Chapter 3 What Shame feels like

Savannah pov

The next morning, I woke up and immediately noticed that Daniel wasn't in the room. I got out of bed and, unsure where to find him, I headed toward his study. That was probably where he'd be-working, like always.

I opened the door quietly, and there he was, sitting at his desk, focused on a file in front of him. I closed the door behind me and moved closer, hoping to get his attention.

"You're awake," he said, not looking up from his work.

"Yes," I replied, my mind still trying to process everything from yesterday. Was it all just a dream? Had what happened really happened?

I was about to leave when, in my nervousness, my hand accidentally brushed against a glass of water on the table. The water splashed out, spilling all over the surface.

"What have you done?" Daniel shouted, immediately standing up.

"I'm sorry!" I said, feeling mortified, but he didn't stop shouting.

I stood there frozen for a moment, unsure of how we had gone from calm to chaos so quickly. What just happened? I thought. I thought he'd changed. I thought things were getting better.

Tears welled up in my eyes as I looked at him, unable to hold them back. I turned and ran out of the study, rushing back to my room, my heart heavy with confusion and hurt.

I collapsed onto the bed, sobbing uncontrollably. Why can't I ever be happy? I thought, as tears continued to stream down my cheeks. Why does this always happen?

I was still crying when Daniel entered my room, his face full of guilt, but I wasn't ready to let myself fall for his apology.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, moving toward me.

I wiped my face with my hands, trying to calm myself. "Don't you dare come any closer," I said, my voice shaking with frustration. "What's wrong with you? I told you to give me the divorce if you couldn't handle being with me. Why are you acting like I'm forcing myself on you?"

He looked at me, his expression confused. Right now, I didn't understand him, and I didn't understand myself either.

He sat beside me and took my hand in his, looking at me with a sincerity that made my heart ache.

"I didn't mean to shout at you," he said, his voice gentle. "I've been working on this paper for the past four hours. I didn't even sleep. I was so focused on getting it done, and I didn't realize I was upset until... well, until you knocked over the water."

His words made me pause. He had been working hard, and I had ruined it. My heart softened a little.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly, guilt creeping in.

"It's okay," he said, wiping away my tears with his thumb. "I shouldn't have shouted. Let's just forget about it, alright?"

But before I could say anything more, the door suddenly flew open, and in walked Mirabel.

Mirabel-his ex-girlfriend, the woman he was supposed to marry before our arranged marriage changed everything. The woman I'd always felt a strange rivalry with.

"Daniel!" Mirabel said, walking into the room confidently.

I was almost certain that Daniel would pull his hand away from mine as soon as she stepped in, but to my surprise, he didn't. He stayed right where he was, his hand still holding mine, his body leaning toward me.

Mirabel's eyes flashed with a dangerous look as she saw us sitting so close. "What's going on, Daniel?" she demanded.

We both hated each other, so this wasn't new. But I wasn't going to let her come in here and act like she owned the place.

"Are you not supposed to knock before coming into someone's room?" I snapped, trying to hold my ground. "And you don't have the right to just walk in like this. This is my room, not a public space."

Mirabel gave me a sneer. "I'm not talking to you, bitch," she said with a cruel laugh.

That's when Daniel stood up, his face serious. "I won't tolerate any form of abuse toward my wife, Mirabel," he said, his voice firm.

Did he just... stand up for me? My mind raced as I looked at him in surprise.

"Your wife?" Mirabel said, her eyes widening in disbelief.

"When did you accept this... thing as your wife, Daniel?" she asked again, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

I didn't know what to expect, but hearing Mirabel call me a thing stung more than I wanted to admit. Still, Daniel hadn't wavered. He stood there, his words as strong as ever, and for the first time in a while, I felt a tiny spark of hope. Could this really be the change I had been hoping for?

Daniel's expression hardened as he looked at Mirabel, and for a moment, I thought I saw something fierce in his eyes that I hadn't seen before. It wasn't just frustration-it was protectiveness. He wasn't backing down.

"Yes," he said, his voice steady. "She's my wife, Mirabel. And I'm not going to let you speak to her like that, or walk in here like you own the place. I don't owe you anything anymore."

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Was this the same man who had been so unsure of himself? The same man who had hurt me, who had kept me at arm's length?

Mirabel stood frozen for a moment, her eyes flashing with a mix of disbelief and anger. She took a step toward him, her voice sharp. "Daniel, you're making a mistake. You don't want this. You don't know what you're doing."

But Daniel didn't flinch. "I know exactly what I'm doing," he said, his tone calm but unwavering. "I made my choice, Mirabel. And it's not you."

I looked at him, feeling a strange mix of emotions-surprise, relief, and maybe even a little hope. For the first time, Daniel was standing up for me. He was standing up for us.

Mirabel scoffed, turning on her heel. "Fine," she snapped, "but don't come crawling back to me when you realize your mistake."

Before either of us could say anything else, she stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her. The silence that followed was thick and heavy, like the air before a storm.

I looked at Daniel, my heart pounding in my chest. "You really just... did that?" I asked, unable to keep the surprise out of my voice. "You really stood up for me?"

He turned to face me, his eyes softening as he took a step closer. "Yes, Savvy. I did. I won't let anyone talk to you like that. I won't let anyone disrespect you. I know I've messed up in the past, but I want to do better. I want to be better-for you."

His words were like a balm to my wounded heart, and I felt the weight of the past few days lift just a little. It wasn't perfect. We weren't perfect. But for the first time in a long time, I felt like there was a real chance for us. Maybe, just maybe, things could be different.

I didn't know what the future held, but right now, in this moment, I knew I wasn't alone.

Daniel reached for my hand again, his touch gentle this time. "Savvy, I know I don't deserve your trust, but I'm asking for it. Please, give me a chance to show you that I can be the man you need."

I looked into his eyes, searching for any trace of doubt or uncertainty. But all I saw was sincerity. Maybe it was too soon to believe everything he said, but for the first time, I didn't feel like I was fighting this battle alone.

"I'm scared, Daniel," I whispered. "I don't know if I can trust you again. But... maybe we can try. Maybe we can figure this out together."

He smiled, a small, hopeful smile. "We will, Savvy. We will."

And for the first time in a long time, I let myself believe him.