Page 34 of Breaking the Annulment

She glanced at Michalis, his focus now on his meal, and found herself drawn to the way he seemed so at ease. She spent the next twenty minutes enjoying her lunch, sneaking peaks at Michalis under her lashes. He really was handsome and self-assured. She kept insisting she wanted a divorce, but was that still true? If they weren’t married anymore, there would be no more days like this one.No more steamy nights, either.She sighed. What was she thinking?

It was then that he placed his palm, face up, on the table between them.

The gesture was so simple, so unassuming, that it caught her off guard. His hand rested there, steady and open, the faint scars along his knuckles a reminder of the life he lived. Her eyes flicked to his face, her breath hitching when she met his gaze. There was something unspoken in the way he looked at her—a quiet challenge, yes, but also an invitation.

Her fingers tightened around her fork, hesitating.What’s the catch?she wondered, her mind racing. But the steady warmth in his gaze told her there wasn’t one. Slowly, cautiously, she set down her fork and slid her hand into his.

His fingers closed around hers, firm but not overwhelming, as if he was afraid to squeeze too tightly. The warmth of his skin seeped into hers, and she shivered despite herself. His thumbmoved almost absentmindedly, tracing gentle circles over her knuckles before brushing over her ring.

Aurelia’s heart thudded in her chest. She stared at their joined hands, her fingers dwarfed by his. The callouses on his palm spoke of a man used to control, used to commanding power, but his touch was careful, almost reverent.

“You’re quiet,” he murmured, his voice a low rumble that drew her eyes back to his.

“I’m…processing,” she said softly, unsure how to explain the mix of emotions swirling inside her. The intimacy of the moment felt like a thread binding them together, fragile yet unbreakable.

He tilted his head, his gaze searching hers. “You don’t have to overthink everything,agápe mou,” he said, the Greek endearment falling from his lips like a caress. “Sometimes, it’s enough to just…be.”

Her chest tightened at his words, at the way they seemed to unravel her defenses. She wanted to argue, to push him away and protect herself, but her hand remained in his. She didn’t pull back.

He gave her fingers a gentle squeeze, his thumb brushing over the ring once more. “This suits you,” he said, his tone thoughtful. “I like seeing it on you.”

“It doesn’t mean what you think it does,” she replied quietly, her voice carrying a hint of defiance.

His smile didn’t falter. “It will,” he said, his confidence unwavering.

Her breath hitched as their eyes locked, the moment electric in its intimacy. The din of the restaurant faded into the background, leaving only the steady rhythm of her pulse and the warmth of his hand anchoring her.

The intensityin his gaze made her stomach flip, and she was grateful when the server returned to refill their glasses, breaking the moment. Still, as she pulled her hand away to reach for her glass, she couldn’t help but feel the lingering warmth of his touch, a sensation that refused to fade.

The soundof chairs scraping against the floor broke the moment. Aurelia turned to see a handsome Italian man approaching with a striking woman at his side, cradling a newborn in her arms, the tiny bundle swaddled in soft blankets.

Michalis greeted them cordially, though Aurelia felt the tension in his body as he introduced her. “Aurelia, this is Antonio Bonetti and his sister, Carmen.”

Antonio’s handshake was firm, his assessing gaze sharp. Carmen’s smile, in contrast, was warm as she adjusted the baby in her arms.

After a few minutes of polite conversation, Michalis and Antonio excused themselves to talk privately. Aurelia shifted in her seat, suddenly feeling exposed under Carmen’s curious gaze.

“Your husband is very protective of you,” Carmen remarked, her voice soft but carrying a deliberate undertone. Her dark eyes lingered on Aurelia, warm but assessing, as though every word would yield an answer to an unspoken question.

Aurelia offered a polite smile, unsure how much to reveal—or how much Carmen already knew. “He’s…intense,” she said finally, her tone carefully neutral.

Carmen’s laugh was light, a soft, melodic sound that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “That’s one way to put it,” she replied, shifting her son in her arms. “You seem to handle him well.”

Aurelia hesitated. Was that a compliment? Or something else entirely? The way Carmen’s gaze didn’t waver left her feeling exposed, like there was more behind the words than a casualremark. “Your baby is adorable,” Aurelia said quickly, steering the conversation away. “Is he your first?”

The change in topic was deliberate, and Carmen seemed to recognize it, though she didn’t push. Instead, she glanced down at the tiny bundle nestled against her. A genuine smile softened her features. “Yes. He’s the joy of my life.”

The tender way Carmen spoke stirred something in Aurelia, a pang of longing she couldn’t quite define. Before she could dwell on it, Carmen tilted her head slightly. “Would you like to hold him?”

“Oh,” Aurelia stammered, caught off guard. Her hands twitched in her lap, the idea of holding something so fragile both thrilling and terrifying. “I’d love to, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” Carmen leaned forward, carefully placing the baby in Aurelia’s arms. His tiny body was impossibly warm, his weight solid but light. Aurelia adjusted instinctively, her hands cradling him as his soft breathing tickled her skin. She stared down at the baby, captivated by the delicate curve of his nose, the faint flutter of his eyelashes.

As if sensing her gaze, the baby’s fingers curled around hers. A small, involuntary gasp escaped her lips. Warmth spread through her, a sensation that started in her chest and radiated outward, settling deep in her soul. She hadn’t held a baby in years—hadn’t even thought about it. But now, with this tiny life in her arms, something shifted inside her, something she didn’t have a name for.

“You’re a natural,” Carmen observed softly, watching her with a curious intensity. “Are you and your husband planning to have a family right away?”

The question hit Aurelia like a sudden gust of wind, throwing her balance off-kilter. Her gaze darted from the baby to Carmen, then back down again, as though the answer might be hidden in the tiny hand gripping her finger. “I…we haven’t talked muchabout it,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. “I think he would like that.”

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