Chapter 188: Augustine’s relief

Words : 1119 Updated : Sep 27th, 2025

Chapter 188: Augustine’s relief Her presence stole the air from the room. She looked stunning, like warmth and sunshine after a long storm. Augustine rose to his feet, a wave of emotion crossing his features—relief, longing, love. "Augustine," Anne called joyfully and rushed toward him, her happiness overflowing. In the next heartbeat, she flung herself into his arms. "Papa is awake," she breathed, brimming with joy. "I can’t believe it—I’m so happy." Her embrace calmed the storm inside him, her presence soothing the fears that had just moments ago gripped him so fiercely. Augustine wrapped his arms around her tightly. She pulled back slightly, just enough to look up into his eyes. "I told him about you. And I promised to bring you to meet him. He is really happy, Augustine... He is eager to see you. We’ll go see him after our honeymoon." Her words barely had time to sink in. Augustine cupped the back of her head and leaned in, crushing his lips against hers. It was sudden, desperate, like he needed the kiss to confirm she was still his, still here. Anne stiffened in surprise, her eyes wide. The rest of her sentence died on her lips. She tried to pull back, hands pressing against his chest. "Augustine... control," she murmured, glancing nervously toward the door. "Anyone can come in—" But he didn’t listen. His hand caught her jaw and turned her face back to his. His eyes searched hers for a moment, and then he leaned in again, claiming her mouth in a deeper, more possessive kiss. Her body responded before her mind could catch up. The heat of his kiss swept through her, kindling a familiar desire that made her toes curl. She melted into him, returning the kiss with equal hunger, her fingers gripping the fabric of his shirt. Anne pulled back, her expression turning serious. "There is something you should know. I think someone filed a complaint about me being absent from the office." "Is that so?" Augustine’s brow lifted, intrigued. "What makes you say that?" "Helena called me while I was at the hospital," Anne explained. "She sounded upset and accused me of neglecting my responsibilities." "She dared scold you?" he muttered tightly and reached out for her phone. "Let me handle this. She needs to be reminded who you are." Anne quickly caught his hand, stopping him. "No—wait. It’s not her fault. She was just reacting to the complaint she received. I’m sure it’s Megan stirring up trouble again. She has been looking for ways to mess with me." "Megan..." Augustine echoed, his thoughts flashing back to his encounter with her earlier. "Right. She was waiting outside my office. She said she saw you leaving in a rush. And..." He paused, watching Anne closely. "She mentioned Denis called you, that you left right after. Were you with him?" He kept his voice casual, but the intensity in his gaze betrayed his deeper intent. He wanted her to be honest with him. He trusted her, yes, but part of him needed to hear it from her lips. "Yes, Denis did call me," she admitted calmly. "But I ignored his call. And no... I wasn’t with him. I went to the hospital on my own." She took a breath and continued, "He was already there, apparently meeting with the dean. He wanted to ensure the hospital punished the doctor who falsified Tania’s pregnancy report. He even apologized to me for what happened at the party. Said he was ashamed of himself." Anne gave a small shrug indifferently as if Denis’s words hadn’t left much of a mark on her. Augustine paid close attention to her words, his mind piecing things together. It was clear that Denis was attempting to regain Anne’s trust, putting on an act of remorse while secretly arranging for someone to capture their interaction. The intent behind it was transparent: to stir Augustine’s jealousy and sow doubt. Still, what disturbed Augustine most wasn’t Denis’s game—it was the haunting fear that Anne might unknowingly fall for it, that Denis’s feigned sincerity might stir something from the past. "Do you... Trust him?" he asked, the question burning in his throat. Anne didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she looked him in the eyes unwaveringly. "Ten years," she began, her voice heavy with emotion. "I spent ten years loving that man. I trusted him blindly, gave him everything. And what did I get in return? Betrayal. Humiliation. Pain I can’t even put into words." She drew a shaky breath, her fingers curling slightly. "I learned my lesson for loving the wrong guy. I would never make that mistake again." Seeing the pain reflected in her eyes, Augustine felt a sharp pang in his chest. He wrapped his arms around her, silently cursing himself for ever asking that question. Anne rested her face against Augustine’s chest, tears stinging in her eyes as she recalled the hardships she had endured since she was a child. "All my life, I was made to feel unwanted," she whispered, her words soaked in old wounds. "They said I didn’t belong... that I was a burden. Even when I worked hard, when I achieved something, it felt like I was just trying to prove I deserved to exist." A lump formed in her throat, her heart aching with each memory. "When Denis came into my life, I thought he would change everything—that he’d give me the love I always longed for. But I was wrong. To him, I was just a stand-in for someone else, a shadow to distract him from Tania." Her voice cracked. "I naively believed that if I stayed by his side and followed his every word, he would eventually love me. I put up with all the pain he caused, convincing myself that one day he’d recognize my worth. But in the end, he only betrayed me." She wiped away her tears and lifted her gaze to meet his. "After what he did, I didn’t think I could trust anyone again. But then you came along. You didn’t just love me... You made me feel seen, valued, and cherished. You gave me the happiness I thought I’d never have." Her hand reached up to gently trace his jaw. "You brought joy back into my life." Augustine’s heart clenched. Every wall of doubt he had built crumbled in that moment. "You’ll never be alone again," he vowed softly. "I’ll love you, protect you, and stand by you for the rest of my life." He cupped her face and kissed her—deep, tender, and full of promise. Anne melted into his arms, her soul yielding completely to his love. "Let’s go home," Augustine murmured breathlessly against her lips.

Chapter 188: Augustine’s relief

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