They had once agreed to get their marriage license on January eleventh.

Sean’s birthday.

That didn’t happen, and now it was coincidentally closer to her birthday.

’From then on, their anniversary would be her birthday.’

The car fell silent for a moment.

"Just like you once said, I’d rather your birthday be our wedding anniversary," Sean added. "If you think this is too fast, we can wait."

"No, I’m just worried it’ll be too rushed," Rory replied earnestly.

Sean’s hands tightened on the steering wheel.

Hearing her words, the corners of his lips curved up unconsciously. "Leave everything to me. You just need to think about which colleagues and friends you want to invite to the wedding."

A moment later, he added, "And... you should find some time to see your mother. The last time I saw her, I promised I would always treat you well, but I broke my word..."

"Then you should be the one to go explain it to my mom," Rory said.

"I really do need to explain," Sean said, his eyes on the road. "After all, I was so outrageously wrong about that. I don’t even deserve to be forgiven."

Those years Rory spent raising Leo alone were the hardest of her life.

And it was all his fault.

"What’s past is past," Rory said. "We just have to look forward."

Sean didn’t respond, only saying, "Oh, and you can pick the date for the surgery. You can be there with me for the procedure, but I’ll stay in the hospital to recover on my own afterward."

’Surgery?’

It took Rory a moment to process the word before she remembered he was talking about the vasectomy they’d agreed on.

She mentally checked her schedule. "Would Sunday work? I’m off that day."

"Mhm," Sean nodded. "I’ll contact Elysian Hospital and schedule the surgery then."

The car drove on, heading home.

By this time, Leo Linden was already asleep.

The two of them walked up the stairs together.

When they reached the second floor, Rory started to head down the hallway...

She had just taken a step when an arm wrapped around her waist.

"Not coming with me?"

As he spoke, his grip on her waist tightened.

He had no intention of letting her get away.

In truth, this was just his nature.

He had to have the person he set his sights on.

And what he wanted to do, he did.

It was just that in the past, he had subconsciously hidden this side of himself...

"I’m going to check on Leo. I’ll come up after."

Rory gestured toward Leo’s room.

She hadn’t had a chance to talk to Leo in days, and even though her son was asleep, she wanted to see him.

"Okay. I’ll wait for you by the door."

Sean hesitated for a moment before letting her go.

Rory was only in her son’s room for a minute or two. When she came out, she went upstairs with Sean.

After washing up, Rory had just sat down on the edge of the bed...

Her phone went DING!

It was a message from Sherry Walsh.

Sherry: "Rory, I was just looking up travel ideas, and I found some amazing places! You and Sean should go when you have time!"

After she sent that message,

Sherry quickly followed up with several screenshots.

Her phone chimed incessantly. DING! DING!

Rory looked through each one carefully, replying thoughtfully.

The two of them began to chat back and forth.

Seeing she was busy, Sean went to take a shower.

When he came out, he found she was still chatting...

He sat down beside her.

Rory didn’t try to hide her screen from him.

Their conversation went back and forth, with no end in sight...

After waiting for a while, Sean finally took out his phone and sent a message.

「Two minutes later.」

Sherry: "Noah just called me, so I have to go. You should get some rest."

Rory replied with a simple "Okay."

When she glanced at the man beside her, she seemed to realize something...

"Did you have Lawyer Sterling call her?"

Rory placed her phone on the nightstand.

Sean reached out, pulling her into his arms. With his other hand supporting her waist, he gave a soft "mhm."

He was one to own his actions.

It had been a long time since they had been this intimate.

But her body seemed to have a memory of its own, not rejecting his closeness.

In fact, she found herself unconsciously wanting to be even closer.

Rory looked up at the man’s face, so close to hers. "Are you really going to get a vasectomy? I mean, if we’re always careful..."

"You’re a doctor. You know better than I do that condoms aren’t one hundred percent effective."

Sean’s fingers traced the lace trim on her nightgown. "I’ve already looked into it. The surgery doesn’t affect... other functions at all."

"Right..."

Rory opened her mouth, about to say something else.

A drop of water trickled down from his hair and landed between her brows.

The cold sensation made her furrow her brow.

The next second, his lips touched the spot, kissing the droplet away before moving to her cheek, and finally settling on her lips.

His tongue slipped into her mouth, not with dominance or aggression, but with a deep, lingering tenderness.

The soft kiss was enough to awaken the deepest memories in her heart.

Memories that belonged only to them, from five years ago.

Their physical chemistry.

-

「The day of the vasectomy.」

Rory watched as a doctor wheeled Sean into the operating room.

Keith Hawthorne had come along as well.

He looked at the light above the operating room door and couldn’t help but comment, "I’ve been a doctor for many years, and this is the first time I’ve ever seen a man come to this hospital for a vasectomy."

The patients at Elysian Hospital were all either rich or influential.

He’d only ever seen women come in to have IUDs inserted; never a man for a vasectomy.

Rory didn’t say anything.

’In fact, right up until he entered the operating room, she thought he might back out...’

Keith patted her on the shoulder. "I’ve got to get back to work. Make sure you invite me to the wedding."

"Okay," Rory nodded.

The surgery lasted about an hour.

Afterward, a doctor and nurse wheeled him to a private room.

The doctor went over some post-op instructions before leaving.

Once they were alone in the room, Rory asked, "How are you feeling? Any discomfort?"

"No, don’t worry."

Sean shook his head.

Rory couldn’t help but worry. "You’re fine now because the anesthetic hasn’t worn off yet. You’ll feel the pain once it does."

A small smile played on Sean’s lips. "Then you’ll just have to stay with me a little longer..."

"I’m staying here with you today. I’m not going anywhere."

Rory reached out and smoothed his slightly messy hair.

Sean always had an air of being in complete control.

But lying here now, he looked uncharacteristically weak and in need of care.

A brief silence fell over the room.

"After this, you won’t be able to have any more children," Rory said, looking at his face. "Do you want Leo’s last name..."

"No."

Sean knew what she was about to say.

He refused firmly before she could even finish.