Chapter 15

Lydia's POV

The rooms had been redecorated, the walls painted in lighter tones, the heavy, oppressive air of its previous life erased.

Dorian had taken control of Freddie’s financial network, diverting assets, cutting ties with anyone who had been a liability. The wealth was staggering—far more than they could ever need. But it wasn’t about the money. It was about never having to run again.

And for the first time in years, Anna felt safe.

She spent her days walking through the gardens, the sun warming her skin as she allowed herself the luxury of peace. No more looking over her shoulder, no more sleepless nights spent planning her next move.

But the biggest change of all wasn’t the silence. It was the life growing inside her.

She had known for weeks before she told Dorian. At first, she had just wanted to be sure. Then, she had needed time to accept it herself. A child had never been part of the plan. She had spent so long surviving that she had never imagined bringing new life into the world.

But one night, as they lay in bed, her head resting on Dorian’s chest, she had whispered it to him in the dark.

His breath had caught. His arm around her had tightened. And then he had exhaled, pressing a kiss into her hair.

“We’re going to be parents.” His voice had been thick with something she couldn’t name.

Fear. Wonder. Love.

She had waited for panic. For him to suggest that it was dangerous, that they had spent too long fighting to bring a child into this world.

Instead, he had pulled her closer. “We did everything for this. For a future. And now we have one.”

For once, she had let herself believe it.

Waiting for Her

The months passed in quiet contentment.

Dorian never left her side for long. He handled the business—investments, properties, assets that would keep them secure—but he always returned to her by nightfall. They spent their evenings together, curled up on the couch, talking about things they had never dared to before.

Names.

Plans.

What kind of life they wanted for their daughter.

Because it was a girl.

Anna had known even before the doctor confirmed it. She had felt it in the way her body changed, in the way her instincts sharpened. A daughter. A life that would never know fear, never know the desperation her parents had once endured.

Dorian had grinned when she told him. “She’s going to be unstoppable.”

And she would be. Because she would be theirs.

As the due date approached, Dorian became more protective. He refused to let her lift a finger, watching her every move as if the slightest misstep could shatter their fragile peace.

She let him fuss over her.

She had spent too long pretending she didn’t need anyone. She wasn’t going to pretend now.

The Night Everything Changed

It happened just before dawn.

Anna woke with a sharp pain in her abdomen, one that didn’t fade. Her breath hitched as another followed.

It was time.

She shook Dorian’s shoulder, and he was instantly awake, eyes sharp even in the dim light.

“What is it?” His voice was thick with sleep, but the second he saw her expression, he was up.

She exhaled slowly. “It’s happening.”

Dorian didn’t panic. He moved with the same precision he always did, calling the doctor they had on standby, helping her into the car. The drive was a blur, her fingers digging into his hand as each contraction grew stronger.

The moment they arrived at the private hospital, everything became a haze of voices, hands, and sterile white light.

Dorian never let go of her.

Not when she cried out, not when her body strained, not when exhaustion threatened to pull her under. He was there, his forehead pressed to hers, whispering words of encouragement, of love, of promises.

And then—

A cry.

The sound cut through everything, piercing, raw, real.

Anna let out a shuddering breath, her chest heaving as she turned her head. And there, in the doctor’s hands, was their daughter.

Tiny. Perfect. Alive.

She barely registered the moment they placed the baby in her arms. All she knew was warmth. The weight of her daughter’s body against her chest. The softness of her skin. The way her tiny fingers curled instinctively.

Anna’s throat tightened.

She had spent her life fighting, clawing her way through the darkness.

Now, she had brought light into the world.

Dorian’s hand was shaking as he reached out, tracing the curve of their daughter’s cheek. His voice, when he spoke, was barely a whisper.

“She’s beautiful.”

Anna looked up at him, at the man who had been her salvation, her partner, her reason for surviving. She saw the wonder in his eyes, the quiet, unspoken awe.

“We did it,” he whispered.

And for the first time in years, she believed it.

The Future They Chose

They named her Elara.

It was a name that meant strength, resilience, light. A name that carried no ghosts, no burdens—only possibility.

In the weeks that followed, their home was filled with the quiet sounds of new life. Soft cries in the night, hushed lullabies, the rhythmic creak of a rocking chair.

Dorian never left their side.

He held Elara for hours, tracing her tiny features with reverence. He would press kisses to Anna’s forehead, to their daughter’s hands, whispering things only they would ever hear.

Promises. Vows. The certainty of a future they had once thought impossible.

Anna watched him, and for the first time in her life, she wasn’t waiting for the other shoe to drop.

She wasn’t waiting for the next fight, the next betrayal, the next moment where everything would be ripped away.

They had fought. They had won.

And now, they had everything.

Anna reached out, threading her fingers through Dorian’s as he cradled their daughter.

Elara stirred, her tiny face scrunching before she settled once more.

Dorian met Anna’s gaze, his expression steady, certain.

“No more running,” he said softly.

Anna exhaled.

“No more running,” she agreed.

And as the morning sun spilled through the windows, painting the room in golden light, they knew—

This was the life they had fought for.

And they weren’t going to let anyone take it away.