Sweet Hatred-Chapter 456: House Hunting

The house was even more breathtaking in person than it had been in the photos.

We pulled up the long, tree-lined driveway, snow-covered branches creating a white canopy overhead, and my breath caught in my throat.

The Historic Family Manor.

It was a 19th-century restoration, all stone exterior with ivy climbing the walls... dormant now in winter but I could imagine how it would look in spring, lush and green and alive.

Fifteen acres of manicured gardens stretched out in every direction, currently blanketed in pristine snow that sparkled in the afternoon sunlight.

"Oh my God," I breathed.

Kael’s hand found mine, squeezing gently. "Want to see inside?"

I nodded, unable to form words.

The real estate agent, a polished woman named Victoria was waiting at the front entrance, her smile warm and professional.

"Ms. Thorne, Mr. Roman," she greeted. "Welcome. Shall we?"

She led us through the massive front doors into an entrance hall that belonged in a museum.

Marble floors. A sweeping staircase with an ornate iron railing. Crown molding that had to be original. A chandelier that caught the light and scattered it across the walls like stars.

"The property was built in 1887," Victoria explained as we walked. "Fully restored five years ago while maintaining all original architectural features."

She showed us room after room, each more stunning than the last.

Ten bedrooms, all spacious with high ceilings and enormous windows.

A formal dining room that could seat twenty people.

A kitchen that was somehow both modern and timeless, with marble countertops and custom cabinetry.

But it was the library that made me stop in my tracks.

Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on every wall. A rolling ladder. A fireplace with armchairs positioned perfectly for reading. Windows overlooking the gardens.

"This is..." I couldn’t finish the sentence.

Kael’s arm slipped around my waist. "You like it."

"I love it," I whispered.

Victoria smiled knowingly. "Many of our clients find the library to be the crown jewel. Shall we continue?"

The conservatory was next—a glass-enclosed room filled with light, plants thriving even in winter, the perfect place for morning coffee or afternoon tea.

And then she showed us the nursery.

Or what could be the nursery.

It was on the second floor, connected to what would obviously be the master suite. Huge arched windows flooded the room with natural light. The walls were a soft cream color, waiting to be personalized.

I walked to the window, looking out over the gardens, and suddenly I could see it.

See everything.

A crib in the corner. Shelves filled with books and toys. Rocking chair by the window where I could nurse our baby while watching the sun rise.

Our child taking their first steps on these floors.

Growing up running through these gardens.

Olivia visiting with Kaleb and Lily, their laughter filling these halls.

Family dinners in that enormous dining room.

Quiet evenings in the library, Kael reading while I worked.

Home.

This could be home.

My hand went automatically to my stomach, and I felt tears prick my eyes.

"Aria?"

Kael’s voice was soft behind me.

I turned to face him, and whatever he saw in my expression made his own soften.

"This is the one, isn’t it?" he asked quietly.

"I don’t know," I admitted. "There are two other properties we haven’t seen yet. What if—"

"We can get all three if you want."

I blinked. "What?"

"All three properties," he repeated, completely serious. "If you can’t decide, we’ll get all of them. Use them for different purposes. Weekend getaways. Investment properties. Whatever you want."

"Kael, that’s insane—"

"No, what’s insane is the idea that you should have to choose when I can easily afford to give you everything you want."

I stared at him, torn between exasperation and something dangerously close to overwhelming love.

"You’re ridiculous," I said.

"I’m in love with you," he corrected. "There’s a difference."

Victoria cleared her throat delicately from the doorway. "I’ll give you two a moment. Take your time looking around."

She disappeared, leaving us alone.

I walked back to Kael, reaching up to cup his face.

"One house," I said firmly. "We’re getting one house. This one."

"You’re sure?"

I looked around the room again... our future nursery and nodded. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

"I’m sure. This could be home."

His smile was brilliant and genuine, the kind that transformed his entire face.

"Then it’s ours."

He kissed me softly, his hand settling over mine where it still rested on my stomach.

And for a moment, standing in what would be our child’s nursery, I let myself believe that everything was going to be okay.

That we could have this. This life. This future.

That the shadows I’d felt earlier were just paranoia.

Just stress.

Nothing real.

Nothing that could touch us here.

---

After finalizing details with Victoria... or rather, after Kael told her to draw up the paperwork immediately and offered twenty percent over asking price to expedite the sale... we left the manor and headed back to the city.

"Where are we going now?" I asked as he drove.

"Shopping."

"Kael, I don’t need—"

"It’s your birthday," he interrupted smoothly. "And I’m going to spoil you. Don’t argue."

I opened my mouth to argue anyway, then closed it.

Fine.

If he wanted to spoil me on my birthday, who was I to stop him?

The first boutique he took me to was the kind of place I would never have entered on my own. The kind where there were no price tags visible and the staff looked like they belonged on runways themselves.

"Mr. Roman," the manager greeted immediately. "Welcome back. How can we assist you today?"

"Whatever she wants," Kael said simply, gesturing to me.

The woman’s eyes lit up. "Of course. Right this way, Ms...?"

"Thorne," I supplied.

"Ms. Thorne. Let’s find you something beautiful."

What followed was two hours of trying on clothes I never would have looked at twice.

Designer dresses. Elegant blouses. Perfectly tailored pants. Cashmere sweaters so soft they felt like clouds.

Kael sat in a plush chair, watching me model each outfit with an intensity that made my skin heat.

"That one," he’d say. Or, "Definitely that one." Or, "Get it in every color."

By the time we left, I had bags full of clothes I didn’t need but absolutely loved.

The next stop was shoes.

Then jewelry.

Then handbags.

"Kael, this is too much," I protested weakly as he added yet another bag to our growing collection.

"It’s your birthday," he repeated. "And you’re carrying my child. If I want to buy you things, I’m going to buy you things."

"You already bought me a house today."

"And jewelry this morning. Your point?"

I didn’t have one.

So I let him spoil me, and found myself actually enjoying it.

The weight of everything... the stress, the fear, the uncertainty... seemed to lift slightly with each purchase.

Not because of the material things themselves, but because of what they represented.

His love. His commitment. His determination to give me everything I could possibly want.