All Chapters of ENTANGLED WITH MY CONTRACTED HUSBAND : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

Haven's silence was answer enough. Alexis felt her heart breaking all over again."I don't know how to trust you again," she said, her voice shaking. "I don't know if I can."Haven leaned forward, his eyes pleading. "I'll do anything, Alexis. Therapy, counseling, quitting my job – whatever it takes. I love you. Only you. What happened with Cassandra made me realize how much I have to lose, how much you mean to me."Alexis stood up abruptly, needing to put some distance between them. "That's the problem, Haven. It took almost cheating on me for you to realize how much I mean to you? How am I supposed to feel about that?"Haven stood too, but didn't move closer. "I know. I know how it sounds. But Alexis, please believe me when I say that I've always known how much you mean to me. I just... I lost sight of it for a moment. And I'll spend the rest of my life making up for that if you'll let me."Alexis turned to look at him, really look at him. She saw the man she fell in love with, the m

Haven nodded, hardly daring to breathe. "Okay," he said softly. "I'll stay. What... what do you want to do?"Alexis stood up, wrapping her arms around herself as if for protection. "I want to talk," she said. "Really talk. About what happened, about why it happened, about where we go from here. No more silence, no more avoiding each other. We need to face this head-on if there's any chance of saving our marriage."Haven felt a weight lift from his shoulders. It wasn't forgiveness, not yet, but it was a start. A chance to rebuild what he had so carelessly damaged. "I'd like that," he said, his voice filled with genuine relief and gratitude. "I'd like that very much."Alexis nodded, a ghost of a smile flickering across her face for the first time in days. "Then let's talk," she said, gesturing to the couch.As they sat down, a respectable distance between them but facing each other openly for the first time since that fateful day, both Alexis and Haven knew that the road ahead would be

Slowly, tentatively, Alexis leaned into Haven's side. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close, reveling in the feeling of having her in his arms again."We have a lot of work to do," Alexis murmured against his chest.Haven pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head. "We do," he agreed. "But we'll do it together."The path ahead would be difficult, as both Alexis and Haven realised as they sat there, enveloped by memories of their past and the hope of their future. Once broken, trust is difficult to rebuild. But there was a gleam of optimism as they clutched each other. They had an opportunity to rebuild what they had lost and come out stronger on the other side if they had love, perseverance, and devotion. It was long past sundown, and shadows filled the room, but neither Haven nor Alexis got up to turn on a light. They experienced a brief moment of calm in the shadows, a silent realisation that such was not the conclusion of their narrative but rather the start of a new one.

The assailant, startled by Haven's sudden appearance, loosened his grip on Alexis. It was all the opening she needed. In a burst of adrenaline-fueled strength, she stomped hard on his foot and threw her elbow back into his solar plexus, just as she had been taught.The man wheezed and stumbled backward, giving Haven the opportunity to close the distance between them in two long strides. With practiced efficiency, Haven grabbed the assailant's wrist, twisting it until the knife clattered to the floor."Alexis, run!" Haven shouted as he grappled with the would-be thief.Alexis just couldn’t move a limb in her body. She was deeply rooted to the spot, watching in astonishment as Haven overcame her attacker with a series of quick moves. It was like the time slowed down intentionally just for her to take notice of every detail of the man she had been longing for.Haven's dark hair was slightly longer than when he'd left, and a part of his beard shadowed his jawline. He wrestled the attacker

“Talk to me about your travels, any new adventures?” Alexis said, there was a little curiosity in her voice. “Which instance stood out the most? At the query, Haven's eyes glowed, and he began to describe his time in Southeast Asia in great detail. While he talked, making lively gestures with his free hand, Alexis was fascinated not only with the tales but also with the man narrating them. His passion was contagious, and it was evident to her why he was so skilled at his work—he had a talent for vividly describing experiences through words.“But guess what?” Haven said, holding his breath. “All of those amazing experiences was nothing compared to this moment and all the best memories I’ve had with you, Alexis.”Emotion welled up in Alexis's heart. With her eyes gleaming with unshed tears, she stopped walking and faced him. She said, "I love you, Haven," in a very emotional voice. "I know your work is important, and I'm so proud of what you do, but these past few months without you, t