Chapter 169

Chapter 169
Cedar's POV

I wiped angrily at my tears, but they kept coming. "Do you have any idea how much it hurts when you push me away? You made my heart flip, and now you want to run? You think you're protecting me, but all you're doing is making choices that aren't yours to make."

Ridley stared at me, conflict evident in his features. Slowly, he reached out his hand toward me. I moved closer and took it in mine, pressing it against my wet cheek.

"You don't get to push me away anymore," I said, my voice steadier now. "However much time we have—whether it's years or months—I want to spend it with you. The only thing I would ever regret is not being by your side when you needed me most."

The silence stretched between us, filled with the weight of everything unsaid. Finally, Ridley's eyes reddened, and he gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. In that moment, I saw a vulnerability in him I'd never witnessed before—the armor he always wore cracking open just enough to let me see inside.

I leaned down and kissed him again, deeper this time, pouring every ounce of my love and determination into it. When we finally broke apart, Ridley reached up to brush the tears from my face with a gentleness that made my heart swell.

"I'm sorry, Cedar," he whispered. "I just couldn't bear the thought of watching you suffer because of me."

"Sharing your pain is part of loving you," I replied, a small smile forming through my tears. "From now on, whatever comes our way—good or bad—we face it together."

His fingers entwined with mine, and in that simple gesture was a promise I'd been waiting for him to make: he would finally let me in.

Ridley's POV

I drifted in darkness, tethered to consciousness by the thinnest of threads. Something pulled at me—not physically, but in that space between reality and nothingness. A voice called to me from somewhere beyond the void, soft yet insistent, like light penetrating the endless black.

"Ridley..."

The voice was familiar. Cedar? I struggled to respond, to push through the heaviness that pinned me down, but my body refused to cooperate.

Then came warmth—a gentle touch against my forehead that slowly traced down to my lips. That sensation was an anchor, pulling me back toward the surface of awareness. I fought to open my eyes.

When I finally managed it, Cedar's face was mere inches from mine, her lips just pulling away from my own. For a moment, I wanted nothing more than to reach for her, to pull her close, but my body reminded me of its weakened state with a wave of exhaustion.

My instinct was to retreat behind the familiar walls of cold detachment. But just as I did, something broke in Cedar. Her composure crumbled as tears spilled down her cheeks.

So she knew. As I watched her emotions pour out, something twisted painfully in my chest. She declared she wouldn't leave me, regardless of what the future held. The unconditional acceptance in her words wrapped around me like a warmth I hadn't felt in years.

If she could be this brave, what excuse did I have to keep running?

I reached up, cupping her tear-stained cheek, my thumb gently brushing away the moisture there. In that moment, I didn't want to calculate risks or consider consequences. I just wanted to exist in this moment of happiness without regret.

When she leaned down and pressed her lips to mine, I summoned every ounce of strength to respond, deepening the kiss, pouring years of suppressed longing and desire into that single connection. We stayed that way for what felt like forever, neither willing to break away.

---

By noon, Cedar had arranged for food to be delivered from my home—simple dishes that wouldn't upset my system. We sat beside each other as we ate, and the irony wasn't lost on me.

"What are you smiling about?" Cedar asked, noticing my expression.

"Just thinking that our first meal as lovers is in a hospital room," I replied. "Not exactly what I had in mind."

She smiled as she handed me a bowl of warm soup. "Better than no first meal at all."

I took the bowl, our fingers brushing briefly. Even that small contact sent a current of warmth through me.

As we ate in comfortable silence, I noticed Cedar's expression shift. She pursed her lips, hesitation written across her features.

"Can I ask you something, Ridley?" Her voice was tentative.

"Of course."

"Are you still... in love with her? With Irene?" The question was barely audible.

I froze, fork suspended midair, wondering how she knew that name.

Reading my confusion, she explained, "Yesterday morning, you called out her name in your sleep. You seemed... in pain."

I set down my utensils, took a deep breath, and hold her hand.

"Irene was my childhood friend," I said carefully. "She passed away ten years ago. What we had was beautiful in its innocence, but I haven't been living in the past." I met Cedar's eyes directly. "In my dream, I was telling her about you—that you were different, special. She just smiled, told me to move forward, and wished me happiness. Then she was gone, and I called after her."

Cedar's expression softened, relief washing over her features. "I see..."

Before she could respond further, the door burst open with the familiar sound of small feet and excited voices.

"Dad!" Oliver was the first to reach my bedside, eyes bright with excitement.

Aiden and Aria followed with more restraint, though their concern was evident in their expressions. Charles appeared behind them, looking apologetic.

"They insisted on coming right after lunch, Mr. Sterling. I couldn't dissuade them."

"It's fine," I assured him with a nod.

The children's attention quickly shifted to my hand clasping Cedar's, then to the intimate space between us. Aiden raised an eyebrow, Aria tilted her head curiously, and Oliver's eyes widened to comical proportions.

"Dad, are you and Mom...?" Aiden began carefully, a hint of hope in his voice.

I glanced at Cedar, who nodded slightly, a blush coloring her cheeks.

"Yes," I stated simply. "Your Mommy and I are together now."

The room fell silent for a beat before erupting in excitement. Oliver jumped up and down, Aria clapped her hands together, and even Aiden's normally composed face broke into a genuine smile.

"I knew it! I knew Dad liked Mommy, too!" Oliver announced triumphantly, as if he'd solved a great mystery.

"It was obvious," Aiden declared with his typical matter-of-factness, though his eyes betrayed his joy.

Aria moved to Cedar's side and embraced her gently. "I'm happy for you, Mommy."

Watching them, I felt a completeness I'd never experienced before. Was this what family was supposed to feel like?

Oliver suddenly turned to me with an exaggerated serious expression, hands on his hips. "Dad, if you're mean to Mommy, I'm going to take her and run away!"

His earnest little face made me laugh out loud. "I promise I won't be."

"That's not enough!" Oliver shook his head firmly. "You have to promise to love Mommy forever!"

I looked at Cedar, whose eyes shimmered with both amusement and affection. In that moment, I realized that no matter what challenges lay ahead, with her and the children by my side, I had the strength to face anything.

"I promise," I said, my voice steady and warm.