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The Devil You Know 158 — Epilogue
ANDRADE I sit back in the deck chair, the soft creak of the wood soothing my nerves as I watch Javier and Daphne play in the backyard. They’re both so full of energy now, growing up too fast for my liking. But there’s a sense of pride in seeing them become their own little people, each with their own quirks and passions. Daphne, always the daredevil, climbing anything she can get her hands on. Javier, quieter but equally stubborn, carrying his toy car around like it’s the most important thing in the world. He was struggling with the controller because the car was stuck. I glance over at Elijah, who’s sitting on the porch with a mug of coffee, his gaze fixed on the kids. There’s a soft smile on his face. Eight years ago, I would’ve never imagined this—this life, this family. But here we are, living it. “You okay?” I ask, my voice low but full of affection. Elijah looks over at me, his eyes warm as always. “Yeah, just… watching them,” he says with a smile. “Hard to
The Devil You Know 157 — Epilogue
ANDRADE Not peaceful. Not calm. Just quiet in that way that made every sound inside my head louder. The ticking of the wall clock. The hum of the coffee maker. The faint noise of the ocean outside, distant but constant, like it was watching us. The kids were on the living room rug, sitting cross-legged with Elijah. Javier was lining up his toy cars with obsessive focus. He is so sweet. Too calm. While on the other hand, Daphne—always fiery, always stubborn—was leaning against Elijah's thigh, half distracted, chewing on the sleeve of her hoodie. He looked normal. Too normal. I stood by the window, arms crossed, jaw tight, staring at nothing. I’d been there for almost ten minutes without moving. Elijah noticed. He always did. “Andrade,” he said quietly. “You’re gonna crack the glass if you keep glaring like that.” I didn’t answer. He sighed, gentle, patient in that way that still caught me off guard after all these years. “Come sit,” he said. “You’re making me nervous.
The Devil You Know 156 — Epilogue
ELIJAH Life had changed so much in the past few years. From the uncertainty of becoming parents to now—raising two amazing kids together, and I wouldn't change a thing. I used to worry about how I would handle it, how I’d be as a father. Would I be good enough? Would I know what to do? But now, looking at Javier and Daphne—our two little miracles—I realized how wrong I was to doubt myself. This, right here, was exactly what I needed. What we needed. It was early morning, and Andrade was in the kitchen making breakfast while I got them ready. Javier was still in his pajamas, running around in circles, yelling, “Daddy! Daddy!” with his arms raised as if he could fly. Daphne, on the other hand, was quietly sitting in her high chair, chewing on a teething toy while looking at her brother with pure fascination. The house was chaos, but it was our chaos, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. “Come on, Javier! Let’s get your shoes on,” I called, kneeling to h
The Devil You Know 155 — Epilogue
ANDRADE The moment I walked into the hospital room, holding Elijah's hand, it felt like the world was spinning in slow motion. The quiet hum of the machines, the faint smell of disinfectant, and the soft murmur of voices all blended into the background as I focused on the little bundle in Elijah's arms. Our second child. Our daughter. She had finally arrived. It was surreal, seeing her tiny face, her little fingers grasping Elijah's finger. I’d felt the rush of love when Javier was born, but this… this was different. There was something about seeing our second child—our girl—lying there, peaceful, that made my heart swell in a way I hadn’t expected. Elijah looked up at me, his tired eyes filled with love and exhaustion. I could see the pride in his face, the same pride I felt in mine. Our family had just grown again. “It’s a girl,” Elijah whispered softly, still in awe, looking down at her. His voice was filled with wonder and joy. “I can’t believe we have a daught
The Devil You Know 154 — Epilogue
ELIJAH The excitement of the pregnancy had settled into something quieter, more constant. There were days when Andrade seemed to glow, as if the thought of becoming a father had completely transformed him. Then there were other days when he looked tired, distant, and I knew the weight of everything was starting to press down on him. The beginning of this journey was just the start, and though we both wanted this, it was a lot to adjust to. I sat on the couch, scrolling through the nursery design on my phone, the pale blue walls and soft, minimalistic furniture barely registering in my mind. I let Andrade pick the color, furniture, design and everything. We've already picked a room for them and bought lots of toys already. Well, Andrade mostly. He couldn't stop buying toys. Apparently, he wants a boy and believes it will be a boy while I really don't have a gender preference. I just want my babies. He wanted to check the gender and Marisol wanted a gender rev
The Devil You Know 153 — Epilogue
ELIJAH I sat in the sterile, white-walled clinic, my fingers twisting together as I nervously fidgeted. Andrade was sitting beside me, his hand resting lightly on my knee, a quiet strength I had come to depend on more than I ever imagined. The room was filled with a quiet hum of life—the soft beep of machines, the shuffle of footsteps outside, and the low murmur of voices in the hallway. But despite the sounds around me, all I could hear was the thundering of my own heartbeat. We’d been through so much already—planning the wedding, moving in together, figuring out how to be a family. And now, this. Surrogacy. The process of bringing our children into this world. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy. There was no manual for this. But I wasn’t prepared for how overwhelming it would feel. How it would tug at my emotions, leaving me in a state of constant worry and doubt. I glanced over at Andrade, who caught my gaze and gave me that reassuring smile—the one that always
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