The island glowed under the golden kiss of sunset, casting a dreamlike shimmer over the world Cassie and Damon had built.
Hope raced along the shoreline, her laughter mixing with the rhythmic crash of the waves, while Damon sat on a beach blanket cradling a sleepy Ethan against his chest.
Cassie stood a few feet away, her heart swelling at the sight of her family.
It was moments like these that reminded her why they had fought so hard for love, for peace, for each other.
She crossed the sand, sinking down beside Damon.
“Do you ever think about how far we’ve come?” she asked, resting her head against his shoulder.
“All the time,” he murmured, kissing the top of her head. “And I wouldn’t change a single second.”
They sat in comfortable silence, watching Hope draw shapes in the sand wi
