Forged My Marriage, Stole My Baby—Now I’m the Judge You Kneel To - Chapter 39: Chapter 39

Those words hit Rowena, leaving her completely flustered.
She opened her mouth but had no idea what to say.
"You don't have to answer right now." Thorne straightened up, giving her some breathing room."Just... stop treating me as your brother."
The next few days, Thorne went full-court press with his pursuit.
Every morning there was a dew-covered rose on the terrace.
The desserts she'd casually mentioned would magically appear on the coffee table by afternoon.
Even jewelry she'd glanced at twice would show up as gifts the next day.
The most ridiculous part was how he turned cooking into psychological warfare.
"Why is everything spicy today?" Rowena stared at the table full of red-hot dishes, looking toward the kitchen in confusion.
Thorne came out carrying iced lemonade, smirking slightly. "Honey,you ordered spicy food yesterday."
"When did I ever..."
Halfway through, Rowena suddenly remembered mumbling something while watching a cooking show last night.
"You were eavesdropping!"
Thorne nodded shamelessly. "Yep, and took notes." He actually pulled out a notebook from his pocket, covered with details about her preferences.
"What?"
Three weeks later at sunset, Rowena was standing by the ocean when she suddenly said"Thorne, I need to get away for a bit."
Thorne was peeling an orange for her, his fingers pausing. "Where to?"
"Just...alone." She turned to face him. "I need some headspace to figure things out."
Thorne reached up to brush the hair from her face, his fingertips lingering by her ear before pulling away.
"No problem." His voice was soft. "But please promise me two things."
"What?"
"First, check in with me every day." He pulled a black Amex from his wallet. "Second, take this."
Rowena didn't take it. "I have money."
"I know." Thorne held the card out stubbornly. "But I want to give it to you."
The card ended up in her suitcase anyway.
Rowena's first stop was Venice.
She was riding in a gondola and sent Thorne a photo of the Bridge of Sighs.
He texted back immediately: *Legend says couples who pass under it at sunset will be together forever*
Rowena texted back, laughing: *I'm on this boat alone*
Thorne: *[Photo]*
When she opened it, he'd photoshopped his face in, right next to her shoulder.
Second stop was Paris.
She took a selfie making peace signs in front of the Louvre. Thorne replied: *The Mona Lisa is crying because you're more gorgeous*
Third stop was Kyoto.
She wore a kimono to a temple festival and got a message: *Got my fortune told. Said true love is coming soon*
Rowena shook her head, smiling, but her heart felt like it was soaking in warm water, softening bit by bit.
Everything went sideways in Switzerland.
It was a clear morning after fresh snow, and Rowena was having breakfast at a lakeside café in Lucerne when she felt someone staring.
She looked up and her fork clattered onto her plate.
Shane was standing nearby, unshaven, dark circles under his eyes, his suit a wrinkled mess.
He was staring at her like he was afraid she'd vanish if he blinked.
"Rowena..." His voice was completely shot. "Jesus, it's really you."
Rowena froze as images flashed through her mind—the nail board, the basement...
All that pain felt like it was flooding back into her body.
Just then, her phone buzzed.
A message from Thorne popped up: *Turn around and look across the street*
She instinctively turned.
Thorne was standing across the street, his black coat billowing in the wind, phone still in his hand.
When their eyes met, he smiled slightly.
Rowena could read his lips.
"Honey,I've got you."