Chapter 20 Their first stop was Taormina, Italy. Vivienne had been obsessed with visiting ever since watching Malèna-that gorgeous, heartbreaking film about wartime Sicily. The original plan was to go right after graduation. Then the accident happened, she lost five years to a coma, and the dream got put on indefinite hold. Now she was finally getting her chance. Taormina was pure magic-a stunning cliffside town with jaw-dropping views and that famous heart-shaped coastline.[] The energy hit them the second they arrived. Medieval streets packed with tourists, the air thick with amazing food smells, everything buzzing with life.] They wandered the cobblestone alleys hand in hand, each step echoing with centuries of history. Honey-colored buildings lined the narrow streets, glowing golden in the Mediterranean sunshine.]] Vivienne kept stopping to browse the tiny shops, completely enchanted by handcrafted jewelry and local treasures.] They climbed higher into the old town until they reached a perfect viewpoint.]] From there, the whole village spread out below them alongside the most spectacular ocean vista she'd ever seen.]] In the distance, the famous Isola Bella sat like a jewel in Taormina Bay, while the endless Ionian Sea sparkled under perfect blue skies. Vivienne closed her eyes and let the salty breeze wash over her, feeling like it was carrying away every piece of baggage she'd been holding onto.] "Dom, will you stay with me forever? Like this?"[ ] He wrapped his jacket around her shoulders. "Always. You're the only person I'll ever love."[] She smiled at his answer. "Were you ever in love with Leona?" Dominic went rigid. After a long pause: "You caught all that in the conference room, huh?"] She nodded, still gazing out at the endless water.[] He didn't know how to answer. Because yes-he had loved Leona once.[] They were complete opposites. Where Vivienne was steady and loyal, Leona was fire and passion.[] Leona wore her heart on her sleeve, made grand gestures, demanded attention.[] If Vivienne's love was like gentle whispers between lovers, Leona's was like fireworks exploding across the sky.[] And yes, he'd been drawn to that intensity. That's exactly why he'd hurt Vivienne so badly in his past life.[] They All Died for Her WUN Terminal Cancer, Fm Dune Playing their Games 1534 Chapter 20 His silence said everything. Finally, Vivienne whispered, "It's okay. Just… love me now. That's all I need."]] The relief nearly knocked him over. He kissed her desperately, pouring everything into it-all his love, all his regret, all his promises.] "God, Viv, I love you so much."[] "I swear on everything-you're my forever."]] That afternoon, they explored the ancient Greek theater that had been standing for over 2,300 years.[] Carved right into the clifftop, it looked like it was floating between heaven and earth.] Sitting in those ancient stone seats with the wind whipping around them, she could practically hear ghosts of long-dead actors delivering their lines. From the top row, the view was unreal-crumbling ruins in the foreground, the medieval town cascading down the hillside, and beyond all that, the endless sea stretching toward distant volcanoes.[] They sat in perfect silence, both lost in imagining all the dramas that had played out on this exact stage across the millennia.[] Later, on the beach, golden sunlight turned the white sand into pure magic.]] Vivienne kicked off her sandals and walked barefoot along the water's edge, laughing as waves crashed over her feet.] Dominic carried her shoes and kept one protective hand on her back, scanning for sharp shells or rocks.] The beach was alive with people swimming, sunbathing, just living their best lives with pure joy radiating from every face.[] That became their rhythm-staying wherever felt right, moving on when wanderlust struck again.]]] Two months vanished in what felt like minutes before reality came calling. Dominic's company was drowning in crisis mode, and Vivienne's fans were staging a revolt demanding new content.]] Reluctantly, they said goodbye to their perfect escape and headed back to the real world.[] ♡ (0) (0)