"Happy new year my love."

She opened her eyes and smiled up at the gorgeous masculine face that looked at her with love in his eyes.

"Happy new year babe." She sat up and he kissed her forehead.

"Why didn't you wake me earlier?" She asked as she looked at the clock.

"You were sleeping so peacefully, a view I greatly enjoy, that I couldn't bring myself to wake my beautiful wife."

He said. "And I noticed you were feeling very tired last night."

"It's the pregnancy," she said with a smile and rubbed her protruded tummy.

She was thankful for the so many blessings she had received the past year. "I can't wait to have him in my arms."

"Me too." He said and kissed her hand. "The kids are overjoyed as well. You make me so happy, all of you."

"You make me so happy too." She said as she placed her hand on his cheek. "And I'm thankful that you never gave up on us despite my stubbornness."

He smiled. "I deserved it. But yes, I'm glad that I never gave up on us. Having you all in my life is my greatest achievement. God, I was a fool to have ever let you go. When I had discovered you had left town and no one knew of your whereabouts, I almost went mad. I couldn't stop cursing myself for my stupidity. And it was always worse at nights when I got back from work to an empty house. It was like your absence haunted me and I went crazy searching for you without success. You can't imagine how revived and renewed I had felt when I finally saw you that night at your mother's house. Not seeing your face at least, all those years you had been missing was pure torture that I never want to go through again..."

She hushed him with a kiss. "It's all in the past now. We should dwell in our present and erase all thoughts of everything bad that had happened in the past but keep the beautiful memories. Can you do that for me?"

He nodded with a rueful smile. "I love you."

"I love you too my ever handsome husband." She replied as he kissed her.

"I like it whenever you call me that: 'husband'"

She giggled. "But you're indeed my husband. Duh, we remarried remember?"

He chuckled. "I know it's been more than a year since we got remarried but you don't know what hearing you call me 'husband' once again does to me."

"I know," she said softly. "Was just pulling your legs. You know I feel the same. I can't even imagine ever thinking that I could live without you. Or the emptiness that I would have felt if I had gotten married to another man..."

"Don't say such things." He interrupted.

She giggled then was suddenly in the mood to tease him. "Or I probably would have ended up falling in love with him and live happily ever after together." She wasn't looking at him but she knew he was already scowling as his arms around her tensed. "Remember that guy I had told you about? The one who had taken me on that date by the sea and how we had ended up..."

"Annabelle!" He growled in warning and she burst out laughing then pressed a kiss on his lips wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I was just teasing you, love." She said with twinkling eyes. "Your jealousy is out of this world."

"You know I can never bear the thought of another bastard's hands on you." He said in a gruff but cute manner and she kissed him again then felt him relax.

"And you know that no man could ever compare to you babe." She replied softly.

He smiled this time, that smile that always turned her insides to mush.

"You are mine and mine alone, I'd be damned if I let any man take you away from me again."

"I'm never going anywhere again." She sat up with a serious face. "And God knows I'd deal with any woman that so much as comes close to you with dirty intent."

He chuckled and gathered her in his arms. "Babe you know I only have eyes for you alone."

"I know but I swear to God that Ophelia at your office is gonna get a feel of my fist if she ever looks at you like that again, especially in my presence!" She snapped as she remembered the way the stupid whore was undressing her husband with her eyes. Thing is, David never even noticed.

She was also very thankful for the trust they have for each other.

He chuckled deeply and held her closer kissing her lips. "Even you know that no other woman can satisfy me, body, soul and spirit the way you do. And If I had my way I'd lock you up in this house all day everyday just to shield you from the eyes that rove over you in admiration whenever you go out but I can't even give such thought another consideration because I trust you with every part of me even though I hate the way their lustful gaze rakes over your body whenever we go out. Heaven knows I'd strangle those bastards one of these days." He finished distractedly with a frown.

"Calm down baby," she said with a grin. "You're not going to strangle anyone. They can only look, because looking is free but they'd never touch because this woman right here belongs to David Maxwell and him alone."

He smiled proudly at her then drew her in for another kiss. "How did I get so lucky? I love you so much Mrs Annabelle David Maxwell."

"And I love you too Mr David Maxwell."

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