FORBIDDEN LOVE

3. I WANTED TO COOK FOR YOU

Stephanie stood by the window of her apartment, staring out at the vast, endless ocean, the rhythmic crashing of the waves against the shore offering her a sense of calm she hadn't felt in weeks. The view was breathtaking, a stretch of deep blue meeting the horizon in a seamless embrace, the salty breeze drifting in through the open window, playing with the strands of her hair. She had always loved the sea—it had a way of making her feel free, weightless, untouchable. And ever since the wedding preparations had begun, this apartment had become her sanctuary, the one place where she could escape the suffocating opinions of her family and the relentless pressure that came with being Stephanie Johnsons, daughter of an influential businessman and sister to a rebellious twin who, despite his own troubles, seemed to think he had a say in her life.

Mike had rented this place for her, knowing she needed a break from it all. It was one of the many thoughtful things he did, a reminder of why she had agreed to marry him in the first place. He was stable, mature, and most importantly, he loved her. But to everyone else, it was as if she were committing some kind of crime by choosing him.

Her parents wouldn’t stop talking about how she was rushing things, their disapproval evident in every pointed glance, every hushed conversation she wasn’t supposed to hear. Even Chris, the one person she had always relied on, acted like she was making the worst decision of her life. But why? Why was it so wrong for her to marry a man who treated her well, who had his life together, who actually wanted to build a future with her?

She had spent weeks planning this wedding, pouring over every little detail to make sure it was perfect. She wasn't going to change her mind just because her family thought it was rushed. She wasn't some naive little girl who didn’t know what she was doing. She knew what she wanted.

Or at least, she had convinced herself that she did.

When she first started dating Michael, she had never thought marriage would even be on the table. She had assumed it was just a fling, something casual, a relationship that would eventually fizzle out when reality set in. She had even told herself she wasn’t the type to settle down so soon—she was still young, still figuring things out. But Michael had been different. He had been patient, consistent, and reliable. And most importantly, he had never made her feel like she had to be anyone other than who she was.

He was the responsible one in their relationship, the one who made the rational decisions, who kept them grounded. That was expected, though, considering he was five years older than her, already out of college while she had just begun her first year. They had started dating six months ago, back when she was still in high school, her senior year, and he was finishing his degree.

Looking back now, it was strange how fast everything had happened. One moment, they were just two people having fun, and the next, she was planning a wedding, trying on dresses, picking out flowers, and choosing a venue.

It wasn’t the fairytale romance she had once imagined for herself, but maybe love didn’t always have to be a whirlwind of passion and chaos. Maybe love could be quiet. Steady. Safe.

And maybe that was enough.

Maybe...

"You know, my love, spending an entire day by yourself isn’t healthy."

Stephanie turned at the sound of Mike’s voice, a small smile playing on her lips as he walked over to her, his gaze filled with warmth. He always had a way of finding her, of pulling her back from her thoughts before she drowned in them. As he reached her, she sighed softly, letting him wrap his arms around her as she leaned into his embrace.

"I just needed some time to myself," she murmured, resting her head against his chest. "Being around people when I’m trying to relax isn’t exactly my idea of rest. What are you doing here?"

Mike chuckled, tilting her chin up so she would look at him before pressing a light kiss to her lips. "Baby, do I need a reason to come see you?"

He took her hand and guided her toward the couch near the window. As he sat down, he pulled her into his lap with ease, holding her close.

"No, you don’t," she admitted, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I just wasn’t expecting you today. When did you get here?"

"Just now," he replied, his fingers tracing soothing patterns along her arm. "I was going to just stand there and admire you for a little while, but I didn’t like the faraway look in your eyes. What’s wrong?"

"Nothing," she said too quickly, her gaze shifting back toward the ocean. A heavy sigh escaped her lips. "I just can’t believe I’m actually getting married. My parents think I’m rushing things, and Chris—" She shook her head. "Well, Chris is Chris. Do you think they’re right? That I should wait before marrying you?"

Mike exhaled, his grip on her tightening slightly before he spoke. "If I thought we were rushing things, I wouldn’t have proposed to you, Steph. It doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks. What matters is what we think. We’re the ones getting married, not them."

She bit her lip, considering his words.

"Your parents only say that because, to them, you’ll always be their little girl," he continued. "It’s not that they don’t want you to be happy, they just want more time with you before you start your own life. As for your brother…" Mike sighed, shaking his head. "If it were up to him, you wouldn’t get married at all. He wants to keep you close because, well, that’s what twin brothers do. They think no man will ever be good enough for their sister."

Stephanie chuckled, relaxing against him. "Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?"

"Very," he admitted with a smirk. "If I had it my way, I don’t think I’d ever want Michaela to get married either."

Stephanie lifted her head, amused. "Mike, she’s not a baby. She’s your twin sister. If you can get married, then she can too."

"I know," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I just don’t think I’ll ever get used to the idea of her not being around."

"Well, she could get a houseband," Stephanie teased, her lips curling into a mischievous grin.

"A what?"

"A houseband," she repeated smugly. "You know, a husband who stays home with her. Lives with your family instead of her moving out?"

Mike narrowed his eyes at her. "Live with us? How would that even work?"

Stephanie feigned disappointment, shaking her head dramatically. "I thought you were smart, Mr. Thompson. Don’t make me regret ever calling you a genius."

