I am, flaws and all. He picks me up when I break, and helps me build myself back up again.
They’re dark days. I won’t pretend they aren’t. My emotions are unstable, and it’s hard to make sense of what’s just happened.
Having Theo beside me helps. The fact that he cleared his schedule to be with me means the world to me, and it shows me that he cares.
Not in a dutiful way. In a real, deep-in-the-bottom-of-his-heart kind of way.
When we head back to the main island, Theo interlaces his fingers with mine. He gives me a tight smile.
“How are you feeling?”
I nod. “I’m okay.” It’s a lie, mostly. I still feel broken—but I’m not alone. Not anymore. As the sea plane touches down on the water, I take a deep breath and squeeze Theo’s hand.
He squeezes back.
The need to run away is gone. The desire to fly off and explore the world is still there, but it’s tempered by the fact that I want to do it with Theo. I’m ready to accept my gilded cage, because with Theo, I feel freer than I did before. I never have to face anything on my own. I never have to struggle alone, wondering what I really want out of life.
What I want is Theo. Plain and simple.
Theo leads me away from the palace down a pathway lined with palm trees. A sea breeze rustles through my hair, carrying with it the scent of home. We walk in silence—as we’ve done most days the past few weeks—until we get to a small gazebo overlooking the ocean.
Theo leads me to a bench in the gazebo and we sit side by side, watching the waves crash on the white sand. I lean my head on his shoulder as he holds me close, and for just a moment, my turbulent emotions calm down. For the first time since I got the news from the doctor, I feel at peace. I know it won’t last forever, that sadness will overwhelm me in the darkest parts of the night—but for now, I’m calm.
Then, the King shifts away from me. He clears his throat, reaching into his pocket for a small jewelry box. Kneeling down in front of me, he gives me a sad smile.
“I haven’t done this properly yet,” he says, flipping the box open.
A glittering engagement ring stares back at me. My eyes widen as my heart thumps.
“Cara,” Theo says, clearing his throat. “We’ve done everything backward. I haven’t been clear or honest about my feelings for you, but I want you to know exactly where I stand. I love you. I want to sit on the throne with you by my side. I want to lead our Kingdom to prosperity together. I want to fall asleep beside you every night and wake up next to you every day.”
His eyes shine. My throat is tight, and the tears are already spilling down my cheeks. It feels wrong to be happy about this, when I’ve been so focused on sadness and grief. But when I nod, unable to speak, Theo slides the ring over my finger with a trembling hand.
We don’t say anything about our loss or about what might happen in the future. We don’t mention children or heirs or what was or wasn’t meant to be. It’s not the right time. We just hold each other, kiss each other, and inhale the fresh sea air together.
With a bright thread of hope, Theo stitches my heart back together, piece by piece. I know that we’ll come out stronger on the other side. Whatever we have to face, we’ll face it together. United. One.
Together, always.
Epilogue
Cara
It took two years to recover from the grief of losing the pregnancy. In that time, Beckett was arrested, Luca forgave me and Theo, and even Dante the hermit found someone to love.
They have their own stories to tell. Our lives were full of twists and turns. Highs and lows.
Before he forgave us, I tried to tell Luca about my love for Theo. I tried to tell him about the baby, and the grief, but his pain was too great. I knew from my own experience that he needed to work through it himself, so I let him be.
And he came back to us. He and Ivy blossomed, and I watched as they gained not one child, but two. Their twins were born healthy and happy. Even Dante and Margot had a child at the same time.