Standing too close, Cyril flinched, startled by the flying sparks. Instinctively, he leaned toward Serena for protection.
Noticing his discomfort, Serena’s lips curved into a playful smile. Linking her arm with his, she teased, “You know you’re scared of fire. Why would you come up this close? Are you silly?”
“Well, as long as you’re here, I’m not afraid of anything,” he said, his tone soft and sincere.
Her eyes filled with warmth as she held his hand tightly.
In that moment, a memory from my past life flooded my mind. I remembered how things were just after Serena and I had gotten together.
Back then, I was full of hope for our future. I threw myself into our relationship, handling every little thing around the house to make her feel loved and cared for. I wanted her to feel like she truly belonged, that she had a home.
But one night, after she got drunk, I overheard her talking to Cyril.
“I feel like I have no husband,” she said, her voice slurred. “But a dad who has to micromanage me. It’s so annoying. He drives me crazy.”
Then, laughing softly, she added, “But you… you’re different. You know how to give me space. You never make me feel smothered.”