Chapter 90

Verena arched an eyebrow in slight puzzlement, brushing the thought aside like dust on a shelf.

She slipped into bed from the far side, switched off the lamp, and asked lightly, "I've grown used to sleeping with a night light on. WouId that bother you?"

She knew Isaac never minded a light in the past, but that was before memory loss rewrote parts of him.Since time had passed, she thought it wise to confirm whether his old habits still held.

Isaac paused, caught unprepared by her question. Darkness had always been his ally; when waking from a nightmare, the blackness convinced him the terrors were nothing but shadows that would scatter with the dawn.

After a brief silence, his answer came low and steady."I don't mind."

"I guessed as much." Verena's brows lifted as she smiled and lay down beside him.

The heater hummed, filling the room with warmth. Their clothes were light, and when Verena shifted, Isaac's arm brushed against the lingering heat of her body.

The mingling of coolness and warmth made for a paradoxical harmony that unsettled him.

His breath caught; he fixed his eyes on the ceiling, lying still as if life had pressed pause.

Though his body was stiff, his thoughts tumbled restlessly.

The girl he cherished lay right beside him.

He could feel the delicate press of her fingers against his arm and inhale the faint fragrance of her hair.His throat worked, his teeth bit the inside of his cheek, and his breathing grew heavier without his notice.Seeing his blank gaze pinned to the ceiling, Verena understood his unease. With playful intent, she propped herself on her elbow, leaned closer, and asked, "Can't sleep?"

Her hand came to rest on his chest, her forehead brushing his chin, her breath fanning gently as if testing

his composure.

That sudden nearness made lsaac hyperaware-the warmth and softness pressing into him turned everybreath into a labor.

Awkward tension crept between them

When he still offered no reply, Verena reached to caress his cheek tenderly. "Why so quiet?

Her palm, soft as velvet, stroked his face as though he were a treasured companion.

Isaac lowered his eyes to study her intently

He was a storm of nerves, yet she was calm, almost serene.

Any ordinary girl, lying so close to someone she admired, would flush or falter.

But Verena remained composed.

Even sharing a bed, she carried herself with poise, still teasing him without hesitation.

To lsaac, it hinted at someone well-versed in matters of love.

A frown touched his brow as a sudden realization struck-he had never once asked about Verena's romanticpast.

At first, he found it needless. After al, their union began from mutual interests of their families

But now, curiosity gnawed at him.

Instead of replying to her teasing, lsaac murmured, "Can l ask you something?'Verena's eyes lit with interest. "Of course."

He hesitated inwardly. Would prying into her past make him appear insecure?

Would she mistake him for being improper, too narrow-minded?

And yet silence felt unbearable. She was not only the woman he liked but also the one he called wife.

He could not pretend indifference.

After wrestling with himself, he finally asked, hesitant yet firm, "Verena... how many relationships have you been in before?"

The room slipped into silence.

Isaac's fists tightened, a sheen of sweat dampened his palms. His gaze locked on her as though his very heartbeat awaited her reply.

Regret pricked him instantly-what if she disliked the question?

Catching his solemn expression, Verena chose to break the tension with a touch of humor. She teased lightly, "Three or four, maybe."