Chapter 26
425 Words
Chapter 26: In the Rain
Shanaya wore a soft, oversized beige sweater tucked slightly into her jeans, paired with simple brown sandals. Her hair was tied in a loose braid, and she had a small sling bag across her chest. She looked effortlessly beautiful, warm and comforting—just like home.
She stepped out of the room, and Lorenzo looked up from his phone, freezing for a moment.
“You look…adorable,” he said, smiling, brushing a hand through his hair.
Shanaya gave a shy laugh. “I didn’t know if we were going somewhere fancy.”
Lorenzo shook his head. “We’re just going to the movies with Matteo. This is perfect.”
He didn’t tell her how exhausted he truly was—juggling the business empire, tightening security, and secretly hunting for any trace of Christian. He didn't want to pull Shanaya into that dark world again. She had already been through too much.
Today was for her. For them.
At the theatre, Matteo was bubbling with excitement. They sat through an animated film filled with laughter, songs, and silly dancing animals. Shanaya laughed a few times too, her eyes lighting up the way they used to. Lorenzo couldn’t stop glancing at her, memorizing every smile, every sparkle in her gaze.
By the end of the movie, Matteo was snuggled up beside Shanaya, fast asleep.
They gently carried him to the car and dropped him at Shanaya’s uncle’s house. The sky rumbled as they left. Rain began pouring just as they reached their estate.
Lorenzo parked quickly and dashed around to her side, but Shanaya had already stepped out.
“We’re soaked!” she laughed, lifting her arms to shield herself.
Then, it happened.
In the silver sheen of the rain, Lorenzo pulled her toward him by the waist.
Her laughter caught in her throat when he leaned in and kissed her—deeply, like he’d been starving for this moment.
When he finally pulled back, he looked into her eyes and said softly, breathlessly, “Please don’t leave me, love. I’ll protect you forever.”
Shanaya blinked, stunned. Her heart raced, but words escaped her.
She didn't fully understand what he meant—what fears or storms stirred in his heart—but something in his voice, his eyes, felt deeply sincere.
So she did the only thing her heart knew to do: she nodded.
And in the quiet after the rain, standing there soaked to the skin, Shanaya felt a piece of her fear wash away—for just a moment.
- Writer
