The Red String Between Us: Part III Eternal Thread

第46章 More than a Dream

For a long moment, Eden could only stare at Kenji, her heart racing at the weight of his words.

"Ours?" she whispered, searching his eyes for a hint of jest.

"Yours," he said without hesitation, his arms still cradling her as though she weighed nothing. "Everything here. Everything you see."

Her lips parted, but the words failed her. Surprised, shocked, overwhelmed-none of it captured what swelled in her chest. He gently set her down, then threaded his fingers through hers, guiding her deeper into the house.

"Come," he said softly. "Let me show you what belongs to you now."

They moved from room to room, the house unfolding like a secret kept too long.

The foyer opened into a grand living space with soaring ceilings, a chandelier made of cascading crystals that caught the California sun and scattered it across the marble floor. Eden tilted her chin upward, dizzy from both the beauty and the suddenness of it all.

He led her into the kitchen next. Her jaw slackened at the sight-sleek double stoves, a chef's range gleaming beneath a polished hood, a butler's pantry with a floor-to-ceiling wine wall, and storage so expansive she could have fit her entire Chicago townhouse inside it. A walk-in pantry stretched longer than some hallways, lined with glass jars and custom shelving already installed.

The tour swept her into more marvels:

Walk-in closets that felt like boutiques, with soft lighting, velvet benches, and mirrored walls.

A finished basement turned private theatre, its reclining leather chairs facing a curved screen that spanned the wall.

Double staircases curling upward on each side of the home, meeting in the middle like something out of a palace.

Her breath caught again when Kenji pushed open a set of doors leading outside. A wide veranda stretched out to an Olympic-sized pool and bubbling Jacuzzi, surrounded by manicured lawns and terraces. Beyond the edge of the property, a private lake shimmered in the late sun, its surface calm, tucked neatly into the rolling landscape.

"This is-" She stopped walking, pressing a hand to her chest. "Kenji, this is more than a house."

He brushed his palm along her lower back, steadying her. "It's security. It's peace. And it's yours. A place for you, for us, for what comes next."

Back inside, she noticed details that made her laugh in disbelief-the auto-flush toilets that hummed softly, a suction wall system designed to carry laundry from any floor straight into the laundry room. He pointed to a discrete building near the gates as they walked toward the back windows.

"The security shack, one at the front gate, and one in the back" he explained. "It's wired for twenty-four-hour surveillance, but we will need to hire the staff, which I have contract security already, so it shouldn't be an issue"

Her eyes burned with sudden tears. She turned to him, whispering, "Kenji... I don't know if I can accept this. It's too much."

He cupped her face gently, pressing his forehead against hers. "It's not too much. Not for you. Not for us. Do you trust me?"

Her lips trembled. "Yes."

"Then accept it," he said, his voice steady. "This isn't about wealth. It's about giving you a place that's untouchable. Somewhere that feels like home. Something that's ours, away from everyone. We are getting married, and I'll only have you in the best feeling as protected as possible."

Eden blinked through her tears, her hand tightening around his. She had never felt so simultaneously overwhelmed and deeply loved.