Bits of Love, Lines of Code
Chapter 83 - 78 – “Pieces Falling Back into Place”

Chapter 83: Chapter 78 – “Pieces Falling Back into Place”

The warm wind carried traces of salt and jasmine as the waves of the Maldives gently kissed the edge of the overwater villa. Ren leaned back on the deck chair, his eyes half-closed behind his sunglasses. The calm was deceptive—almost surreal—given what they had been through. Aoi stepped out of the villa in a white sundress, barefoot, with a hibiscus tucked behind her ear.

"Your tea, my husband," she said softly, holding a cup with both hands and setting it beside him. Her voice still carried a faint shakiness, remnants of the terror she’d experienced.

He sat up and pulled her onto his lap, his arm wrapping tightly around her waist. "Thank you," he said. "How are you feeling today?"

Aoi hesitated, her fingers tracing circles on his chest. "Better. But sometimes... I still flinch when the wind rushes too fast behind me. As if someone’s chasing me again."

Ren held her tighter. "No one’s going to hurt you again. Ever."

The month-long world trip had been his plan from the start—a way to help her recover. They had traveled through Paris, strolled the ancient roads of Rome, soaked in the cherry blossom season in Kyoto, and now ended in the quiet of the Maldives.

Lucia had been switched to passive mode—no alerts, no tasks, no threats. Just peace. Aoi had stopped waking up screaming in the night. Mostly.

Later that evening, on a hammock under the stars...

Aoi looked up at the sky, head resting on Ren’s chest, her body wrapped in a thin blanket with his arms around her. "Ren..."

"Mm?"

"Do you... ever think of what life might be like a few years from now?"

"I do," he said gently, brushing her hair back. "Every day. Especially now that we’re finally safe."

She smiled softly. "I want a garden. A small one. Near the porch. I want flowers, maybe herbs. And... maybe..." She paused, her voice suddenly quieter. "A child."

Ren looked down at her, heart skipping for a second. "You... want a baby?"

Aoi nodded slowly. "I never thought I’d say it, but being with you... after everything... I want something gentle. Something... ours."

He kissed her forehead. "Then we’ll do it. When you’re ready, we’ll bring that life into the world. Together."

Meanwhile — Elsewhere in Japan, Saki’s Apartment...

The walls were filled with photos of Ren—printed from digital stills, screenshots, even enhanced AI portraits. Strings tied some together like the web of a mind spiraling into delusion.

Saki, disheveled and trembling, stared at her laptop screen showing the wedding photos of Ren and Aoi. She had been watching every update, every feed, every post—even those private ones she shouldn’t have had access to.

Her fingers trembled over her lips. "He was supposed to be mine."

She stood up too quickly, knocking over a chair. Her breathing grew erratic as she muttered something to herself—words about destiny, betrayal, second chances. Her body swayed.

Then suddenly—crack.

She collapsed. Her head struck the sharp edge of the desk. Blood trickled down the side of her face as her vision went black, surrounded by the cold glow of Ren’s smile from the wedding photo still on the screen.