Sofia's POV
I must be dreaming. Someone, please pinch me.
"This is real, Gabriella," Antonio says in a low, steady voice. "You are not dreaming. We are at the beach."
For some people, being at the beach is ordinary. But for me, it has always been a dream to walk along the shore at twilight with a man who sees me — someone other than Coleman.
I live near the ocean, yet it has remained on my bucket list to experience it like this: at sunset, beside a man who might one day hold my heart.
The horizon is painted in shades of amber and gold as the sun slowly surrenders to the sea. The waves roll in rhythmic whispers. The space prepared before us glows with delicate lights and candles anchored firmly in the sand. It is serene. Intentional. Almost sacred.
"Did you arrange this?" I ask, gesturing toward the setting. Surely he must be joking. Who would orchestrate something this intentional just to know someone they are not even dating?
Before answering, Antonio surveys the beach — not casually, but instinctively. His gaze moves across the shoreline, assessing, observing. Only after he seems satisfied does he remove his blazer and fold it neatly over a nearby chair.
"No, I didn't," he replies, running a hand through his curls as he looks away.
I know that gesture. He touches his hair when he is withholding something.
"Very well," I say softly. "Then may God bless whoever did this. It is beautiful. It feels like a dream fulfilled."
I slip off my heels, holding them in one hand. As I bend slightly to place them down, I feel him shift — subtly positioning himself just behind me. Not possessive. Not controlling. Protective.
The wind lifts my hair as I straighten. I close my eyes and allow the ocean breeze to brush against my cheeks.
For a moment, I let myself feel it.
Peace.
But I am not like other women. My heart does not relax easily. It has learned survival.
What if this is temporary?
What if I am romanticizing him?
What if I am repeating my past?
The thoughts come quietly, like distant thunder beneath a clear sky.
When I open my eyes, I find Antonio watching me. Not casually. Not absentmindedly. Intently. As though he is studying something fragile.
He steps closer, and we sit on the sand. Close — but not touching.
Our hands rest between us.
The distance is small.
Too small.
A breeze shifts the candlelight, and instinctively, we both move at the same time — our fingers brushing for a fraction of a second.
Electric.
We freeze.
Neither of us pulls away immediately. The silence stretches. Charged. Heavy. Breathing becomes louder than the ocean.
His hand remains there — not claiming, not retreating.
He turns slightly toward me, his jaw tightening as though he is debating something.
"Sofia…" he begins.
My heart stutters.
He inhales, gaze searching my face. For a moment, I think he will ask something dangerous. Something personal. Something that will change everything.
But he stops.
Instead, he clears his throat and says, "What is your five-year projection for the expansion?"
Professional. Controlled.
I exhale slowly, though I'm not sure when I started holding my breath.
We play twenty questions, restricting ourselves to work, strategy, and ambitions. Yet even in restraint, there is intimacy. In the way he listens. In the way he leans slightly toward me when I speak. In the way his presence feels steady — solid — like a wall I could lean against if I allowed myself.
Later that night, after returning home and bathing, I kneel beside my bed with my rosary wrapped around my fingers.
The beads feel cooler than usual.
I begin to pray.
But tonight is different.
My fingers linger on each bead longer than they should. A soft smile curves on my lips unconsciously. I am not asking God for strength. Not asking for protection. Not asking to guard my heart.
Tonight, I simply whisper, "Thank You."
And for the first time in a long time, I allow myself to feel grateful — not afraid.
Yet even in gratitude, there is hesitation.
Because healing does not happen in one sunset.
And I am still learning how to trust light after surviving darkness.
Author's Note
What are your thoughts?
Do you think it's temporary?
Should Sofia give it a try?
Or is she looking more into things than it should be?
Comment your thoughts, kindly vote and share.
Xoxo
Bella