Chapter 223 She Had Until Then

• Morning light filtered gently through the bedroom curtains, casting soft golden streaks across the sheets. Serena blinked slowly as she woke, her body still humming with the memory of the night before. Everything was quiet except for the soft rhythm of Adriano's breathing beside her.
• He lay on his side, facing her with one arm tucked under his head. His black hair was tousled, messy from sleep and her fingers. He looked so peaceful and unguarded. The usual tension in his jaw was gone, and his lashes lay dark and still over his cheekbones.
• She knew that once she told him the truth, everything would change. So she allowed herself a moment, just one more, to enjoy this version of him. This man she had once hated. This man she now wanted. No, needed. Somewhere along the line, somewhere between the fights and the fear, her hate had blurred and morphed into something warmer and fluttery.