Dear Ex-wife, Marry Me novel Chapter 2018

Leaning against the couch, he could hear Shirley's muffled sobs and feel her trembling fingers on his skin. In all his years, this moment felt like the pinnacle of happiness. Exhaustion was a foreign concept to him now.

For Shirley, any sacrifice seemed worth it.

A deep, aching pain in his chest made him want to cough, but he fought it back with everything he had.

"Shirley," he called out softly.

Shirley looked up at him, her eyes searching his.

His gaze was intense, swirling with unspoken emotions.

For a moment, she wondered why he was suddenly on a first-name basis, skipping the more formal address she was used to.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Just... seeing you cry makes everything harder for me," he admitted, and the room fell into a deeper silence.

Shirley had only ever dated Mark before, so decoding someone else's feelings was not her forte.

Despite the obvious signs, she blinked away fresh tears.

"Abner, does it hurt much?" she inquired, concern lacing her voice. The severity of his injuries implied his attackers hadn't held back, aiming to inflict real harm.

"Not at all," he lied smoothly.

He straightened up, hesitated for a moment, and then reached out to cradle her face in his hands. Her cheeks were damp, and despite being older, she seemed more lost than him.

Her tears were for him, her confusion was because of him. The thought filled him with an indescribable joy.

If only time could stand still right at this moment.

He longed to kiss her but didn't dare to cross that line. Instead, he contented himself with gently wiping the tears from her cheeks.