Chapter 1878:(END)

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“Maia,” Chris said in a dangerously calm voice, “you brought this upon yourself.”

Before the last syllable had fully fallen, he captured her lips in a fierce, unapologetic kiss.

Maia made no attempt to retreat. Instead, her fingers tightened around the collar of his shirt as she lifted her chin to return the kiss without hesitation.

“So you really want to know who won’t be getting out of bed tomorrow?” Chris muttered hoarsely as he pulled away just enough to speak. “Tonight, don’t even think about begging me for mercy.”

Though her eyes shimmered faintly red, Maia still smiled defiantly at him. “Then you’d better not disappoint me.”

Beyond the windows, waves crashed endlessly against the darkened rocks below. And inside the villa, their night had only just begun.

By the following afternoon, the storm had long passed, and warm sunlight poured through the windows in dazzling golden streams.

The moment Maia opened her eyes, soreness flooded every inch of her body. She could barely summon the energy to move a single finger.

As it turned out, Chris’s stamina was far more terrifying than she had imagined.

“You’re awake?”

Chris had clearly been awake for quite some time already. Leaning comfortably against the headboard, he casually browsed through emails on his tablet. The moment he noticed her stirring, he set the tablet aside and effortlessly pulled her, blanket and all, into his embrace.

Up𝖽𝖺𝘁𝗲𝗌 е𝘷е𝗿у 𝗐𝘦𝘦𝗄 𝗈ո 𝗀𝘢𝗅ո𝘰𝘃e𝗅𝘴.𝖼𝗼m

“So, Mrs. Cooper,” he whispered against her hair with unmistakable amusement, “have you figured out who exactly couldn’t get out of bed?”

Maia glared at him in silence. “What are you, some kind of beast? You destroyed every piece of clothing I had.”

Chris chuckled softly under his breath. “I’ll have replacements delivered.”

Reaching toward the nightstand, he picked up a bowl of warm seafood porridge, scooped up a spoonful, and brought it patiently to her lips. “Eat first.”

To be fair, Maia was absolutely starving. Without arguing further, she obediently swallowed the porridge.

Clearly satisfied, Chris set the bowl aside before leaning closer, his warm breath brushing lightly against her skin.

“Since you seem to have recovered pretty well,” he murmured in a low voice, “should we go another round?”

Maia instantly stiffened.

If they continued again, she truly wouldn’t survive the rest of the day.

“Chris, enough already.” Maia pressed a single finger firmly against his chest in protest.

“There’s no such thing as ‘enough’ during a honeymoon,” he replied smoothly while capturing her hand and brushing a lingering kiss across her fingers. His gaze never once left hers. “Unless…”

“Unless what?”

“Unless you call me ‘honey.’ Then perhaps I’ll reconsider.”

Looking at the stubborn yet devoted man before her, Maia suddenly felt warmth and tenderness bloom deep within her chest.

This time, she didn’t hesitate in the slightest.

Grabbing his collar in return, Maia pulled him toward her with gentle force. Their faces hovered mere inches apart.

Meeting his eyes, she softly whispered, “Honey.”

Chris’s breathing instantly faltered.

But before he could say another word, Maia suddenly burst into laughter. Looping her arms around his neck, she whispered teasingly into his ear, “Since you refuse to stop, then let’s continue.”

The ocean breeze drifted gently through the room, fluttering the pages of a notebook left forgotten upon the table.

One page after another turned restlessly beneath the wind.

Eventually, the pages settled on a single entry.

Written neatly in Maia’s elegant handwriting were the words: “Rise from Ashes. If your heart has been wounded, then forge a heart even stronger. If your former self has shattered into pieces, then let your reborn self rise in its place. The day your heart is reforged is the day your sharpness returns. Tell yourself this: I am terrifyingly strong.”

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The End.

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Message from Noa: Have a wonderful weekend dear readers. God loves you and Noa wishes you all the best. (=◡=) /

Also, I wanted to share that I really like Ephesians 5:2, because, at the end of the day, what God wants from all of us is to live a life walking in love: ‘And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God’ (ESV).

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