Hope Emily Nightingale

After freshening up, I headed downstairs to the kitchen, feeling at peace after talking things out with Nino. Dean entered the kitchen with Ivory and our daughter, Ava.

"You seem to be in a good mood," Ivory commented.

"I have every reason to be," I replied with a smile, then went over to Ava and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Oh, by the way, Nino will be joining us for breakfast."

Ava's face lit up with excitement. She seemed eager to meet him after about a week, clapping her hands in delight. I chuckled at her enthusiasm.

"Careful, Dean, she seems to have a crush on Nino," I teased. Dean's expression darkened.

"She's not dating anyone until she's at least 25," he declared firmly.

I chuckled, pleased to have elicited the reaction I was aiming for. Nino entered the kitchen, taking slow steps as he froze near the entrance upon seeing my entire family there. Dean was wearing a white sleeveless t-shirt showcasing his tattoos, Ivory was in one of my brother's t-shirts paired with shorts, Ava was in a dress that made her resemble a bear, and I was wearing the black turtleneck top I had worn during our first video call. Nino was wearing pants and a black half-sleeve t-shirt. At my gesture, he walked in and sat on the seat between me and Ava. Ava pointed to Nino's tattoo, then at her father's, before letting out a squeal. She seemed excited at the idea of getting tattoos.

Nino chuckled at her reaction before glancing cautiously towards my brother.

"You can let your guard down; I don't have any intention of harming you as long as you treat Hope properly. It's not every day you get to see Hope falling for--"

I cut him off with a sharp kick to his shin, then gave him an excessively sweet smile, remarking on how much I loved Ava's outfit today. Ivory burst out laughing, and Nino and Ava seemed confused. Ivory has seen me do this several times whenever he's about to blurt out something I don't want others to know.

"What's wrong?" Nino asked, looking between me and my brother.

"Nothing, let's continue with our breakfast," I said, gently squeezing his hand. Dean gave a smile through the pain. Well, he should've thought twice before opening his mouth. I remembered getting a smack on my head when I did something similar when Ivory and Dean weren't officially together yet.

After breakfast, I instructed Nino to wait for me in my room while I retrieved my laptop and some necessary files from the office. Upon entering the room, I found Nino gazing at a photo frame containing a picture of my brother and me as children, hanging on our dad's forearm, while mom beamed beside us.

"That's mom and dad," I said, noticing Nino's attention on the photo.

Nino paused, turning to look at me with a hint of concern. However, I reassured him with a smile and continued, "They passed away when I was seven."

Nino gently set the photo frame down and approached me, planting a kiss on the top of my head. "One look at that picture shows how much they loved you," he remarked.

I glanced up at him, returning the smile. "Yeah, they were the best parents one could ask for. You know, one day I'll share all my secrets with you. Then we can fully trust each other."

Suddenly, I gasp. I find myself in Fina's head, but only catching glimpses of the scene this time, thankfully. It's Remo and Fina, kissing, touching, and sleeping together. When I return to my body, I'm met with Nino's eyes.

"What did you see?" Nino asks.

"Porn," I blurt out.

Nino looks utterly confused, asking me to explain.

"Remo and Serafina slept together. And it wasn't forced. She willingly went to bed with him," I clarify.

Nino's eyes widen in shock. My expression mirrors his for a moment before I burst out laughing, which seems to confuse Nino even more.

"Aren't you upset? You're trying to save her, and she's sleeping with my brother," he says.

"No! Why would I be upset? All along, I wanted her to have her first time with someone she was attracted to, not just some arranged husband. But putting that aside, it was traumatizing. Help me forget," I say, leaning in to kiss him and pulling him towards the bed.

"Are you sure you want to do this with me?" he asks.

"I'm very sure. Besides, do you really want my head filled with memories of Remo?" I reply.

Nino growls and pushes me down onto the bed.
As Nino leans in, his lips brush against mine, igniting a spark that sets my senses ablaze. With each kiss, the weight of the world fades away, leaving only the heat of our bodies entwined in the darkness.

His touch is electric, sending shivers down my spine as we lose ourselves in the intensity of the moment. All thoughts of Remo and Fina vanish, replaced by the raw desire between us.

In that intimate space, time stands still, and we exist only for each other. Every caress, every whispered word, deepens the connection between us, binding us together in a shared passion that transcends words.

As we surrender to the pull of desire, the room fades into oblivion, leaving only the echo of our breaths mingling in the air. In each other's arms, we find refuge from the chaos of the world, embracing the solace of this fleeting moment of bliss.