EPILOGUE

~RUBY

~FIVE YEARS LATER~

I was flipping a pancake when I heard a loud splash, immediately accompanied by a squeal, and I sighed as I walked and poked my head out of the pool door.

“Jesus Christ. Ash. Jules. Keep it down,” I chastised, but Ash just looked up from his painting and grinned at me.

“I don't know what you're talking about, fireball. As you can see, I'm innocent,” he winked and went back to painting.

“Mummy see. I can do a backflip,” my daughter squealed and before I could stop her, she ran to the pool steps, closed her eyes, and flipped back into the water with a loud splash.

“If you keep doing that there'll be no pancakes for you,” I said and she popped her head out immediately.

“Oh no. I love pancakes!”

“Then stop making such a loud noise,” I snapped and walked back to the kitchen, hiding a smile.

The only way to get Jules into submissiveness was to threaten to take away her food.

Soft footsteps pattered behind me.

“I'm sorry, mum. I won't ma