The next morning, Amara woke with a heaviness pressing against her chest. The house was quiet. Mia had already left for work, and the children had been dropped off at school earlier. For the first time in a long while, Amara found herself with nothing to do-no job to hurry to, no reports to file, no orders from her manager. Yesterday, her manager had kindly but firmly asked her to stop coming to work, promising to continue paying her salary until she was stable again.
She had accepted it, though the weight of idleness pressed on her. Alone in the house, her mind kept drifting back to her conversation with Damian the night before. His words, his tone, the sincerity in his eyes when he said he couldn't wait for her to regain her memory-it stirred something unfamiliar yet strangely comforting inside her.
"Is he truly my husband?" she whispered to herself. Her fingers trailed across the clean surface of the dining table as if searching for answers there. "He's so handsome, so gentle when he wants to be. And the children... they adore him."
Shaking her head, she decided to busy herself. She tied her hair into a loose bun and headed into the kitchen. The sink was half full with plates from breakfast, so she rolled up her sleeves and began washing. It was a small thing, but it kept her mind steady.
Just as she was rinsing the plate, she heard the main door creak open. Her heart skipped. She peeked around the corner and saw Damian walking in, dressed smartly, the morning sunlight catching the edges of his suit.
"Good morning," he said in that deep, steady voice of his.
"Good morning," she replied softly.
"The kids are already at school?" he asked, glancing around the quiet house.
"Yes. I dropped them off earlier."
His eyes flickered to the sink. "And what are you doing?"
"House chores," she said with a small smile.
Without another word, Damian walked straight into the kitchen, removed his suit jacket, and rolled up his sleeves. "Then let me join you."
"No, you don't have to-" she began, but he was already picking up a dish towel and taking the wet plates from her hand.
Amara blinked, her heart thudding. He's washing plates? She had never imagined Damian Knight, the billionaire CEO, standing in her kitchen drying plates like an ordinary man. The sight was oddly endearing, almost overwhelming. He's so caring...
By the time they finished, the kitchen sparkled. Amara moved to the dining area to wipe the table while Damian carried the last plate into the cupboard. When he was done, he sat in the living room, loosening his tie slightly.
Amara approached him. "What should I prepare for you to eat?"
He looked at her for a moment, then shrugged lightly. "I'm fine with noodles."
She nodded, a little relieved it was something simple. She went back to the kitchen, boiled the noodles, and added some vegetables. Minutes later, she placed the steaming plate before him. He ate quietly, his gaze occasionally drifting to her, though he didn't say much.
When he was done, he leaned back. "By evening I will be going back to state," he said slowly, I will"I'd like to take you all out. Spend some time together as a family. By the weekend, I'll come again."
Amara hesitated, then nodded. "That... that sounds fine."
He studied her face for a moment, then shifted closer, his expression softening. Their eyes met, and before she could turn away, he raised a hand, brushing back a strand of hair from her face. His touch lingered, gentle and deliberate. Slowly, his face drew nearer, and then his lips pressed against hers.
The kiss was warm, insistent, filled with a passion that took Amara by surprise. For a moment she froze, but then her lips responded, kissing him back. A strange flutter filled her chest, something she couldn't explain.
Just as the moment deepened, Damian's phone rang. The sharp sound broke the silence, and they pulled apart instantly.
"Hello," Damian said, answering the call.
"Sir," Eric's voice came from the other end, "you have to be here."
"I'll be there soon," Damian replied curtly, then ended the call. He looked back at Amara, as though he wanted to return to where they left off, but she quickly rose to her feet.
"I'll... go take my bath," she said, flustered.
He only smiled faintly and nodded.
About an hour later, Damian drifted off on the couch, exhaustion finally claiming him. When Amara came out, she found him sleeping soundly, his face unusually peaceful. She quietly fetched a blanket and covered him, her heart softening. For a long moment, she stood there watching him, then turned away.
She busied herself again, heading to the children's room to prepare outfits for them. She also laid out her own clothes for the evening outing, though she wasn't sure why her hands trembled as she folded the fabric. Around midday, she baked small palm cakes and arranged them neatly on the dining table.
It was past one when the sound of a car pulling up outside broke the silence. A moment later, Mia walked in with the children. Leah and Leo rushed toward the living room, their voices bright.
"Daddy!" Leah exclaimed when she spotted Damian asleep. "Daddy is really cute when he sleeps!"
Leo crossed his arms, grinning proudly. "Just like me!"
"And I'm beautiful like Mommy," Leah added, making Mia laugh.
Their chatter stirred Damian awake. He opened his eyes slowly, smiling as he saw the children hovering around him.
They soon gathered around the dining table, the smell of fresh cakes filling the air. Plates were set, and the family began eating together. Damian sat quietly at first, watching his children laugh and chatter, Amara smiling faintly as she cut Leah's cake into smaller pieces. It was a picture of peace he didn't want to lose.
Halfway through the meal, Damian set his fork down and cleared his throat. "How would you all like to go out this evening?"
The children froze, wide-eyed. Then both erupted with excitement.
"Really?" Leah squealed.
"Yes, Daddy?" Leo's voice was eager.
"Yes," Damian confirmed with a smile. "We'll all go together. Somewhere fun."
The children cheered so loudly that Mia burst into laughter. Leah nearly knocked over her cup as she rushed from the table. "Let me go change!"
"Me too!" Leo shouted, darting upstairs.
"Wait for us!" Amara called after them, rising to follow. Mia followed too, shaking her head at their excitement.
Downstairs, Damian gathered the plates and carried them back to the kitchen. Amara came down moments later, intending to clear the table, only to find everything already washed and neatly arranged.
"You didn't have to," she said, blushing.
"That's what couples do," Damian replied simply, his eyes holding hers.
Her heart skipped, and she quickly looked away. "I'll... I'll go change."
When she returned, dressed neatly, Mia was already ready, and the children were bouncing with excitement. Damian looked at Amara and smiled.
"You look gorgeous," he murmured.
She blushed again, whispering, "Thank you."
They all filed into the car-Mia and the children taking the back seat while Damian and Amara sat at the front. As they drove, Damian reached into the console and handed her a small wrapped box along with a sleek black ATM card.
"What is this?" she asked, startled.
"A gift," he said. "And the card is for you. The code is zero-zero-zero-zero."
She was about to protest, but he pressed it into her hand firmly. "Take it."
With trembling fingers, she opened the small box. Inside lay a delicate necklace that sparkled under the sunlight.
Her breath caught. "It's beautiful..."
"Do you like it?" Damian asked, his eyes soft on her.
"Yes," she whispered. "It's beautiful."
"Wear it," he said gently.
She slipped the necklace around her neck, her cheeks warm. Damian smiled, satisfied, as he drove them forward into the evening that awaited.