, okay?" Aryan said, looking into Laura's eyes with sincerity.

Laura smiled through her tears and nodded again. "No more secrets."

With that promise, they sealed their love with a gentle kiss, and all the worries of the day began to fade away. In each other's arms, they found solace, strength, and the unwavering belief that their love could conquer any obstacle life threw at them.

As they lay together, holding each other close, Laura realized that sometimes it took vulnerability and honesty to strengthen a relationship. And in Aryan, she had found a partner who would stand by her side, no matter what challenges they faced. Their love story had only just begun, and Laura was determined to make it a beautiful one.

After Laura's tears subsided, they both packed up all of Laura's clothes to be moved to Aryan's room. A sense of relief washed over Laura, and she began to regain her cheerfulness, although she still felt awkward at times.

Laura now regretted why, during her relationship with Noval, she had crossed boundaries, even though she hadn't engaged in casual sex. To Laura, it still felt like a significant mistake, and now, as she had found new love, she had to swallow the bitter pill of her past behavior.

After Aryan placed all of Laura's clothes into the wardrobe, he glanced at the wall clock in her room, which showed it was 4 o'clock in the afternoon. There was still time, Aryan thought. Suddenly, a mischievous grin dominated his handsome face. Without saying much, Aryan lifted Laura's body in a bridal-style carry and headed to the bathroom, her rosy cheeks flushing even more, which only made her look more endearing in Aryan's eyes.

Now the two of them were in the shower screen, Aryan slowly took off Laura's clothes one by one, leaving only her black underwear. Aryan chuckled in awe looking at his wife's sexy body while taking off his own clothes.

"You are mine," Aryan hissed and then kissed Laura's face with both hands

Laura's forehead then her eyes alternated and ended on Laura's lips.

Aryan's left hand held Laura's neck to deepen the kiss. They tasted each other, seeking warmth in the shower water, which increasingly ignited the passion of the two lovebirds who were in love until they were both gasping for breath.

"I love you, Laura," Aryan murmured between his heavy breaths. He lifted Laura's downcast face with his fingertip, and Laura smiled, gazing into Aryan's eyes. She wrapped her hands around the back of Aryan's head, a soft growl escaping her lips as the shower's droplets echoed their passion. Laura then kissed Aryan's lips eagerly, and Aryan couldn't wait any longer, quickly removing the remaining fabric clinging to Laura's body.

Aryan smiled with satisfaction as he saw the vivid marks of ownership scattered across Laura's neck and down to her chest. Aryan resumed capturing Laura's lips with his own, and his hands roamed every inch of Laura's body as they completed their love-making. It was a love-making that always left them intoxicated and spellbound, two souls deeply immersed in their passionate romance.

*****

Laura lay her tired body on the bed, still wearing her bathrobe. She gazed at Aryan, who was clad in a black shirt, a striking contrast to his fair skin. Aryan's hazel eyes added to his charm, and Laura was captivated by his gaze. Laura couldn't believe that God had given her the most beautiful gift in her life—a man who now stood before her with the flames of love burning in his hazel eyes.

"I know I'm handsome; all the girls admit it," Aryan boasted, squinting his eyes playfully as he looked at Laura, who responded with a smile, showcasing her dimples. This time, Aryan couldn't resist touching his wife.

Aryan grumbled as he climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged facing Laura, who leaned against the bed's backrest. Aryan gazed at the sweet face before him, the wet hair making her look even more alluring.

"Don't show off your dimples if you don't want me to pounce on you again," protested Aryan as he looked at Laura's loose bathrobe strap. Noticing her husband's lewd expression, Laura immediately stood up to put on clothes, but suddenly Aryan pulled the strap of the bathrobe that Laura was wearing, leaving the front of Laura's innocent body clearly exposed. Aryan gulped hard, a sudden heat spread from his toes to the top of his head, he wanted Laura again.

"In a bit, I'm hungry," Laura said, placing her hands on her hips as she covered her exposed front. Aryan chuckled and raised both his hands, stepping away from the bed.

"Alright, let's have some food first. We can continue tonight," Aryan whispered, then left the room, allowing Laura to put on her clothes. He figured that if he had stayed in the room any longer, he might have given in to his playful urges again.