Mike scoffed. "I am smart. I just don’t understand why my sister’s husband would live with us." His expression darkened slightly. "If that motherfucker can’t take care of her, then he has no business marrying her. I won’t allow it."

"I didn't mean it like that, but I think it's the best idea," Stephanie said, crossing her arms as she watched Michael’s expression shift slightly. "You don’t want your sister to get married because you don’t want to be separated from her, and I think if she marries someone who will stay with you guys, then all your worries will disappear."

Michael scoffed, shaking his head, but she continued before he could argue.

"It doesn’t matter if he can take care of her or not. What matters is whether they can make each other happy."

Stephanie knew marriage should be built on love. It was something she had always believed, deep down. But she wasn’t about to say that out loud, not to Michael—not when the mere thought of love between them felt like a lie. She had long since learned to avoid conversations about love, steering clear of the topic whenever it surfaced, because if she let it linger too long, she would have to admit a truth she wasn’t ready to face.

She didn’t love him.

She never had.

Sure, she cared about him—Michael was kind, reliable, and he treated her well. But love? That was something else entirely. Love, to her, was something fierce and all-consuming, something that made your heart race and your world tilt on its axis. And she had only ever felt that for one person, even if he had never felt the same way.

Being with Michael was the right thing to do. She had been telling herself that for six months, repeating it like a mantra, forcing herself to believe it.

Michael made her happy—at least, he made sense. He was handsome, well-mannered, and from a respected family, something her parents deeply appreciated. And that mattered.

Even as a child, she had known that her future marriage wasn’t just about her. It was about family, legacy, and expectations. Her parents had drilled that into her from the moment she was old enough to understand. Marry well. Choose stability. Love is fleeting, but security lasts forever.

It wasn’t as though they controlled her choices, but their influence was undeniable. They always said they wanted what was best for her and Chris, and she knew they loved them. They had never once neglected their responsibilities as parents. They had given them the best of everything, ensuring they never lacked for anything.

And Stephanie had never wanted to be the child who disappointed them. She never wanted to wake up one day and realize she had failed them.

Unlike her brother.

Chris was a good person, but he was far from the ideal son. He had been getting into trouble for as long as Stephanie could remember, and no matter how many times she tried to understand him, she never could. It wasn’t like he lacked anything—if anything, he had more than most people his age could ever dream of. He had a family that loved him, wealth, status, and opportunities at his fingertips. Yet, despite all of that, he seemed determined to carve a name for himself in the one place that would bring him nothing but destruction—the crime world.

She had thought he would change after he was shot. That should have been his wake-up call, the moment he realized how dangerous the life he was chasing truly was. But instead, it only hardened him, fueling his anger and driving him to seek vengeance against everyone involved.

That had led to—

No.

No, no, no. She wasn’t going to think about him. He was not a part of her life anymore, and she refused to waste her time dwelling on him.

"Love? Are you okay?" Michael’s voice pulled her back to the present, making her blink as she realized she had drifted off into thoughts she had long buried.

"Yeah, sorry... woolgathering. You were saying?" She forced herself to focus, determined not to slip into memories that had no place in her life anymore.

She had spent years trying to avoid thoughts of him, and most days, she succeeded. But today, for some reason, her mind seemed determined to betray her.

"I was saying that even though I want my sister to always be by my side, I don’t want her to marry a douche. A fool that she will have to feed all her life."

Stephanie studied him, noticing the slight crease in his forehead as he spoke. He clearly hated the idea of his sister being with a man who couldn’t take care of her. She could tell it wasn’t just about love—it was about control, about ensuring that Michaela was with someone who met his standards.

She didn’t know her future sister-in-law that well, but from what she had gathered, Michaela didn’t seem like the type to marry for love either. She kept that thought to herself, though.

"I think we should let your sister decide for herself. She's a grown-up," Stephanie said carefully. If Michaela was anything like her, she wouldn’t appreciate anyone making decisions for her—especially not her twin brother.

Michael exhaled, shaking his head. "Why are we talking about my sister again? We’re getting married, and we still have a lot to do."

He was right. Time was slipping away, and there was still so much to finalize.

"I actually came here to take you out for lunch. You’ve been busy lately, and I know you only have a little time to rest."

The truth was, she hadn’t slept more than two hours a night since the wedding preparations began. She wanted everything to be perfect.

If she couldn’t marry the man she truly loved, then at the very least, she should have the perfect wedding—something she could look back on and remember with pride.

"I wanted to cook for you," Michael added, his voice lighter now, "but my mom called. She’s inviting us for dinner, and she’s cooking."

Stephanie raised an eyebrow. "You were going to cook for me?"

Michael chuckled. "I’ve been taking classes. At least you won’t end up in the hospital after eating."

She couldn’t help but laugh at that.

"I’m serious," he insisted. "My cooking skills are getting better by the day. But compared to my mom’s cooking... I’m afraid you might start comparing the two once you taste what she’s preparing for us. I think it’s best for me to find another day to cook for you."

Stephanie wasn’t entirely convinced about his cooking skills, but she wasn’t going to crush his enthusiasm.

"I can’t wait to taste the food prepared by your hands," she said with a small smile.

They continued talking for a while before heading to the restaurant where Michael had made reservations.

To her relief, it wasn’t crowded. Stephanie had never been a fan of crowds. She had disliked them ever since she was a child, and that hadn’t changed over the years.

She didn’t go out much either. Most of her free time was spent at home or with close friends, always indoors. That was just who she was, and she had no intention of changing.