Chapter 24
24
T he familiar streets of Houston stretched before Aurelia like a bittersweet memory, the city’s vibrant energy a sharp contrast to the hollow ache in her chest. The guard dropped her off at her small apartment, the building as unassuming as she remembered.
The air inside was stale, the apartment untouched since she’d left two months earlier. Dust coated the furniture, and a faint mustiness lingered in the air. She set her bag down, the sound echoing unnaturally in the silence.
The days blurred together as she tried to settle back into her old routine. She went to work, picked up groceries, and cleaned the apartment, but everything felt wrong. She couldn’t escape the memories of Michalis—the way he’d looked at her, the way he’d held her after the rescue, the cold finality of his words when he told her to leave.
At night, she lay awake in bed, her hand resting on her belly. The baby was her only solace, a fragile connection to the man she couldn’t stop loving.
Aurelia sat on the worn couch in her Houston apartment. The silence wrapped around her, heavy and suffocating. The sun streamed through the dusty blinds, casting lines of light and shadow across the floor. She hadn’t left her apartment in days, her attempts to resume her old life dissolving into a haze of regret and longing.
A knock on the door startled her. She frowned, her pulse quickening. She wasn’t expecting anyone.
When she opened the door, her breath caught. Dimitris stood on the threshold, his broad frame taking up the doorway. His face was unreadable, but his piercing gaze pinned her in place.
“What are you doing here?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“I could ask you the same thing,” Dimitris said, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. He glanced around the apartment, his sharp eyes taking in the sparse furnishings and half-empty boxes. “So this is it? Your grand escape?”
Aurelia folded her arms across her chest, her voice defensive. “Michalis doesn’t want me anymore. He told me to go. I’m just doing what he asked.”
Dimitris snorted, crossing his arms. “You think Michalis doesn’t want you? You think he’s not completely miserable without you?”
She flinched, his words hitting harder than she expected. “He said he never wanted to see me again,” she whispered, her voice breaking. “I destroyed everything.”
Dimitris shook his head, his tone firm. “You didn’t destroy anything. Michalis thinks he’s protecting you by letting you go. That’s what he does—he protects the people he loves, even if it kills him.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “He doesn’t love me anymore. How could he?”
Dimitris stepped closer, his voice softening. “Do you love him?”
“Yes,” she said without hesitation, her voice barely above a whisper.
“Then fight for him,” Dimitris said, his tone sharpening. “Fight for what you want. If you don’t, you’ll regret it for the rest of your life.”
Aurelia stared at him, her mind spinning. She thought of Michalis, his blue eyes burning with pain as he told her to leave. She thought of the way he’d held her after the rescue, the love in his touch even when his words were cold.
“I can’t undo what I did,” she said, her voice trembling. “What if it’s too late?”
“It’s not too late,” Dimitris said firmly. “But you have to make him see that you’re serious. That you’re not running anymore. You want Michalis? Then show him.”
Aurelia swallowed hard, her heart pounding. Dimitris was right. She couldn’t let fear stop her. She couldn’t let Michalis believe she didn’t want him. She had to fight.
Aurelia loaded the last of her sentimental belongings into the Boss 429 Mustang. The car gleamed under the afternoon sun, its deep black paint reflecting her determined expression. The key felt heavy in her hand as she slid into the driver’s seat, the familiar rumble of the engine settling her nerves.
She thought of Dimitris’s words as she drove, her mind replaying every moment she’d spent with Michalis. The walls she’d built around her heart began to crumble, replaced by a fierce determination to make things right.
The Giannopoulos estate loomed in the distance as Aurelia pulled into the driveway. Her palms were sweaty against the steering wheel, her heart pounding like a drum. The gravel crunched beneath the Mustang’s tires as she parked in front of the main entrance.
The door opened, and Michalis stepped out. His gaze locked onto her, his face blank.
“Aurelia,” he said, his voice rough and guarded.
She stepped out of the car, her hands trembling as she held out the keys. “This is for you.”
Michalis frowned, his gaze flicking to the Mustang. “What are you doing?”
Aurelia took a deep breath, her voice steady despite the tears streaming down her face. “This was my escape plan. The one no one knew about. I always kept it ready, just in case. But I’m giving it to you because I don’t need it anymore.”
He stared at her, his brows furrowing. “What are you saying?”
“I’m saying I’m done running,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. “I made a mistake—a terrible, unforgivable mistake—but if there’s even a chance you could ever forgive me, if there’s any chance you could love me again, I’m here. I’m staying.”
Michalis’s jaw tightened, his hands clenching at his sides. “You think it’s that simple? You think you can just come back and?—”
“I’m giving this to you,” she interrupted, holding up the keys, “because it’s my way of proving I’ll never run again. This car was my way out, my safety net, my escape. But I’m not escaping anymore. I’m not running. I’m not hiding. This is your car now, Michalis. It’s my way of saying, if I ever leave again, you can come and get me.”
Her lips trembled into a faint smile. “So, come and get me.”
For a long moment, Michalis didn’t move. His eyes searched hers, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, his shoulders relaxed, and the tension in his face melted away. He stepped forward, his hands reaching out to cup her face.
“You’re serious?” he whispered, his voice raw.
She nodded, her tears spilling over. “I love you, Michalis. I love you, and I love our baby. I’m sorry it took me so long to see that I can’t live without you.”
Michalis pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as if he never wanted to let go. His lips found hers in a searing kiss, their separation dissolving in the warmth of their embrace.
“I love you too,” he murmured against her lips. “And I’ll never let you go again.”