COLD UNTIL YOU

CHAPTER 13: LIVING IN COLOUR

The first morning Eliana woke up in Florence, sunlight filtered through the white curtains like melted gold. For a moment, she didn’t remember where she was. Then she felt a warmth beside her Adrian’s steady breathing, his hand resting over hers, his hair messy and his face softer in sleep. It still felt unreal that he was here, with her, after everything that had happened.

Life together wasn’t the endless romance she had imagined. There were mornings when Adrian was buried in his work, his quietness filling the room. There were times she left paintbrushes scattered across their tiny living space, and he would grumble before laughing and pulling her close. They argued sometimes about little things that didn’t matter, like how she forgot to close the window or how he left his mug half full. But each fight ended with laughter, a soft apology, and his arms around her like a promise that he wasn’t going anywhere.

Eliana began painting again, this time with confidence. Her art grew brighter, her brushstrokes freer. Adrian encouraged her, though he rarely spoke about his own work. He was teaching music again, helping younger students find their voices. Sometimes, she’d watch him play the piano at night, his eyes closed, his soul pouring out through the notes. She never interrupted just listened, knowing the sound was another kind of love letter.

On weekends, they walked through narrow cobblestone streets, their fingers brushing, their laughter echoing between the pastel buildings. They learned to cook together, often ending up in a mess of flour and burnt toast. They built a rhythm, not perfect but real a kind of love that was less about fireworks and more about the steady glow of shared moments.

Eliana sometimes thought back to the girl she was years ago shy, uncertain, afraid of being hurt. That girl would have never believed she’d find peace again, let alone happiness. But as Adrian looked at her that evening, eyes soft with affection, she knew the world had given her a second chance.

He leaned close, brushing his lips against her forehead. “You’ve changed everything,” he whispered.

She smiled, tracing the curve of his jaw. “So have you.”

The sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in colors that matched her heart full, wild, and alive.