CHAPTER 413: CHAPTER 413; HONEYMOON PHASE 2 L (R+18)

Her surrender, her tears streaming down her cheeks and onto the pillow, her breathless promises spoken with such conviction, drove him past the point of no return.

He held her so tightly against his chest she could barely draw breath, his entire body rigid with tension. His thrusts became a final, frantic cadence, hard, deep, claiming, before he buried himself as deep as physically possible and poured himself into her with a shuddering groan that sounded almost pained, his entire body convulsing against hers, jerking with the force of his release.

The feeling of him pulsing inside her, the warmth flooding her core, and the intensity of his climax triggered her own unexpected orgasm. She cried out weakly, her oversensitized body convulsing around him one more impossible time, milking every last drop from him as they shattered together in the darkness.

For a long moment, they stayed like that, both trembling, his chest heaving against her back, his arms still locked around her like he would never let go. Neither could speak, both too overwhelmed by what had just passed between them.

Then, with gentle, trembling fingers, he turned her face toward him and kissed her. It wasn’t a passionate kiss, it was tender, apologetic, full of an emotion neither was ready to name.

When he pulled back, his fingers immediately moved to wipe the tears from her flushed cheeks. "I’m sorry," he whispered, his voice thick with genuine remorse and something deeper. "I promised slow and I... I lost control again. Did I hurt you? Are you okay?"

Tang Fei, utterly exhausted beyond measure and emotionally spent, couldn’t even form words. She simply shook her head slightly, no, he hadn’t hurt her. Not in any way that mattered. Then she nestled deeper into his embrace, her face buried in his chest, seeking his warmth, his strength, his protection.

"Just... hold me," she finally managed to whisper, her voice barely audible. "Please just hold me."

"Always," he promised, his arms immediately tightening around her, one hand moving to stroke her hair with infinite gentleness. "I’ll always hold you. I’ve got you, Fei’er. Sleep now. I’m right here."

He held her close, pressing soft kisses to her hair, her temple, her cheek, whispering apologies and endearments in a low, soothing murmur...."My beautiful wife... so strong... so perfect... I’m sorry... sleep now... I’ve got you... you’re safe... I’m right here... always right here..."

She fell asleep in his arms within moments, finally feeling the deep, unshakeable connection they had both been craving, her last conscious thought that despite, or perhaps because of, his intensity, his loss of control, his desperate need for her, she felt safer and more cherished than she ever had in either of her lives.

He stayed awake longer, holding her as she slept, feeling her heartbeat gradually slow against his chest, her breathing evening out into the deep rhythms of profound sleep. He allowed himself a rare moment of complete vulnerability, pressing his face into her hair and breathing in her scent, feeling the weight of what they’d shared that night.

"I love you," he whispered into the darkness, to her sleeping form, the words he couldn’t yet say when she was awake. "God help me, but I love you. And I don’t know what to do with that."

But she didn’t hear him. She was already deeply asleep, exhausted and sated and thoroughly claimed in every possible way.

The night finally settled into true rest, the villa silent except for the eternal song of the waves crashing against the rocks below. Two people who had been distanced, barriers broken down through passion and tenderness, intensity and care, claiming and surrender in equal measure.

Tomorrow would bring new challenges, new questions, perhaps new revelations, and difficult conversations.

But tonight, they had this, pure, uncomplicated intimacy mixed with raw passion, and the beginning of something that might actually be real and lasting.

The moonlight eventually returned, casting its silver glow through the windows once more as dawn approached, illuminating two forms entwined so completely it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began.

And for now, for this perfect moment suspended in time, that was more than enough.

It was everything.

The Huo Mansion - Early Morning

Dawn had barely begun to paint the sky with soft pinks and golds when the first alarm chimed in the children’s wing of the Huo mansion.

At exactly 5:30 AM, Huo Minghao’s hand shot out with practiced efficiency, silencing the device before it could disturb Qing Qing’s much-needed rest.

She sat up slowly, her sharp mind already alert despite the early hour after training in the military Academy, and glanced toward the adjacent bed.

To her surprise, Qing Qing was already awake, propped against her pillows and gazing out the window at the awakening sky.

There was something peaceful yet haunted in her expression.

"You’re up so early," Minghao observed, swinging her legs out of bed. "You should rest more since you have nowhere to be at this time."

Qing Qing turned toward her, and Minghao caught the shadows beneath her eyes. "I couldn’t sleep much," the girl admitted softly. "Nightmares. My body still wakes up expecting danger, even though I know I’m safe here." Even though her Mandarin sounded foreign and broken, she could still communicate.

Minghao’s young face held understanding far beyond her years. "It takes time. But you’re safe here. I promise." With her father, she knew no one would dare come knocking at their doors.

Suddenly a light knock at the door interrupted them, followed by Qin Xinyu’s cheerful voice. "Are you two awake? It’s time to get ready! Should I come in?"

"Come in!" Minghao called back.

The door opened to reveal Qin Xinyu already dressed in his crisp school uniform, his damp hair evidence of an early shower.

The transformation from the frightened, bullied boy he’d once been to this confident young man was striking.

"Good morning," he greeted them warmly. "Qing Qing, how are you feeling today?"