TWENTY THEEE YEARS LATER.
Present day,

She drew a deep breath as she looked outside her huge glass window, savoring the majestic view of the tall buildings surrounding her from the penthouse of her extremely luxurious hotel room. The air from the air conditioner was swaying her yellow long silk dress slightly from side to side.

Italy.

One of her most favorite places in the world. It would have been even more perfect if the streets didn't feel so lonely.

She was enjoying the scenery, her thirty inch weave, swaying in rhythm with her dress. She drew a deep breath as a smile appeared on her face the moment she smelt him, the moment she felt his presence as he slowly walked to her, the tiny heels of his leather boots, knocking a bit silently on the ground.

The smile on her face grew the moment she felt his arm wrap around her neck softly, his chin resting on her shoulders. Olivia let out a tiny chuckle.

"Well that was a short meeting." She tried to act like she wasn't happy he was done with his meeting early.

He clicked his tongue for a second like he was pretending to think of something.

"Well," he whispered into her ears, his eyes focused right outside. "Let's just say I couldn't bear to be away from you for an extra second." He threw his I-pad on the bed quickly.

"You stopped it?" She chuckled, slowly reaching for his arms and wrapping her hands around them.

"I just asked them to carry on without me. I'd get the briefing later. It's on record anyway."

Olivia rolled her eyes, she couldn't hide it in anymore, the excitement she felt. She slowly pulled his hands away and turned to him, holding on to his hands as tightly as she could, the smile on her face growing wider and wider every second. It was always that way every second she was with him. She was always happy. She always felt safe.

Rafael left his gaze in her eyes, the smile on his face spreading too, exposing his perfect dentition and beautiful dimple beneath his chin.

"Thank you." He whispered to her as her smile began to disappear. Olivia narrowed her gaze like she tried to understand why he was showing so much gratitude. She waited for him to continue. "Thank you for agreeing to come here with me."

She sighed.
"I needed the break too, even though it was longer than we thought it would be." He chuckled.

She knew he didn't have to feel entirely grateful to her. She loved every moment spent with him and hated to be apart from him for one second, that was why she jumped at the opportunity to travel hours away with him the second he had asked her.

Thank God Benita was kind enough to encourage her to go, assuring her Grace was in safe hands. Of course she was, it was just three days anyway, or at least it was supposed to be, before the pandemic had hit them, keeping them in Italy longer than they had hoped they would be there. It was like an endless honeymoon that had taken almost the whole year.

She loved his company so well, she loved that she was trapped in her favorite place with him, but she knew it would have been even better if Grace was with them. She missed her everyday and she couldn't wait to be back home in three days, as soon as the restrictions were lifted.

She took a step towards him as he slowly let go of her hands and managed to get a grip of her waist, holding on tight to her as she pushed her way closer to him. She was caught in the moment. They both were. It was all she could think of the few hours he was gone. Him right there, touching her, holding her, all she craved for and she was getting enough of it. She bit hard on her lip just as she stared into his eyes, they were so beautiful, so bright. Those eyes always reminded her of just how much this man in front of her cherished her, how much he meant a lot to her. She didn't even need to hear him say it, the honesty in them, the way they earnestly looked into hers told her all she needed to know.

She slowly stood on her toes just so she was tall enough to sort his lips, wrapping her hands around his neck, Rafael let her, with one gentle pull, her body was up against his, her breath on him, his breath on her. Her lips shook gently as they waited for his to find them. She wanted him. She needed him. She could feel her heart racing, it was what being so close to him did to her every time. Rafael couldn't wait anymore, he was done waiting. He lowered his head to hers and kissed her deeply, his arms folded tightly around her waist.

Olivia could feel her breathing get a lot harder especially the moment he jacked her off the ground, his hands holding on to her bottom while she wrapped her legs around him, letting him, trusting him to get them both safely to the bedroom, while she didn't want him to stop kissing her the way he did. She liked it. She liked the way every inch of her body craved for him, and the way he moaned softly each time, earnestly longing for her, craving her.

He gently placed her on the king sized bed, the smell of fresh roses engulfing the large room. He placed his body on hers, making sure he didn't use all his weight, taking his time as his lips slowly worked its way on hers, his hands pinning hers on the bed, and his fingers going in the middle of hers, his clean white shirt clinging on tight to his perfect build as his muscles tried to force themselves out of the clothes while they tensed.

