Chapter 7 - Home at LastThe sun dipped below the Chicago skyline, painting the clouds in brilliant shades of violet and gold as the reception on the terrace wound down.
The kids had finally crashed, fast asleep in a cozy pile on the indoor lounge sofa, exhausted from too much cake and dancing. The quiet hum of the lake waves filled the evening air.
I stood by the glass railing, looking out over the sparkling water, holding a glass of champagne. Footsteps approached softly behind me, and a warm, familiar pair of arms wrapped around my waist, pulling me back against his chest.
"Penny for your thoughts, Mrs. Vale," Sebastian murmured into my hair, pressing a gentle kiss to my temple.
I leaned back into him, resting my hands over his arms. "I was just thinking about how crazy it is that we survived all of it."
"We didn't just survive," Sebastian corrected softly, turning me around so I was facing him, his hands resting securely on my hips. "We won."
I smiled, reaching up to trace the faint lines around his eyes—lines forged from worry and pain, but now softened by absolute peace. "We did win. And the best part is, nobody can ever take this away from us."
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"Never," Sebastian whispered fiercely, before pulling me into a deep, tender kiss that tasted of forever.
Down below, the city lights flickered across the dark water, but in our arms, the world felt safe, bright, and entirely at peace. The secrets were gone, the shadows had retreated, and our family was finally whole.
