Steven watched Jonathan's figure vanish from the study. Only then did he finally unclench his trembling fists and walk to the window. He pushed it open, letting the cool breeze wash over his face to dissipate the tension coiled in his body.
When Jonathan found Anneliese, she was still in the sitting room chatting with Wendy.
He reached the doorway, his footsteps muffled by the thick carpet, so the two women inside remained oblivious to his arrival.
Gentle, pleasant laughter drifted out.
Jonathan saw them sitting together on the cream-colored couch by the floor-to-ceiling window, huddled over Wendy's phone, looking at photos.
Something was said that made them both laugh simultaneously. Sunlight poured through the glass, bathing them in a warm, golden glow.
The atmosphere between them was incredibly relaxed and happy. Perhaps influenced by his own suspicions, Jonathan noticed a distinct resemblance between the two faces.
Their auras, expressions, and even the subtle contours of their profiles seemed to mirror each other.
"Oh? Hubby, what are you doing here?"
Anneliese had been listening to Wendy share funny stories about Ellie's toddler years when she happened to look up and see Jonathan watching her from the doorway.
She waved at him. Wendy, noticing the intense, magnetic gaze passing between the couple, stood up first.
"I'm going to go check on Ellie," Wendy said. "The poor girl might not sleep soundly in a strange environment."
As she walked out, Wendy paused briefly beside Jonathan. "I never noticed before, Jonathan, but you're quite the clingy one."
She and Anneliese had barely been in there for an hour before Jonathan came looking for her.
It was certainly unexpected, but Wendy was genuinely happy for Anneliese. It was clear the young couple was head-over-heels for each other.
Being teased by a woman who was potentially his actual mother-in-law, Jonathan caught himself.
He reigned in his loose, casual smile, replacing it with a more restrained, respectful nod.
"I apologize if I'm making a scene, Madam Chalmont," he said with a faint smile.
Clearly unsatisfied with such a perfunctory kiss, Jonathan loosened his grip slightly and lowered his head. "Wrong spot. Try again."
Anneliese laughed, cupping his face and rising on her tiptoes to press her lips to his.
But the moment they touched, Jonathan took control, deepening the kiss into something far more intense.
This small sitting room was centrally located on the second floor with a semi-open design—there was no door to close. Anyone coming out of the other rooms would have to pass by and could see right in.
Anneliese hadn't forgotten that Steven, Wendy, and Ellie were all just down the hall.
She had no desire to die of embarrassment if they were caught. She pressed her hands against Jonathan's shoulders, trying to push him back as a warning.
Unfortunately, the man seemed to have caught some sort of fever; the more she resisted, the more passionate and relentless he became.
Breathless, Anneliese let out a soft whimper, her face flushing crimson.
She felt his right hand press firmly into the small of her back, pulling her flush against him with a strength that felt like he might snap her waist in two.

Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: When His Perfect Mask Shattered I Awoke (Anneliese and Zacharias)
When are the next chapters coming!!...
Next chapters please 🙏...
Update please...
Thank you for the new chapters....
Please update the rest of the book. It's been over a month without a resolution....
Next chapters please...
No new chapters...
Wow.. one chapter a day now. Sad...
COME ON!!! Really, just one chapter?! What is really going on? Please just upload the chapters and stop playing with us readers. These inconsistencies really ruin the reading experience and cause people to become disinterested....
It's been two days without any updates. Please update as soon as possible with more than 10 chapters please. I'm having withdrawal not being able to continue the story. Why is some on the story in blue with scratches through it, and why does is captcha required to unlock the end of the each chapter now?...