Olivia turned him over as fast as she could and found her way on top of him, not daring to stop. She pinned his hands right back on the bed, kissing him deeply. He grabbed on to her waist right before-

"Stop." She whispered slowly letting him go. Rafael let out an exhale as he threw himself back on the clean white sheets, watching her as she hurriedly pulled herself away from him, letting herself sit right beside him.

He gave himself a minute, his eyes staring at the ceiling for a while before he pulled himself up a little bit just so he could relax on his left arm, scratching his brow with his right hand. He wasn't surprised. He didn't have to be if it was something that had happened before.

She drew a deep breath.

"I'm so sorry." She whispered to him. She couldn't even bring herself to look at him. "I'm really really sorry that I keep doing this to you all the time." She was talking so fast now. She wanted to be calm, she tried to be calm but she just couldn't bring herself to be.

"Hey," he sat straight looking at her, quickly reaching for her shaky hands the moment he noticed the despair on her face. "Hey,"

"I know my excuses are getting really old and boring. I love you so much and you know that. And this, doing this with you, sharing memories like this would be one of the best things that could ever happen to me but whenever I want to, whenever I try to I keep seeing his face." Her voice broke. "I keep remembering the things he did to me, the way he hurt me, the way he forced himself on me all the time and raped me-"

"Look at me." Rafael pushed himself closer to her, squeezing her hands just so she could listen to him. She shook her head, she just couldn't. "Look at me." He repeated. Olivia drew a sharp breath and then slowly turned to him.

She looked so terrified. So scared.

"Everything that happened to you, is in the past." He told her, looking deep into her eyes. "No one can hurt you anymore, he can't hurt you anymore, he's gone." His voice broke too. "He's gone and I'm here now. And I won't ever let him or anyone hurt you ever again."

She sniffed.

"I hate him Rafael." She sobbed again. "I hate what he did to me. I hate that it has affected me so much, affected us so much. I keep disappointing you all the time and I just can't—"

"Don't." He whispered to her shaking his head. " We have all the time in the world. You're my soulmate, my one. The only woman I love and would move the earth for. I can wait." He let out a tiny smile on his really adorable lips. "I can wait for as long as you want me to, but you," He squeezed her hands, as she let out a sniff. " You don't have to do anything you're not ready to do for me or anyone else." He told her with all seriousness. "Do you understand that?"

She sniffed again then nodded. She understood. She understood him perfectly. She couldn't explain it but she had no idea what she had ever done in her life to deserve the man that was sitting right in front of her. How could a man be so kind and compassionate all at once? How could he care so much about her the way he did? About her own happiness even if it was obviously affecting his?

"And you have absolutely nothing to be sorry for." He reminded her. "Nothing at all."

She nodded, pushing back the tears in her eyes after her last loud sniff. She heard him.

"Good." He slowly raised her hands to his lips. He kissed them gently. Olivia let out a soft chuckle. She was in love with this man. She loved him with all of her heart and until that day, she never knew a man like him existed in the whole world. He had tears in his eyes too as he slowly placed his hand behind her head and pulled it closer so he could plant a soft kiss on her forehead.

Olivia smiled just as she heard him sniff. He was trying so hard not to get too emotional in front of her. He gently placed his jaw on her head, thinking for a long while.

"Come on." He raised his brows the moment he was sure the tears in his eyes weren't threatening to fall anymore. He pulled her away from him and looked her straight in her eyes. "It's our last day in Milan today."

Olivia twitched her brows, trying to understand the point he was trying to make. She didn't understand where he was driving at and he could see it.

"There are other ways to express our affections without sex Olivia." He exhaled. "You always wanted a tour around and I've been so busy. How about we have that tour," he slowly got up from the bed and then stretched his hand to her so she could take it. "Right now?"

Olivia looked at his hand and then right back at him. A tiny smile spread through her face. Of course she wanted it. Did she miss the part where she hated to be apart from him? All she wanted was to spend every second with him, go where he wanted to go, do whatever he wanted to do and be where he wanted to be. She reached for his hands and he gently helped her up from the bed, a huge smile appearing on his face the moment she was standing right next to him again. He stretched his hand to her face and tucked a stray hair strand behind her ears. Olivia exhaled. She was happy. She felt so happy and safe.

His gaze slowly returned to hers.

"Come on." He held on tight to her hand and then led her to the door.