Not wanting to bother Edward while he worked, I slipped under the covers and lay down.

Quitting my job hadn’t left me feeling stressed at all. There was no panic like I’d felt in my previous life. Instead, I felt calm and at peace.

I knew this sense of security came from both Edward and myself. My bank account was healthy, and I had a solid plan for my future. No matter what kind of storm hit tonight, the sun would rise tomorrow, and I’d be ready to take on the day.

I slept like a log and had no idea when Edward ended up next to me.

Next morning, I woke up to find him right there by my side, out cold too, his arm wrapped around my waist. I gently moved his arm off and tiptoed out of bed.

I went downstairs to the bathroom to wash up, soaking in the cozy sunlight pouring through the window. I opened the fridge and found it packed with fresh groceries.

I picked out a few ingredients, ready to make us some breakfast.

About ten minutes later, Edward came downstairs, dressed in casual clothes. He watched me bustling around the kitchen and smiled from the doorway. “I was thinking about heading out for breakfast.”

“No need. It’s quick to whip something up here,” I said.

Edward nodded. “What can I do to help?”

“Could you make us some coffee?” I asked.

Edward immediately went to the living room to make the coffee. I whipped up my signature fresh pasta, fried some eggs, tossed together a veggie side, and warmed up some milk.

Edward brought the coffee over and leaned on the table, eyeing the food. “Wow, you made all this so fast?”

I grinned. “Yeah, cooking’s all about timing. Once you get the hang of it, you can really save a lot of time.”

Edward looked up at me. “Victoria, if you ever don’t feel like doing this, you don’t have to do it just for me.”

“Not at all,” I said, taking off my apron. “Honestly, when I cooked at home, I never saw it as a hassle. I mean, I gotta eat anyway.”

Edward nodded. “I like the way you think.”

I smiled, biting my lip. “Do you always say stuff like that to sweet-talk people?”

Edward looked a bit awkward. “No, honestly, I’m not really the sweet-talking type.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” I teased.

Edward gave a helpless laugh. “Whether you believe it or not, I admit I’m trying to make you happy, maybe even sweet-talk you a little. But I’m worried I’m not doing it right and you’ll think I’m just putting on an act.”

I blinked in surprise. “Why would I think that? I can always tell when someone’s being real or just faking it.”

Edward lowered his gaze. “It’s strange, but I really do feel less confident when I’m with you.”

I sat down and handed him a fork, smiling. “Am I really that hard to get along with?”

Edward stirred his pasta, looking a bit flustered. “It’s not that you’re hard to get along with. You’re just so easy to be around, it kind of throws me off.”

“Come on, I don’t buy that. You mean to tell me you’ve never been with anyone else before?” I couldn’t help but laugh at him.

Edward took a sip of his milk, his face growing more serious. “I know about your exes, Victoria. After I split with Jane, I actually dated two other women.”

My hand froze, fork halfway to my mouth. “Why are you suddenly talking about this?”

Edward looked tense. “I don’t want to hide anything from you, but honestly, I’ve always been nervous to bring it up–worried it might make you upset. But if I keep it to myself, I’m afraid it’ll turn into a time bomb and blow up between us later.”

I nodded. “Alright, I get it. Like you said, before I even met you, your past wasn’t really any of my business.”

Edward kept his head down, eating his noodles. “The first was a lawyer from the UK. The second was a finance exec from here.”

I blinked in surprise. “So, why did you break up with them?”

“They turned out way different than I imagined. I couldn’t stand how fake they were, always acting sweet. I was the one who ended things and gave them a pretty generous payout. Once they got what they wanted—money and connections—they just disappeared,” Edward said with a faint, almost indifferent smile.

“So, when you brought up signing a prenup and said I’d get a hefty sum, was that because you’ve been through this before?” I teased, giving him a playful look.

Edward hesitated for a second, then shook his head. “No, it’s not because of that. I was just worried you might think I wasn’t being genuine, or that I was just messing with your feelings. After we get together, you should take that money.”

“If you’re offering, I’d be crazy to say no,” I laughed, though deep down, a wave of emotion washed over me.

“Victoria, I just hope you never question my loyalty,” Edward said, his voice tinged with anxiety. “Other than money, I honestly don’t know what else I can give you. But I’ll do everything I can to stay by your side.”

I looked at him in shock. He seemed completely lost in a maze of feelings, like he couldn’t find his way out no matter how hard he tried.

That’s how people act when they’ve never really been loved–always scared to lose what little they have, always afraid it’ll slip away.

“Edward,” I said gently, “you really don’t have to prove anything to me. As long as we’re happy together, that’s enough. You don’t need to go out of your way to show me anything.”

Edward was caught off guard for a second, then nodded. “Okay.”