Chapter 0479

Nina

The air was thick with laughter and clinking glasses, everyone ecstatic over the end of another grueling semester.

Lori, Jessica, and a handful of others from our pre-med program had gathered in my living room to celebrate our triumphs, academic and otherwise. The room was a vibrant mixture of color, laughter, and flashing smartphone cameras capturing a moment we would hopefully all remember.

Just as the laughter reached another crescendo, I slipped into the kitchen, my eyes darting over the array of chips, cookies, and assorted finger foods spread across the counter.

As much as I loved my friends and their vibrant energy, I felt an inexplicable pull toward solitude, even if only for a moment. I reached for some chips, contemplating how this room had morphed into a sanctuary from the noise and mirth that filled the living room.

Suddenly, callused hands covered my eyes, plunging me into playful darkness. "Guess who?" a familiar voice whispered.

A chuckle escaped my lips. "Hmm, let's see...Ryan Gosling? Chris Hemsworth? Oh, wait, it must be Zac Efron!"

The hands lifted, and I was spun around to face my grinning husband. "As much as I wish I had the abs of any of those guys, sorry to disappoint."

"Never a disappointment," I shot back, feeling a warmth spread through me, soothing the jagged edges of my unsettled thoughts. I playfully ran my hand along Enzo's midsection, feeling the muscles beneath his shirt. "Your abs are even better."

Suddenly, Enzo pulled one hand from behind his back to produce a small box with a lid. He held it out to me with a sheepish grin on his face like a child who had just picked his mom a flower, roots and all.

my heart skipping

of silver that seemed to capture the moonlight. When I popped it open, inside were pictures of us-a selfie of us taken overlooking the cliff behind the house, where I was kissing his cheek and he was grinning into the camera, and another one taken on

tiny pictures

I?" he asked, gesturing to put it

neck. I felt the delicate chain slide around me, followed by his

his eyes meeting

to resist, I closed the gap between us, our lips meeting in a fervent kiss. For a moment, I considered

from the kiss when we

love you," I murmured, leaning my cheek

you," he replied, his arms

through our reverie. "Another round of shots!" I looked up to see her standing over by the bar in our living room, holding a tray above her head while

fun," he said, before grabbing a beer from the fridge and

and reached for one of the shots, but as the liquid warmth cascaded down my throat, a sudden wave of nausea struck. Discreetly, I slid away from the revelry

belly. I knew I wasn't pregnant, but I was still feeling intermittently sick. It must have been food poisoning, but it was strange food poisoning at that. I'd never had food poisoning before where I

minutes when my thoughts were interrupted when the door creaked open. Enzo peeked in, his eyes immediately narrowing in concern. "Hey," he

to muster a smile.

seen you pull all-nighters, down energy drinks like water, and still be the life of the party. This doesn't seem

off, and it doesn't feel like normal food poisoning. I'm almost wondering if I should take another pregnancy

met mine, filled with a blend of love and concern that was uniquely Enzo. "If you think it's necessary. then you should do it. But if you're still feeling like this in

heightened; I could hear the rustling of leaves outside, the distant hoot of an owl, even

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