Aryan waited for Laura in the dining area while checking his phone. He had received several messages, one of which was from Dion, inviting him to have lunch together during their office break tomorrow. Although Aryan had some reservations, he decided to respond to Dion's message and accept the lunch invitation, appreciating the effort Dion and Vika were making to mend their previously strained friendship.

Aryan stared at his phone, seeing a list of message senders, but he hesitated to read them. He scrolled down and was fixated on a message from Andra. It was unusual for Andra to send him messages; he usually called if there was something important.

A sinking feeling settled in Aryan's chest as he downloaded the file that Andra had sent - a formal summons letter for Laura from the university. The scheduled meeting was for tomorrow, coinciding with the deadline Aryan had given the person responsible for distributing Laura's photos.

A new message notification appeared, this time from Liana, Aryan's mother. "Mom and Dad miss you two, and they want to meet the newlyweds. It's been almost a month since you visited us. We're expecting you for dinner tomorrow at home."

Aryan felt a wave of frustration washing over him. It seemed like problems were never-ending, and they always came at the most inconvenient times. He pressed his fingers to his temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache. This was the most complicated his love life had ever been. His disappointment with Vika and Dion's betrayal hadn't left him as frustrated as this situation did. His desire to protect Laura was overpowering, and he was willing to take the forefront in defending and shielding her.

Meanwhile, in her room, Laura remained frozen as she read a message from her academic advisor, Bu May. After asking about Laura's well-being, Bu May inquired about her absence in two of her classes, instructing Laura to meet her at 9 AM tomorrow in her office. Laura closed her eyes before responding to Bu May's message. She knew that the scandal with her photos had likely gone viral on campus. Despite the challenges she was facing, Laura reassured herself that she could handle them as long as Aryan was by her side.

"Honey, you're taking forever! You said you were hungry, and I've already ordered food. I'll be there in 5 minutes," Aryan called out, breaking Laura from her thoughts.

"Iya, Aryan," Laura replied, slipping her phone into the pocket of her dress. She walked over to where Aryan was standing by the door with a smile.

Aryan draped his right arm over Laura's shoulder and guided her to the living room. He picked up the TV remote and selected a channel that he found interesting.

Ding-dong! The doorbell of their apartment rang, signaling the arrival of their food delivery order. Aryan quickly walked to the front door, received the order, paid the delivery person, and thanked them.

"Honey, just relax. Everything will be fine. You trust me, right?" Aryan spoke softly, his hand gently caressing Laura's cheek as she sat there, lost in thought, with the food on her lap. Laura turned to him and gave him her sweetest smile, prompting Aryan to plant a brief kiss on her lips.

Laura let out an annoyed huff, which made Aryan laugh before playfully pinching her cute nose.

Suddenly, Aryan grabbed the TV remote and started searching for a Korean drama channel, causing Laura's eyes to widen in surprise.

"You want to watch Korean Oppas, Aryan?" Laura asked, disbelief written on her face.

"I'm just curious to see what those Korean Oppas look like since you and Arabella are such big fans. I mean, I'm probably still more handsome," Aryan teased, but his gaze remained focused on finding the channel he was looking for.

"Don't worry, you don't need to be jealous. Even if the Korean Oppas are more handsome than you, you're still the one in my heart," Laura said playfully before quickly covering her lips.

Aryan sighed in frustration, but his heart warmed at the sight of Laura laughing so freely.

"Promise me you'll watch Korean drama with me?" Laura interjected while snatching the TV remote from Aryan's hand, ignoring his annoyed expression.

"Crash Landing On You, right? I really miss Oppa Hyun Bin," Laura exclaimed enthusiastically as she searched for the next episode she had watched with Arabella. She then enjoyed her meal with gusto, smiling to herself as she watched her idol on the screen.

An hour passed, and Aryan was still there with Laura, reclining on the sofa, his hand never ceasing to caress Laura's hair as she leaned comfortably against his chest.

Aryan was lost in his own thoughts, and not even the drama in front of him had managed to capture his interest.

Seeing Laura so engrossed in the drama she was watching, Aryan reached for his phone and typed a series of words to his personal assistant.

"Jef, make sure everything is secure tomorrow."

"Understood, Sir!"