Chapter 10 - A New Foundation
Three months later, the Chicago winter had blanketed the city in white snow. A lot had changed. Marcus Thorne had been forced to step down in disgrace, his company swallowed up by Julian's empire. But the biggest change was Julian himself. He had shocked Wall Street by stepping down as CEO of his company, transitioning to Chairman of the Board, and officially relocating his permanent residence to Chicago.
Inside the massive suburban estate, the house was filled with laughter. The triplets were running around the living room, chasing the new golden retriever puppy Julian had bought them. Evelyn stood by the fireplace, holding a mug of tea, watching the chaos with a deep sense of peace.
Julian walked up behind her, wrapping his arms securely around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. He kissed her cheek, smelling the familiar scent of vanilla and rain that he had missed for half a decade.
They are getting faster, Julian laughed, watching Sophie tackle the dog onto a plush rug.
Evelyn leaned back against his chest. You spoil them too much.
They deserve it. And so do you, he murmured. He gently turned her around to face him. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. He did not kneel this time. He just looked directly into her eyes, his heart entirely on his sleeve.
We did everything backward, he said softly. We broke apart, we grew up, and we found each other again. I do not want to just be the father of your children, Evie. I want to be your partner, in every sense of the word, for the rest of my life. Will you marry me? Again?
Evelyn looked at the simple, elegant diamond ring. Then she looked at the man who had spent the last three months proving his devotion every single day. He had attended every parent-teacher conference, learned how to braid three sets of hair, and stood by her as an equal.
She smiled, tears welling in her eyes, and wrapped her arms around his neck.
Yes, she whispered before pulling him into a kiss.
May you like
Across the room, Emma suddenly stopped playing and pointed at them. Look! Mommy and Daddy are kissing again!
Julian broke the kiss, resting his forehead against Evelyn's as they both started laughing. He looked over at his daughters, his heart finally whole. He had lost everything five years ago because of a lie, but today, surrounded by his girls and the love of his life, he was truly the richest man in the world.
