Chapter 64: The Unspoken Promise

The sun rose and was shining through the wooden blinds of the window, making the room appear warm and cheerful. It was still early, and Taylor woke up with her thoughts still hazy from the night she had spent tossing and turning. She rolled over and opened her eyes to find Alex, who was still asleep on the bed next to her. His chest moved up and down as he breathed deeply, and the calmness in his sleep was in contrast with the storm in her mind. Taylor was unable to forget what he was told last night and felt the burden on him. She was simply too young to handle her mother’s murder and the secrecy that was waiting for her. But as she stared at the sleeping face of Alex, all the worries vanished, and she felt a deep relief. He said that he would be there for her; he would defend the truth and their love, and she believed him. Without disturbing him, Taylor got out of bed and walked quietly to the window. She gazed at the morning sky and saw that everything was still covered with pink and orange lights. It was a new day, a new dawn—in fact, a new day full of new problems but also full of new opportunities. She was overwhelmed by an impulse to save herself at once. She wasn’t going to be a victim of the past all over again. Whatever her mother had never told her, whatever peril they were in now, she would face it with a straight look. And she would do it with Alex by her side—the very man who had once been her enemy but who had proven himself to be her friend. Looking at her, Alex suddenly woke up, sat up, and looked at her. When he saw her, he smiled, and the look in his eyes erased all her fear. “Good morning,” he said quietly, his voice still hoarse from sleeping. Taylor smiled back at him and then joined him back on the bed to sit beside him. “Good morning,” she said, and she bent her head to give him a kiss on the lips. The small action made her feel a thrill run down her spine, for it proved to her how much she loved him. Alex was sitting on the bed; he looked at her seriously. “How are you feeling?” Taylor sighed once more and raked a hand through her hair. “I don’t know,” she said. “It is a lot to process,” he said softly. “But I’m not going to let this come between us; we are a team, aren’t we?” “Always,” Alex replied immediately. He extended his hand, and when she placed hers in it, he ran his fingers over the back of her palm. “No matter what it is, we will deal with it as a team.” His words made her feel hopeful, a thing that she had not felt for a long time. She clutched his hand, and love filled her chest to the brim. She didn’t know where the words came from, but all she could do was sit there and look into his eyes and say, “I love you, Alex.” Alex looked up, blinked, and then his face relaxed. He stretched his hands to feel her face and held her cheeks softly. “I love you too, Taylor,” he said with a lot of feeling. The atmosphere that surrounded them was rather raw, the magnetism that had been growing in their relationship finally bursting out. Taylor looked into his eyes and gently placed her lips on his in a soft yet vigorous kiss. It was as if all the fear and uncertainty disappeared and there was only raw, honest truth between them. And when they at last drew apart, Alex laid his brow against hers, their breaths meeting in the darkness of the room. “Yeah,” he whispered. “We’ll get through this. ” “No matter what challenges we encounter, they will be met with collective action.” Taylor looked at her son and nodded in agreement, her heart filled with joy. “I know we will,” she said softly, and the feeling of calm came over her again. The rest of the day went by in a whirlwind of preparation. Taylor and Alex discussed the findings and what they plan to do next. They were aware that they could not tackle this on their own and therefore laid down strategies on how to enlist the support of the authorities to uncover the hidden truths concealed for decades. But even in their grim business, there was an unwritten rule between them—an agreement that they were going to love each other no matter what. Whenever they were close and engaged in the work, Taylor accidentally looked at Alex, and each time she did, she felt a fluttering in her chest. Taylor discovered it in those stolen looks, in the moments when there was no time for the world to intrude, and she observed how much she depended on Alex. He was the one who gave her the stability she needed, the support she needed, and the person who knew her better than anyone else in this world. And as much as the situation frightened her, she understood that with him, she could conquer everything. Taylor was driven by a new sense of desperation as the sun slowly sank and its rays stretched through the room’s windows. There was a sentence that she wanted to speak—a sentence that she could not utter for quite some time now. ‘Alex,’ she started with a certain shakiness in her voice. “I have been thinking about all the events that occurred, about us.” Alex looked at her, and, for the first time, his face was free of his usual scowl. “What is it?” Taylor squeezed her eyes shut, took a deep breath, and steeled herself. “I don’t want to lose anymore time, as life is too precious. You never know what is going to happen next, but as for me, I want to be with you. I don’t want to let fear dictate to me anymore.” Alex’s eyes were warm, and a smile slowly appeared on his face. “Taylor, are you saying...” Taylor looked at him and said , “I’m saying that I want to be with you. ” “I want to stand before all the challenges we are going to encounter side by side not as friends or business partners, but as people who are willing to spend the rest of their lives together. And then, for a moment, Alex simply looked at her, registering what she said as if he didn’t really understand it. Then, in one swift movement, he closed the distance between them and took her in his arms, passionately. “You have no idea how long I’ve waited to hear you say that,” he murmured against her hair. Taylor embraced him, putting her head on his chest. “I am so sorry it took me so long,” she said, ashamed and almost in tears. “I was scared, but not now.” “I am ready, Alex; I am ready for it.” Alex briefly retreated just enough to gaze into her eyes, and he too had a glare of love and resolve in his eyes. “Then let’s do this,” he said, his words hard as marble. “It is high time to look into the future together and do that with open hearts.” They kissed on the lips—a kiss that was very promising and a kiss that consolidated the unspoken contract in the relationship. She knew it was a kiss that was a thousand words that they could never say—it was a kiss that said they would face whatever fears they had to face together. As they stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, Taylor felt a sense of peace settle over her. She didn’t know what the future held, but she knew one thing for certain: she was no longer afraid. With Alex by her side, she could face anything. Their love was strong and unbreakable, and together, they would overcome whatever challenges the world threw at them. This was just the beginning of their journey—a journey that would be filled with twists and turns, but one that they would face together, hand in hand, heart to heart. And as Taylor looked into Alex’s eyes, she knew that no matter what the future held, their love would see them through.