A Love Restored

Chapter 92

NOW

“Hey! Good morning” Felix chirped as he entered the kitchen just five minutes after I did.

“Moming.” I smiled at him, “You’re up early.”

In response, he grinned from ear to ear. “I’m taking you out. Get dressed. Meet me in the foyer at noon, okay?”

“Really?” I felt giddy with excitement. Was he taking me on a date? “Okay! Let me make your breakfast, first, though.”

“Never mind that, flower.” He said. “We can both make breakfast. Have you eaten?”

I shook my head.

“Go and make some coffee for us, I’ll make us some eggs. Sounds good?”

“I love egg

“I know. I’ll make your favorite, too. Salty French toast. 1 smiled. My mom used to make a savory French toast for Felix and me, when we were younger. With onions and chili and tomatoes. It was really good. I hadn’t made it in a long time. I was surprised Felix still remembered it.

I made us some coffee while he worked over the stove. I watched him chop vegetables, beat the eggs and toast the bread. At short pauses, he would look up at me, and we would smile at each other a little.

Man, I loved domestic bliss.

“It looks really good,” he said, flipping a perfectly golden slice of French toast in the pan. “I hope you like it.”

My stomach rumbled in response, and I couldn’t help but grin. I’m sure I will. I can’t wait to eat

Felix plated the French toast, and we sat down at the cory kitchen table. As we dug into the delicious breakfast he’d prepared, I marveled at the perfect balance of crispy edges and soft centers.

“This is incredible,” I complimented between bites. “It’s just like mom used to make.”

Felix chuckled, his eyes reflecting genuine happiness. “Anything for you, flower. Though that is a big compliment.”

After finishing our meal, 1 brewed a pot of coffee, and the rich aroma wafted through the air. I took a sip of the steaming beverage, savoring the comforting warmth. We chatted and laughed, enjoying the simple pleasure of each other’s company.

As we finished our coffee, Felix stood up, “Now, go on and get dressed for our date, and meet me in the living room

I couldn’t help but feel a flutter of excitement. The sound of his footsteps followed me as I climbed the stairs, leaving the scent of coffee and French

toast behind.

In my room, I quickly took a shower and put on some make up.

I stood in front of my closet, frowning at the array of clothes that seemed inadequate for whatever Felix had planned. My wardrobe consisted mostly of casual wear, and the thought of a fancy date with Felix, sent a pang of self–consciousness through me. I sighed, my fingers trailing over the folded clothes, desperately searching for something that felt right.

Everything I had was…poor people clothing. Most of it was from Goodwill. And everything was old. I hadn’t bought new clothes in a year. Even the underwear I was wearing had a small hole in it. Underwear is expensive, you know?

Tears sprung to my e

eyes. Would Felix find me weird and poor and feel pity for me, when he saw me in my low quality clothing?

In the midst of the struggle, my eyes landed on a dress tucked away at the back. It was a floral dress, a gift from Tommy on my birthday. I hesitated for a moment, unsure if it was nice enough for whatever he had in mind. But as I held it up, the delicate pattern of blossoms in shades of pink and peach seemed to call out to me. I mean…I only had one other dress. And that was my part dress – a little black one. I was sure it wouldn’t be appropriate for the day, So now I had to wear this one.

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The dress itself was a knee–length, A–line silhouette with a subtle flare. The fabric was a soft blend of cotton and silk, giving it a gentle flow. The neckline was modest, and the short puffy sleeves offered a touch of elegance. What I loved most were the tiny details – delicate lace trim along the hem and sleeves, adding a romantic touch to the overall design. It was quite cottagecore. Tommy had good taste!

As I slipped it on, the material draped over me like a dream, and I couldn’t help but smile at the reflection in the mirror. The floral pattern seemed to brighten my features. I looked good! I breathed a sigh of relief.

With a satisfied nod, I added a pair of simple heels and glanced at myself one last time before heading downstairs to meet Felix. As I descended the staircase, I caught a glimpse of him waiting in the living room, his eyes lighting up as he saw me.

“You look so beautiful, flower.” He smiled warmly.

1 giggled, feeling a wave of relief wash over me. “Thank you.” I did a little twirl for him, and his eyes softened.

“I’m always surprised by how pretty you are,” he said, taking my hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You ready?”

I nodded.

He led me to his car, and I sat inside, gaping at the interiors. “This is…really fancy. What car is this?”

“This one is a Bentley.” He answered.

“It’s so fancy, I feel out of place in here,” I looked at him in the driver’s seat, “You always wanted a Porsche.”

“I’ve got that, too.”

I bit my lip. Yeah right, of course he did.

“But I’m not so big on cars, anymore. I might get a motorcycle.”

I imagined him on a motorcycle, his hair flowing with the wind, the leather boots he’d wear. It made my heart swell with something. Yeah, it was lust, I guess. But I was also kind of turned on watching him drive. There is something so hot about sitting beside a man driving a nice car. The passenger princess lifestyle is really it.

