Chapter 55
Chapter 55
Edmund’s POV
…
ค
55 vouchers
By the time we got back to the hotel, the sun had dipped low, bleeding streaks of orange and violet into the sky. The city outside hummed softly, but inside the suite, it was quiet. Too quiet.
Amelia dropped her bag near the couch with a tired sigh and stretched her arms above her head. “I don’t think I’ve ever walked that much in one day,” she murmured.
I smiled faintly, loosening my tie. “You did great out there.”
She gave me a look, half amused, half skeptical. “Are you sure you’re complimenting me and not secretly mocking me?”
“Can’t I do both?”
She rolled her eyes and kicked off her shoes. The moment her bare feet hit the plush carpet, she groaned softly, almost like relief. That small, unguarded sound did things to me I shouldn’t admit.
I turned away quickly, pretending to focus on the folder in my hand, numbers, supply lists, volunteer rosters, anything to stop thinking about how she looked in the dim hotel light.
She sank onto the couch, her head leaning back. “I can’t believe tomorrow’s the opening. Everything’s happening so fast.”
“That’s how these things go,” I replied quietly. “One minute, you’re planning it. Next, you’re standing in the middle of it, wondering how you got there.”
She smiled faintly. “You sound like you’ve done this a hundred times.”
“I have,” I said. “But this one feels… different.”
She tilted her head, curious. “Different how?”
I hesitated, my thumb tracing the edge of the folder. “Because you’re here.”
Her lips parted slightly, surprise flickering across her face before she quickly looked away. “Edmund…”
I exhaled and forced a small laugh to lighten the mood. “Don’t worry, I didn’t mean that the way it sounded.”
She gave a skeptical smile. “Sure you didn’t.”
I wanted to say more, explain that it wasn’t a line, that there was something about having her beside me again that made everything sharper, more alive, but I swallowed it down.
Silence stretched between us again, the air thick with things neither of us wanted to say out loud.
I sat down across from her, resting my elbows on my knees. “Are you hungry?”
20:23 Sat, Jan 31
Chapter 55
She shook her head. “Not really. Just tired.”
“Then rest,” I said softly. “You’ve earned it.”
She smiled, weary but genuine. “You sound like you actually care.”
I met her eyes. “I do.”
50
55 vouchers
That caught her off guard. Her expression softened, and for a brief, dangerous second, the years between us felt like they’d melted away.
She looked away first, standing up abruptly. “I should probably shower.”
I nodded. “Go ahead.”
She disappeared into her room, and the sound of running water filled the silence. I leaned back against the couch, closing my eyes, but my mind was a mess. Every moment we’d shared today kept replaying, her laughter at the park, the sunlight catching her hair, the spark in her eyes when she talked to the volunteers.
God, I’d missed her.
I didn’t even realize how badly until now.
When she finally stepped out, dressed in soft pajamas and with her damp hair falling loosely over her shoulders, I felt my pulse kick up again. She froze when she saw me still sitting there.
“You’re still awake?” she asked.
“Couldn’t sleep.”
She nodded slowly, then walked to the kitchenette to pour herself a glass of water. “You should try. We have a long day tomorrow.”
“I know.”
She glanced at me from over her shoulder. “You’re thinking too much again, aren’t you?”
A humorless laugh escaped me. “When am I not?”
She smiled a little, sipping her water. “You were always like that. Even back then.”
I tilted my head. “Back then?”
She shrugged. “When we were… you know.”
“Married,” I finished for her.
The word hung in the air like a fragile memory.
She didn’t reply, just set her glass down and crossed her arms. “We had different priorities back then.”
20:23 Sat, Jan 31
Chapter 55
:
EX 55 vouchers
“Maybe,” I said quietly. “But not everything was about what I was getting out of the contract you know.”
Her eyes met mine, and something unspoken passed between us, an old ache, familiar.
She broke the gaze first, exhaling softly. “You should get some rest, Edmund.”
“Yeah,” I murmured, though I made no move to stand.
She hesitated before turning toward her room. But then, as if drawn by something she couldn’t resist, she looked back. “Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Amelia.”
Her door clicked shut, and I was left alone with my thoughts again, the same dangerous ones I’d been trying to silence since I saw her the moment I woke from my coma months ago.
I stood, loosening the cuffs of my shirt, and walked to my room.
I sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing my temples. Vikki’s words from last night echoed in my head: She was the one you got married to back then!
I hadn’t planned to lie to her. But how could I explain something even I didn’t understand? That what started as a contract marriage had become something real before either of us realized it? That losing Amelia had been the only mistake I’d never recovered from?
I lay back, staring at the ceiling, but sleep refused to come.
After what felt like an hour, I gave up. I stepped out of my room, barefoot, and walked toward the small balcony. The glass doors creaked softly as I opened them, letting the night air wash over me.
Somewhere out there, people were falling in love, breaking hearts, chasing dreams. Meanwhile, I was standing here, wondering how to stop wanting someone I was supposed to stay away from.
“Can’t sleep?”
Her voice made me turn.
Amelia stood by the doorway, wearing a robe, her hair a little messy from tossing and turning. Her voice was soft, sleepy, but it still did something to me.
“Yeah,” I said. “You?”
She shook her head and joined me, stepping onto the balcony. “Too much on my mind.”
We stood there quietly, side by side, the cold breeze brushing between us.
After a while, she said, “Do you ever think about how different things would’ve been if we hadn’t-
“-ended the marriage?” I finished gently.
She nodded, looking down at her hands.
20:23 Sat, Jan 31
Chapter 55
“All the time,” I admitted.
She looked up at me then, surprise flickering in her eyes. “You do?”
“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t.”
ชร 50
E55 vouchers
She exhaled, her voice barely above a whisper. “Sometimes I wonder if it would’ve worked… if we’d just been honest from the start.”
“Maybe,” I said softly. “But we weren’t ready.”
She gave a faint, sad smile. “Yeah.”
Silence again, only this time, it wasn’t empty. It was heavy, filled with everything we couldn’t say.
Her robe shifted slightly in the wind, brushing my arm, and that small touch was enough to make my pulse jump.
I looked at her, really looked, and saw not just the woman I once married, but the one I still couldn’t let go of.
“Amelia,” I began, my voice low.
She turned to me, and for a moment, the world felt dangerously still.
But before I could say anything, she stepped back, her eyes flickering with caution. “We should get some rest. Big day tomorrow.”
I nodded slowly. “Yeah. Big day.”
She gave me one last look before walking back inside.
When the door closed behind her, I exhaled shakily, my chest tight.
Because the truth was, I wasn’t sure how many more nights like this I could take.
色
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
