Chapter 15
The wedding was small. Perfect.
We got married in the backyard, under the old oak tree where Lila and I used to climb. My father walked me down the aisle. Lila was my maid of honor. Sarah was a bridesmaid. Marcus's best man was an old friend from the Teams.
The sun was shining. The roses were blooming. Everything was exactly as it should be.
Marcus looked handsome in his dress uniform. When he saw me walking toward him, his eyes filled with tears.
We said our vows. Simple. Honest. Full of love.
"I promise to always have your back," Marcus said, his voice steady but full of emotion. "I promise to stand beside you through every battle, every challenge, every joy. I promise to love you for who you are—the strongest, bravest, most amazing woman I've ever known. I promise to be your partner. Your friend. Your home. For the rest of my life."
My turn.
"I promise to let you take care of me sometimes," I said, and everyone laughed. "I promise to trust you. To lean on you. To love you through the good times and the bad. I promise to build a life with you. A life full of peace. Full of love. Full of family. I promise to be yours. Always."
We kissed. The crowd cheered.
Lila threw her arms around both of us, crying happy tears.
"I'm so happy for you," she said.
After the ceremony, we ate. We danced. We laughed.
My father pulled me aside at one point.
"I'm sorry," he said quietly. "For blaming myself. For blaming you. I should have been stronger. I should have seen what was happening with Jake."
"Dad," I said, putting my hand on his arm. "None of this was your fault. You did the best you could. And we're all here now. Together. That's what matters."
He pulled me into a hug. "I'm so glad you're home, Elena. I missed you so much."
"I missed you too, Dad."
---
Later that night, after the guests had left, Marcus and I sat on the porch swing. Lila joined us, holding a glass of champagne.
"I have something to tell you," she said, smiling.
"What is it?" I asked.
"I got into art school," she said. "In Florence. I'm going to study painting. For a year."
I stared at her. "Lila! That's amazing! I'm so proud of you!"
She laughed. "I know. It's scary. But I need to do this. I need to find myself again. Away from all of this. I need to figure out who I am without Jake. Without all the drama."
"Then you should go," Marcus said. "You deserve this, Lila. More than anyone."
She looked at me, her eyes soft. "Will you be okay? Without me?"
I took her hand. "Lila, I'll be fine. Marcus and I are moving to Germany in a few months. We'll be busy. And you need to do this. For you. I'll visit. You'll visit. We'll FaceTime every day. Nothing is going to break us apart. Not anymore."
She leaned her head on my shoulder.
"I love you, Elena."
"I love you too, Lila."
---
A year later.
Florence, Italy.
Marcus and I were visiting Lila. She was thriving. Her art was incredible. She was happy. Confident. Strong.
We stood in a gallery, looking at her paintings. They were full of color. Full of life. Full of hope.
A woman approached us. She was elegant. Sophisticated.
"Excuse me," she said. "Are you the artist's sister?"
"I am," I said.
"Your sister's work is extraordinary," she said. "There's so much emotion in it. So much pain. But also so much hope. It's inspiring."
"Thank you," I said, smiling.
Lila came over, putting her arm around my waist. "Elena. Marcus. I was wondering where you'd gotten to."
"We were just admiring your work," Marcus said. "It's incredible, Lila."
She beamed. "Thank you. And thank you both for coming. It means the world to me."
We spent the rest of the day exploring Florence. Eating pasta. Drinking wine. Laughing.
That night, we sat on the rooftop terrace of Lila's apartment, looking out over the city. The lights of Florence twinkled below us. The Duomo stood tall and proud in the distance.
Lila took a sip of wine. "You know, I was thinking about Jake today."
Marcus and I tensed.
"It's okay," she said, smiling. "I was just thinking about how different my life is now. How scared I was. How trapped I felt. And now... now I'm free. I'm doing what I love. I'm surrounded by people who love me. I'm happy."
She looked at me.
"And I owe it all to you, Elena. You came back. You saved me. You gave me my life back."
I shook my head. "You saved yourself, Lila. You were the one who found the strength to stand up in court. To speak your truth. To come here and start over. That was all you."
She smiled. "Maybe. But I couldn't have done it without you. Without any of you."
She looked at Marcus. "I'm so glad you two found each other. You deserve to be happy."
"We are," Marcus said, putting his arm around me. "Very happy."
I leaned into him, looking out over the beautiful city. My sister beside me. My husband beside me. My family whole.
Jake Carter was in prison. He would be there for a very long time. He could never hurt us again.
We were safe. We were loved. We were free.
The past was behind us. The future was bright.
And for the first time in my life, I knew exactly where I belonged.
Home.
May you like
With the people I loved.
The end.
