Chapter 264

Annie's POV

The children had finally fallen asleep, and I found myself drawn to the balcony of the master bedroom in Howard's Long Island mnansion.The distant sound of Atlantic waves crashing against the shore provided a soothing backdrop as city lights cast shimmering reflections on the dark water. Howard joined me, offering a glass of red wine. We stood in comfortable silence, savoring this rare moment of peace.

Howard noticed my silence and gently took my hand. "What are you thinking about?"

"Just how after everything, we can finally breathe," I smiled, though I knew my eyes still held a trace of worry. "Philip, Sarah, Lucy, Brian...everything happened so fast."

"I know," Howard's voice was deep and gentle, his gray eyes reflecting the city lights dancing on the water. "But what matters is that we're all safe now. Lucy is recovering, and Brian is starting to accept this new family."

I nodded gratefully, appreciating that Howard didn't mention the horrors of that night in the factory or what Philip had almost done to me.He focused only on the present, on keeping me and the children safe.

"Annie," Howard finally broke the brief silence, "there's something I want to discuss with you."

I turned to him. "What is it?"

Howard took a deep breath, his expression becoming both serious and tender. "These past few days, I've been thinking about our future. After

facing so much danger and pain. I've realized life is too short to waste on fear and hesitation."

He took my hand and kissed it softly. "I want to have a wedding, Annie.Not one of those grand Upper East Side social events, but a ceremony filled with love and joy, with only our closest people present. I want to formally announce to the world that you're my wife, and Lucy and Brian are our children."

I looked at him in surprise. "A wedding? Howard, are you sure this is the right time, considering everything we've just been through..."

Howard gently caressed my cheek. "It's precisely because we've been through all this that we should celebrate our love. Don't you think? We've allowed fear and pain to occupy too much of our time. It's time to begin anew."

He pulled me closer. "I want to give you a beautiful memory, Annie. One that can replace those nightmares. I want Lucy to witness our commitment,and Brian to know he'll always be part of this family. This isn't just a wedding-it's our new beginning together."

I felt my eyes grow moist, a surge of emotion rising within me. This man,once known as the "cold CEO" by Howard Technologies employees, now wanted to dispel the shadows in my heart with love and commitment.

"Will you, Annie?" Howard's eyes were full of expectation. "Will you put the past behind us and begin a new life with me?"

I looked at him tenderly, tears glistening in my eyes. "Yes,Howard.More than anything."

Howard's face lit up with a radiant smile as he reached into his suit pocket

and produced an elegant Tiffany blue velvet box. "I was saving this for a more perfect moment." He opened it to reveal a simple yet stunning diamond ring that sparkled in the light.

I held my breath as Howard carefully slipped the ring onto my finger. In that moment. I felt all my fears dissipating, replaced by hope and love.

"It's beautiful," I whispered. my voice trembling with emotion.

Howard kissed me softly. "No, you're the beautiful one, my fiancée."

Back in the bedroom, we stood in the center of the dimly lit room. Howard closed the door, and silence enveloped us. Only our breathing and the distant sound of waves filled the space. My fingers unconsciously touched the new ring, its cool metal reminding me this was all real.

Howard stood a few steps away, his gaze cautious and concerned.

"What are you afraid of?" I asked softly,stepping toward him.

"Hurting you," he answered simply, his eyes glancing at the bandages on my wrists.

I shook my head and rose on my tiptoes to kiss him. His hands hovered uncertainly in the air, hesitant to touch me. I took his wrists and firmly guided his hands to my waist.

"I don't want you to be careful tonight," I whispered between kisses."I need to feel you."

Howard's breathing grew heavier. His hands finally settled on my waist,the heat from his palms seeping through my silk nightgown making me shiver. I gently pushed against his chest until his legs hit the edge of the bed and he sat down.

Standing between his parted legs. I slowly unbuttoned my nightgown. In the dim light, my fingers moved across the fabric, one button after another coming undone.

Howard's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, his eyes following my every movement. The nightgown slipped to the floor with a soft rustle,leaving me naked before him, my skin prickling from both the cool air and his burning gaze.

When I straddled his thighs, I could feel his hardness straining against his pants. I deliberately rocked my hips, the friction of fabric making him draw a sharp breath. Howard's fingers finally dug into my hips.

