Chapter One Hundred And Seventy Six
The morning sun broke through the heavy Manchester clouds, casting a soft, golden light across the polished hardwood floors of the penthouse. After the intense emotional storm of the previous night, the quiet of the early morning felt like a fragile sanctuary. I woke up with my head resting against Khalid’s broad, solid chest, his massive arms wrapped securely around my waist as if he were anchoring me to the earth. The passionate, desperate closeness we had shared hours before had washed away years of anger and resentment, leaving behind a raw, unbreakable bond. We had bared our souls to each other, and for the first time in five long years, I felt like I could finally breathe.
Khalid stirred beside me, his long eyelashes fluttering open to reveal his
