[Bonus chapter]Silent disagreement

"Abel."

"Mhm?"

"Do you love me?"

"Very much."

Aries smiled as she gazed down, feeling his hands scrub her back as they were dipped in the tub. 

"Do you love me?" Abel asked after a minute of silence, spreading the bubbles on the scar of her back. 

"I do," she whispered, eyes full of affection. "Very much."

His eyes softened, tracing a raised scar on her back with his thumb. After their passionate moment, both of them took a bath as a break for the next round of passion. 

"One of the empress's requirements is to not have the slightest scar…" he spoke under his breath, feeling all the scars that were on her back. "... you'll fail in that category, darling."

Aries chortled weakly. "I am bound to fail, you know that."

"No." Abel bent over to plant a kiss on a scar on her back. "You are my empress."