One hundred and fifty-five

Nicholas's POV:

The next few weeks came as close to domestic bliss as I have ever experienced. Other than one day trip to Mexico for a negotiation with the Pablo cartel, I spent all my time on the estate with Talia.

With her classes having started, Talia's days were filled with textbooks, papers, and tests. She was so busy that she often studied late into the evening—a practice that I disliked, but didn't put a stop to. She seemed determined to prove that she could hold her own with the students who got into the Stanford program on their own merit, and I didn't want to discourage her. 

I knew she was doing this partly for her father—who continued to worry about her future with me—and partly because she was enjoying the challenge. Despite the added stress, my wife seemed to be thriving these days, her eyes bright with excitement and her movements filled with purposeful energy.