Chapter 978:

🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙 🍙

His straightforward confession caught her off guard. A faint blush crept across her cheeks. She cleared her throat, steadying herself. “Got it. Go to bed early. I’ll pick you up at the airport tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

After the call ended, Clarice stared at the photo of her and Felix glowing softly on the screen, and couldn’t suppress the smile that spread across her face. She traced his image lightly with her finger, tenderness softening her gaze.

“You fool,” she murmured, her smile deepening. “I missed you too.”

The first light of dawn barely brushed the horizon when Clarice stirred awake. She slipped out of bed quietly, her bare feet barely making a sound on the cool floor, and tiptoed down the hall to the children’s rooms. Leo and Gloria were still sound asleep, cheeks flushed, blankets kicked halfway down. In the adjoining room, Adora and Galen slept just as peacefully.

Satisfied, Clarice called softly to the babysitters and housemaids, making sure the children would be well looked after before retreating to her walk-in closet. There, she stood for a moment, surveying her wardrobe with meticulous attention. She settled on a red dress at last, unassuming in design, but perfectly sculpted to accentuate her figure. Then she paired it with light makeup, just enough to brighten her features without overshadowing them.

By the time she arrived at Bleron International Airport, the terminal was alive with movement. The crowd surged in waves. She stood at the arrivals gate, eyes fixed on the exit, fingers clasped tightly together as if to steady her racing heart.

The flight board confirmed it: Felix’s plane had landed, and passengers were beginning to file out. Every figure that emerged made her heart stutter, until, finally, one straight, familiar silhouette cut through the sea of faces.

Felix. He wore a black casual suit, one hand pulling his suitcase behind him. He looked a bit leaner than before, his jaw dusted with faint, dark stubble that hadn’t been there when he left. His eyes lifted, scanning the crowd. Then they found her, a vibrant splash of red amidst the monotone tide.

New 𝘸𝘦е𝗸𝘭𝘺 𝖼𝗁ар𝘵е𝘳ѕ 𝗼𝗻 𝗴𝖺𝘭𝗻оv𝘦𝘭ѕ.𝖼о𝗆

Their eyes met, and for a heartbeat, the world blinked out. The roar of the crowd, the clatter of announcements, the surge of travelers rushing past, they all dissolved into a distant hum. In that instant, there was only Clarice and Felix, existing in a bubble, alone together.

Felix released his suitcase handle as though it weighed nothing at all and propelled himself through the crowd. Clarice mirrored him instinctively, her own legs finding speed she hadn’t thought possible. In the next second, they collided in a warm, fierce embrace.

Without hesitation, Felix pressed his lips to hers, the kiss both familiar and urgent, like a man who had counted every day apart. Clarice rose onto her tiptoes, arms looping around his neck, returning the fervor with equal intensity.

The terminal around them faded into irrelevance, the bustling travelers mere ghosts in the edges of their vision. Minutes, or seconds, passed; it was impossible to say. Breathless, Felix finally eased back, resting his forehead against Clarice’s, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

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