“This is a bit strange, no?” I commented as he began driving. He looked to the side at me. He had dressed up, too. He was wearing a nice outfit. A nice shirt and nice pants.

“What?”

“It’s like we’re going on a first date.” I said. “But really we’ve known each other for years.”

He didn’t say anything for a bit. I wondered if I had said something wrong.

When he finally did, he looked at me again, and his eyes were sharp and intense, like they would shoot arrows at me anytime, “We know each other, inside out, Flora,” he said. I nodded in response, “But I want to get to know the you these past five years have made. And I want to love her, too.”

Love her?

He realized what he had said, and I saw his eyes widen. I quickly changed the subject, asking him about work and his friends from before. He told me I could meet them soon, that they’d be delighted to see me.

The drive to the date was filled with anticipation. I kept asking him where we were going, but he wouldn’t divulge. The car windows were rolled down, allowing a gentle breeze to tousle my hair as we made our way out of the city and drove through winding roads surrounded by greenery that made the air feel so fresh. I breathed in the sweet scent of wet mud and lush trees.

As we arrived, I stepped out of the car and found myself standing on a grassy hill overlooking a breathtaking landscape.

“Wow,” was the only word that left me. Felix grinned sheepishly.

“Flora, now turn around and close your eyes for a bit, okay?”

“But why?” I whined. He raised an eyebrow, I huffed and turned around.

He took about five minutes before asking me to turn around. When I did, a colorful blanket was spread out under a large oak tree, adorned with heart-

Chapter 12

shaped cushions. The air was filled with the sweet scent of blooming flowers. On the blanket, was a bouquet with an arrangement of wildflowers.

Felix opened the car trunk and revealed a picnic basket. He placed it on the mat, and began to take out things from it, placing them on the blanket. The basket filled with heart–shaped food. There was a bento cake adorned with intricate icing, heart–shaped sandwiches, and even a small heart–shaped pizza.

“When did you do all this?” I squealed.

“When you were getting dressed,” he smiled, “Do you like it?” He asked, his eyes shining with excitement and nervousness.

I laughed, genuinely finding it humorous that he thought I wouldn’t be impressed by the effort he had put into creating such a magical setting. “Felix, this is amazing! Everything looks so adorable.”

He gestured towards the picnic spread with a flourish. “I wanted today to be special, our first date. Ever.”

I took a seat on the blanket, surrounded by the charming heart–shaped decor. Felix poured us glasses of sparkling lemonade, and we began to enjoy the delightful feast he had prepared. Each bite was a burst of flavor, simply because all the food tasted of all the effort he had put in. For me.

Amidst bites of heart–shaped pizza and slices of the bento cake, Felix reached into the picnic basket and pulled out another bouquet of flowers. Red roses. Simple, classic, Romantic.

I took the flowers from him, and smelled them. “Thank you,” I told him. “For everything”

As the sun bathed us in its warm glow, Felix and I sat amidst the picnic setup, our fingers entwined.

“I’ve missed you” He said suddenly. “God, Flora without you…the last few years…”

He spoke animatedly about his university life. He told me about how he dropped a semester after what had happened with me, how he spent those months looking for me. And when he couldn’t find me…the depression and therapy and alcohol and drugs.

I hated Ascensio. And my Dad. They had ruined our lives.

“Uni was… fun at times, but I was never fully there, you know?” he said, a nostalgic smile playing on his lips. I nodded. I understood that. I knew what it felt like to feel torn apart, like half of you was here, and half of you elsewhere.

“Half of me was always with you,” he said softly, looking up at me tenderly, “I only feel whole now that I have you back.”

“I missed you more than I can express, Flora,” he admitted, reaching for my hand. “You’ve always been the missing plece, and having you back in my life feels like everything is falling into place.”

I squeezed his hand with mine. I really really wanted to kiss him right now,

I think he heard my thoughts, because he suddenly grabbed the back of my head and pulled me to him. His kiss was rushed and languid, like he was making up for lost time. He was. He still kissed like he had all those years ago, but better. Full of fervor, grabby, but so soft and romantic at the same

time.

He pulled away from me. I blushed. “You taste like chocolate.” I blurted.

Felix laughed, “It’s the chocolate strawberries, baby,”

I smiled. “Your parents were really nice to me,” I said, “I’ve missed them, too,”

He just smiled a little. I wondered how Felix felt about his father not loving his mother enough. Because he had only ever loved my mother, I wondered how Mrs. Corsino felt, too.

“Dad is going to announce me as the Head soon. Within this

year.

My eyes widened.

“That’s…a lot.”

Tve been preparing for this, Flora,” he said. “All my life. It’s a big responsibility, but I want to make my mark and continue the legacy. Leading the family is an honor.”

our conversation.

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I nodded. It really was. And I knew he had it in him to do so.

The warmth of the sunlight seemed to envelop us as he spoke, casting a comforting embrace over o

“Are you ready to be the boss lady with me?”

I almost spat my water out. “Wh what?”

He chuckled, “Don’t worry about it, flower. I’ll take care of you.”

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