Chapter 99 From Whispers To Headlines

• Rachel POV
• The morning light filtered through the blinds, casting a golden glow across my bedroom, the air warm with the lingering heat of our bodies and the faint scent of lavender from the diffuser on my nightstand. I lay tangled in the sheets, my body pressed against Jeremy’s, our legs entwined, my fingers tracing lazy patterns on his chest as his hand slid gently along my spine, a caress that sent shivers of contentment through me. We were still in bed, the world outside held at bay, our breaths mingling as we talked in soft, passionate whispers, the kind of conversation that felt like a continuation of our lovemaking—raw, open, full of the love that had carried us through so much. His heartbeat was steady beneath my cheek, a rhythm that grounded me, a reminder that here, in his arms, I was safe, even if just for now.
• “I still can’t believe I let Cody fool me,” I murmured, my voice soft, the sting of his betrayal dulled but not gone, the empty safe a shadow in my mind. “I wanted him to be my dad so badly, Jeremy. I feel like such a fool.”