Secrets of Us A Forbidden Love Romance (Alina) novel Chapter 220

Leather Journals

The rest of the trip passes in by in contentment. Peace.

We don’t have another confrontation or a deep conversation, and I’m thankful for it. Even

more thankful that we aren’t forced to share a bed again.

When Zaid woke up, he pulled away like I had burned him.

And maybe I had.

I burn for him.

For once, things are easy. We exist in the same space without feeling the need to fill the silence, and it doesn’t feel like something is missing. It feels full in its own quiet way.

I rest my head against the window, watching the blur of trees and signs pass. Zaid hums along to the music, tapping the wheel in rhythm, and every now and then, he glances at

1. me.

I never look directly at him, because although I feel better than I have in days, sometimes it’s still too much. The heaviness hasn’t disappeared completely, but it’s settled. Like we’re learning how to carry it.

We had to stop by and buy a couple of coats and blankets, neither one of us used to the

weather this far east and north.

By the time we reach Virginia, the sun is low, casting everything in a beautiful orange light.

The air smells different here, fresher, cleaner. Hopeful, almost. And the glass against my

cheek is cold.

Zaid pulls off the road and drives up the narrow gravel path that winds around a gentle hill. When the house comes into view, my breath catches.

It’s exactly how I remember it from the listing. The white wood, the wraparound porch, the tall windows that I just know make the house feel light and bright.

My eyes shift to the sign in the front yard and the large bold letters that spell out ‘sold‘.

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Leather Journals

My stomach sours, sadness creeping into my eyes. “It’s sold.”

Zaid says nothing and when I turn to face him, there’s a quiet smile on his face.

I frown, confused, and turn back to the house. “Wait… what?”

He puts the car in park and unlocks the doors.

“You got it?” I whisper, stunned.

He nods. “Made some calls. Got my dad to help. We bought it.”

My mouth falls open and I just stare at him. “Zaid.”

But I don’t wait for more words. I’m already unbuckling, flying out of the car, running up

the porch and around the back.

Tears of joy spark in my eyes when I see the lake.

It sparkles beneath the setting sun like church windows. It’s surrounded by trees whose leaves are touching the water. It’s even better than I imagined. Peaceful. Still. Like time might actually stop here.

I gasp, pressing both hands over my mouth. “It’s beautiful,” I say, voice thick.

He’s beside me, quiet, watching me with soft eyes. His hands in his pockets. “Yeah, it’s

perfect.”

We walk around the porch, and he squats by the front door where the lockbox is. My heart hammers in my chest when he opens it, and I laugh when he unlocks the front door.

Inside, the house is empty but alive. With hardwood floors, big open rooms, windows that beg for sunlight, and maybe one day, a dog skidding across the floors.