[BL] A Marriage Ruled by Family, Saved by Desire-Chapter 67: The Man Who Chose His Husband

~Alistair’s POV~

Still, I stood up and walked over to the phone.

When I looked at the screen, my steps slowed.

It wasn’t Andrew.

It was my mother-in-law calling.

I turned slowly and showed the screen to Alex, but he immediately shook his head.

"Don’t pick up," he said.

I hesitated. "Babe... that wouldn’t be right. She knows today is our anniversary. She knows we’re together. If I ignore her call, it won’t look good."

Alex frowned. "What doesn’t look good about it? I’m your husband, and I just told you not to pick up."

I walked toward him, trying to explain. "No, babe, you don’t understand. She knows today is our anniversary, so she’ll assume we’re together. If I don’t—"

Alex cut me off sharply. "When are you ever going to listen to me?"

The sudden edge in his voice made me flinch. I quickly lowered my phone onto the table.

Alex pushed his chair back and stood up, clearly irritated, as if he was ready to walk away from the meal.

I rushed after him and grabbed his arm.

"I’m sorry," I said quickly.

He looked at me, frustration still in his eyes. "Why don’t you ever want to listen to me?"

"I’m sorry... I just thought—" I stopped myself and shook my head. "I’m sorry, baby."

Alex sighed, the tension slowly leaving his shoulders.

"It’s fine," he murmured, his thumb grazing my cheek. "Let’s eat."

The tension from the phone call began to fade as we sat back down and continued our breakfast. The room was quiet, but it wasn’t the heavy silence from before. It felt more like we were both slowly calming down.

As I watched Alex push his food around his plate, I could tell his mind was somewhere else, probably still thinking about that call from his mother.

"Alis," he said suddenly, looking up at me. "What would you think about us going back to the States? Moving back there for good."

I stopped mid-chew, the question catching me off guard. I took a moment to think. I didn’t want to just blurt out a "yes" or "no." I was the one who had pushed for us to come back home in the first place, wanting to be near family, but seeing Alex look so worn out made my heart ache.

"Why, baby?" I asked softly, searching his eyes. "Is it because of your mother? Because of all the drama?"

Alex leaned back, letting out a frustrated sigh. "It’s not just her, but she’s a big part of it. I’m just tired, Alis. I’m sick of the games, the pressure about having a child, and the way she treats our marriage like it’s something she can control. In the States, it was just us. We had our peace. We didn’t have to look over our shoulders or argue with anyone just to be happy."

I reached across the table and squeezed his hand, wanting him to feel that I was 100% on his side.

"I understand," I told him. "If you want to go back there, I’m going with you. If you decide you want to stay here, I’m staying. It doesn’t matter where we are, Alex. As long as I’m with you, I’m home. You’re my peace."

A look of pure relief washed over his face, and he squeezed my hand back. "Thank you, baby. I’m not going to rush into it. I want to really think it through. When I’ve made up my mind, I’ll let you know my conclusion, and we’ll figure out the move together."

"That’s fine by me," I said, giving him a small, reassuring smile.

The rest of the day passed quietly, with the two of us staying close and enjoying the calm. But as night fell, the mood in our room slowly changed into something more elegant. Alex had clearly planned everything for our anniversary dinner.

When we stepped out that evening, everything felt different. We were both dressed sharply, and Alex kept looking at me in a way that made my chest warm. The place he had arranged was beautiful, private, quiet, and set high above the city. The lights below stretched endlessly into the distance, sparkling like scattered stars.

The table had been carefully prepared. Soft candlelight flickered around us, fresh roses decorated the space, and a bouquet had been placed right at the center of the table. The entire setting felt intimate and romantic, like the world had been paused just for the two of us.

Alex had truly gone all out.

Dinner was slow and warm, filled with quiet laughter, soft conversations, and the kind of looks that said more than words ever could. Everything about that night felt perfect. For a moment, all the problems, the family pressure, and the outside noise simply disappeared.

It was just us.

And as I watched Alex across the table, I couldn’t help thinking how lucky I was to have him. He had put so much care into making that night special, and it showed in every little detail.

By the time the evening ended, I could only describe it one way, it had been a perfect anniversary.

Later that night, we returned to our room at the hotel. We took a shower together, laughing and teasing each other the way we always did when we were relaxed and happy.

When we finally climbed into bed, we held each other close. The celebration didn’t end there; we made love slowly, the kind that wasn’t rushed or wild, just soft, warm, and full of everything we felt for each other.

Afterward, Alex pulled me into his arms, and I rested my head against his chest.

Wrapped together under the covers, we drifted to sleep, still holding on to each other after one of the most beautiful nights we had shared in years.

The next morning, I woke up slowly, feeling warm and comfortable. For a moment I didn’t even move. Alex was already awake, lying beside me and watching me quietly.

When I opened my eyes, the first thing I saw was his face.

He smiled.

"Good morning, baby," he said softly.

I leaned closer and kissed him. "Good morning, love."

For a few seconds we just stayed there, close and comfortable under the sheets, enjoying the quiet moment together.

Then I stretched and sat up.

"We should get up," I said. "Let’s get dressed and go home."

Alex raised an eyebrow. "No breakfast?"

I shook my head with a small smile. "We can eat at home. I just want us to get back and relax properly."

Alex didn’t argue. He nodded and got out of bed with me.