I unbuttoned his shirt. working my way up, letting my fingertips linger in each newly exposed gap. When I pulled the shirt from his shoulders, his muscular upper body displayed perfect valleys and ridges of shadow and muscle in the soft light.I leaned down to trace his collarbone with my lips and tongue, then moved to his chest, my tongue flicking across his nipple,making his entire body tense.

"This is torture," he sighed, his voice husky with desire.

His belt slid slowly through my hands, the metal buckle hitting the floor with a distinct sound. The zipper coming down accompanied his constrained breathing. When my fingers slipped beneath the fabric and wrapped around his hardness, Howard's head fell back, a deep groan escaping from his throat.

I moved my hand up and down, feeling him pulse and throb in my palm.Howard's hands were no longer restrained, sliding from my waist to my breasts, his palms almost completely covering them. When his thumbs brushed across my already hardened nipples, an electric current of pleasure made me arch my back involuntarily.

Howard suddenly stood up, one hand supporting my backside,the other around my waist, lifting me onto the bed. He quickly removed his remaining clothes, standing naked at the foot of the bed. The light outlined every contour of his body, from broad shoulders to taut abdomen,to his erect manhood.

I licked my lips and sat up, preparing to lean forward, but Howard stopped me with one hand. The muscles on the inside of his thighs trembled with tension. He lowered himself onto me, his weight pinning me to the mattress as his tongue parted my lips, entering my mouth. His kiss was both dominating and tender, his tongue teasing mine, mimicking more intimate movements.

"I want to taste you," he whispered against my ear, his hot breath making my earlobe burn.

His lips left mine, trailing down my jawline, biting gently at my neck, then licking the hollow of my collarbone. His hands roamed my body,fingers threading through my hair, then along my neck, shoulders,finally cupping my breasts.Howard's mouth continued downward, his tongue circling my areola before suddenly taking the hardened peak between his lips,sucking gently. My fingers tangled in his dark hair, nails inadvertently scraping his scalp.

One of his hands slid lower, across my stomach, then my waist,finally reaching the inside of my thigh. His palm pressed against my skin, gently parting my legs, his fingers finding my already wet entrance. When his fingers entered me, I felt a sweet, sharp sensation. Howard skillfully curled his fingers, finding that spot that made me lose control.

His lips continued their downward journey, leaving a trail of moist kisses on my abdomen, then my hipbone, the inside of my thigh. When his

tongue finally reached my core, my legs trembled uncontrollably. His tongue moved skillfully around my sensitive areas,sometimes gentle.sometimes firm. When he combined his tongue with his fingers, pleasure crashed over me in waves.

Just as my climax approached, Howard suddenly stopped and rose up.I looked at him with longing in my eyes, his gaze now as dark as ink. He adjusted his position, his hardness pressing against my entrance. I reached down to guide him as he slowly entered. When he was fully inside,we both sighed with satisfaction.

"Are you okay?" Howard asked softly, his forehead already covered with fine beads of sweat.

I nodded.wanting not his question but his answer.

Howard began to move, starting with slow,exploratory thrusts,then gradually increasing his pace. One hand braced beside my head,the other supporting my hips,allowing each thrust to reach the deepest part of me.Sweat dripped from his forehead onto my chest. The bed creaked rhythmically with our movements,creating a harmonious symphony with our heavy breathing.

My legs wrapped around his waist, heels pressing into his back,urging him deeper. Howard's hand slid to where we were joined, his thumb finding the sensitive bud, stimulating it in rhythm with his thrusts.Pleasure built rapidly inside me, like a flood about to break through a dam.

My breathing became rapid, almost suffocating. When the climax washed over me, I gripped his back tightly, nails leaving marks on his skin.Howard seemed stimulated by my response, his movements becoming more forceful and urgent. After several deep thrusts, his entire body tensed as he released inside me.

Howard collapsed onto me, breathless, his weight giving me a satisfying feeling of being completely possessed. Our skin stuck together with sweat,heartbeats gradually returning to normal. He rolled to his side,pulling me into his arms, one hand gently stroking my back, the other brushing away strands of hair stuck to my face.

"The wedding." Howard murmured, "on the Long Island shore."

I nodded, nestling against his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heartbeat. I closed my eyes, a smile playing on my lips.

Lying in Howard's warm, strong embrace, feeling his heartbeat, thinking of golden-haired, blue-eyed Lucy and once-estranged Brian sleeping in nearby rooms. I had found my true belonging. This girl from a single-parent home in Boston who came to New York finally had a complete family.