My New Love That Isn’t Fated - Episode 38

Owen was tall, and when he held her, his embrace felt strong and comforting.
Wrapped up in his arms, Lilia quietly listened to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

Books lined neatly on the shelves seemed to flutter into butterflies or birds, dancing gently around them.
The warm orange light of the setting sun filled the room, glowing like a flame.

This moment already felt special to Lilia.
And now, it was becoming even more precious.

What if I get abandoned again? What if I’m not worth anything? What if it all happens again?
The little girl that lived deep inside Lilia’s heart whispered these fears.
But Lilia gently reassured her.
It’s okay. Owen isn’t scary. I can trust him.

His arms, his hands, his warmth—all of it was so gentle.

“Owen, I should really get going…”
“Ah, sorry. It just feels like a dream that you didn’t push me away. I want to stay like this forever.
Lilia, you’re so small and soft and warm… And you’ve been fighting all this time, with that small body.”

His large hand gently stroked her back, as if to soothe all the pain she’d carried until now—like he was comforting her heart directly.
Her face flushed with warmth.
The faint scent of lavender reminded her of Owen’s bed.
“From now on, I’ll protect you—from cold winds, from heavy rains. I’ll be your wall, your umbrella.”
“Y-yes… um, thank you.”
“Was that… too much? I got a little carried away.”
“No, not at all. It’s just… no one’s ever said something like that to me before.
You treat me like I’m someone who has value, and it’s confusing.”
“To me, you are the most important person in the world. Of course, I’d treat you that way.”

That was too much.
Lilia gently pushed against his chest.
Her heart was pounding so fast, she could barely breathe.

Owen noticed and reluctantly stepped back, as if he didn’t want to let go.
Lilia looked down, her face bright red, avoiding his gaze.
He leaned forward to peek at her with a puzzled look.

“I said you don’t need to rush, but I guess I’m the one moving too fast. This is my first time being in love, and I don’t really know how to handle it.”
“N-no, it’s not that I don’t like it…”
“If anything makes you uncomfortable, please tell me.
At first, I wasn’t going to say anything. I thought you needed time to heal.
But… if one day you suddenly told me you found a place to live and left, I don’t think I could handle that kind of loneliness.”

Owen had said before that he was lonely.
Now she realized—that was his true feeling.
Even though he wasn’t great with words, he always showed her his heart.
And it was always filled with warmth.
“I also couldn’t stay quiet if you fell for someone else and forgot about me…”
“I would never—”
“You were bound by the contract of marriage. But now, you’re free to fall in love—free to do anything.
You might even fall for someone like Christopher. He’s a charming man, even I can see that.”
“He’s way too old for me!”
“You never know.”
“I honestly can’t imagine anyone more wonderful than you, Owen.
So please—no more. This is embarrassing.”

Owen reached out and gently touched her face, lifting her chin.
His golden eyes stared into hers, filled with a sweet, warm glow.

“Lilia… you’re beautiful. I can finally say it now. You’re truly beautiful.”
“P-please… we need to go, or the office will close.”
“You’re right. We must take care of the most important thing first.
Let’s lock up the library, then we’ll get dinner… and go home—our home.”

Our home.
Lilia repeated those words in her mind.
Is this really okay?

Could happiness arrive so suddenly like this?
And… was it really okay to accept it?

“Yes. Owen, will you come with me for the final check?”
“Of course.”
They walked through the Tenegro Library one last time to make sure everything was in order.
Lilia felt relieved no one else was around.
If anyone had seen them like that, she wouldn’t have known how to face them at work the next day.

After locking the library, they walked toward the main road.
Just before closing time, they managed to slip into the government office and submit the divorce papers signed by Elad.

The document was accepted on the spot.
Lilia was now officially divorced from Elad.

“I feel like a man with impure motives who swooped in and stole you from him, helping push the divorce through,” Owen said right there in the office.

The clerk looked at them with a shocked expression.
Lilia flustered, then burst into laughter.
Everything felt like a whirlwind.

Being with Owen brought out so many emotions—and she realized, that was a wonderful thing.

“Lilia, the papers are in. Now I can flirt with you all I want, and no one can say a thing.”
“And it’s no longer a sin for me to be with you.”
“Exactly. So—shall we go on a date? I was going to pretend it was to celebrate your freedom, but honestly…”
“Yes. I’d love to, Owen.”
“Anywhere you want to go?”
Lilia said she wanted to visit the Rainy Night Café.

She still wondered whether that girl who once wandered through the rain without an umbrella had really found a safe place to take shelter.