EpilogueCHAPTER EIGHTY-TWODevon's POVThe hospital hallway felt like a tunnel, too long, too loud, and yet all I could hear was my own heartbeat, thrumming like a war drum in my chest.I couldn't believe it was time already. I flew past the nurses’ station, my shoes barely touching the floor. “Alexa...Devon Blackwood for Alexa Blackwood. She’s in labor-where-which room? ”A nurse pointed, and I didn’t wait for the rest.Room 201. I sprinted there immediately.I burst through the door breathless and drenched in guilt.And there she was.Her face was red with tears, her hair sticking to her forehead. She was mid-contraction, and the pain had etched itself deep into her features. She looked up the moment I entered.“Where the hell were you?” she cried out, voice cracking between a scream and a sob.I rushed to her side instantly, my hand slipping into hers. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. The traffic, the flights got delayed and then I..."“I thought you weren’t coming,” she whispered, and
Forever you and ICHAPTER EIGHTY-ONEDevon's POVThe party was over. The lights dimmed, laughter now just a faint echo in the walls of our home. Everyone had left with smiles on their faces and drinks in their hands. But here we were. Just the two of us in our bedroom, tucked under the soft sheets. The warmth of her back pressed against my chest as my arm rested over her waist, fingers laced with hers. I could still smell the faint hint of her vanilla perfume beneath all the champagne and celebration. My wife. One year of marriage. And somehow, it felt like we’d only just begun.She stirred a little in my arms, getting comfortable, snuggling deeper like she wanted to dig herself into me. I chuckled a little from her cute action.Slowly, she took my arm, and placed it gently on my stomach. "Devon, I have something to tell you. ""What? "“I have a surprise,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.I raised a brow, heart tugging gently with curiosity. “Another one? I thought th
CHAPTER EIGHTYOur Love is EternalAlexa’s POVThree years later.And here I was, standing at the heart of a beautiful glass garden room drenched in soft golden lights, laughter, and gentle music, wondering how I’d even gotten this far.From a broken, terrified girl clinging to survival... to this.A woman.A wife.An entrepreneur.The soft shimmer of fairy lights overhead caught in the champagne flute in my hand as I looked around. People were everywhere. Laughing, dancing, raising glasses in toasts. The smell of roses, sweet cakes, and grilled rosemary lamb filled the air. A celebration in every sense.Our first wedding anniversary. One year married to Devon. My Devon.I smiled to myself, the kind of smile that comes from deep within, steady, earned, whole. I could still feel his arms around me from earlier when he whispered, “One year down, forever to go.” My heart had done this strange little jump. It still did. Every single time he touched me.He was across the room now, in conve
She said YESCHAPTER SEVENTY-NINEAlexa’s POVI thought the proposal was the pinnacle of the night.Turns out, it was only the beginning.I barely had time to wipe the tears from my cheeks when Stacey emerged from behind a pillar, grinning like a kid in a candy store. She had her phone in her hand, filming everything, of course, and then behind her came Devon’s mom, my parents, Harry, and even Mel, who had her arms thrown in the air like she’d just won the lottery.“Engaged!” she squealed, sprinting toward me like a whirlwind. She flung her arms around me and Devon at once. “I told you this would be the most perfect night of your life!”I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry again.Somehow, amidst all the love and lights, they guided us to the adjoining hall. I hadn’t even realized there was another hall, but as the doors swung open, a wave of warmth and golden light enveloped us. Twinkling string lights draped from the ceiling like stars suspended mid-fall. Rose petals carpeted the
The ProposalCHAPTER SEVENTY-EIGHTAlexa’s POVThere was something odd about the air today. I couldn't quite put my finger on it yet, but it was oddly cheerful, like a calm but blissful energy had popped up into the atmosphere all of a sudden. It started with my mom. She was humming in the kitchen at six in the morning. Yes, humming. It totally caught me off guard because my mom didn’t hum. She lectured, reminded, cooked, and occasionally danced and made out with my dad in the living room when her favorite country jam played. But this? This kind of sunshine-on-toast energy was suspicious. So I decided to inquire. When I asked what the occasion was, she just smiled at me with that peculiar twinkle in her eye and said, “Aren’t we allowed to be happy once in a while, darling?”That was clie number two. Mom was never vague about anything, unless there was a surprise. I wracked my brain for something, but nothing came up. I narrowed my eyes and sipped my tea. Something was off, and s
The Final-PT3CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVENDevon’s POVIf someone had told me three years ago that I’d one day be hunting for an engagement ring in the middle of finals season, sandwiched between term papers and sleepless nights, I’d have laughed them off.But here I was. Neck-deep in textbooks, group projects, and career fairs, but yet none of it, not a single deadline or scholarship form had mattered. Well, it almost did matter, but not more than her.Alexa.She’s in my every thought. When I woke up, when I slept, when I even stared blankly at a spreadsheet pretending to care about I was reading in the moment. Every breath I took without her felt slightly misplaced. Not incomplete. Just… off.The distance between us had made yearn for her than I previously had. I hadn't even realized that that was even possible. Until now. And that’s how I knew. I needed to man up and take the next step in our relationship.It was time.It started with a break. A short one, nothing more than three days