Epilogue Devon
Annulled.
The words glare up at me from the letter wobbling in my hands.
One year.
Twelve months.
Constant trips to Colorado as Axel blocked the divorce every way he could and meetings with Kairo’s lawyers that lasted hours, all while pregnant, turned the past year into one hell of a struggle.
But we did it.
Despite Axel’s sabotage attempts.
Whatever magic Kairo worked behind the scenes turned my divorce into an annulment after his team found old video footage of the wedding where I was far too drunk to stand, never mind understand what I was agreeing to.
The letter in my hand is two weeks old.
It came not long after this year’s Christmas Fair, and I’ve kept it with me ever since.
A reminder that I’m now truly free from my past and my future with Kairo can begin.
A sudden noise to my left makes me place the letter quickly over the fresh pregnancy test on the counter.
I turn and face Tilly, my four-month-old darling, who gurgles up at me from her bassinet and reaches for me with two round fists.
“Hi, baby.” I grin down at her and lean over the bassinet. “Hi. Did you have a good nap? Everyone’s waiting for you. Yes, they are. Yes, they are.”
Carefully scooping her into my arms, I bring her adorable, scrunchy face close to mine and kiss her nose. “Are you ready?”
She giggles and yawns, waving her arms back and forth, then she settles into my arms and gazes up at me with such adoration that my heart melts.
Mom told me I’d get used to that look when she’d start screaming due to teething, so I’m soaking up every quiet, sweet moment with her.
She’s been a relatively quiet baby so far, which gave me all the time I needed to catch up on sleep after her eighteen-hour labor, not that I had to worry.
Kairo’s been doting on her since the moment she appeared.
Speaking of, he’s standing in the doorway when I open the door and when our eyes meet, a warm smile spreads across his handsome face.
“How are my girls?”
“One’s full of energy, the other…” I tilt my head and purse my lips. “She’s getting there.”
“Do you need a break?”
His brows pinch together and affection warms my heart at the little curl forming on his forehead. “Hosting Christmas is not easy.”
“No, it’s not. But I’m fine. I want to do this.”
Beyond Kairo, the dark hallway gives way to the warm orange glow radiating from the lounge.
We spent days decorating the penthouse to make it the epitome of Christmas spirit, as well as setting up the guest rooms for my parents and friends so that everyone can stay over.
Thankfully, Mom took over Christmas dinner, but I’ve been helping where I can while Kairo and Dad worked together to build a brand-new interactive, stimulating playset for Tilly.
Whatever that means. As long as it makes her laugh, that’s all I care about.
“You sure?” Kairo leans against the doorframe, one arm raised above him, and a spike of want shoots through my core. “Because my mom just got here.”
“Oh.”
Kairo’s relationship with his mother remains strained, but she’s trying.
New medication and intense therapy seem to be working, as well as our argument just after the New Year.
She visited and raised her hand to Kairo for the last time.
I’m not scared of a scandal, and I made it clear I’d have her prosecuted for the abuse she put him through and withhold visitation to her granddaughter unless she turned herself in to the police for assault.
She looked to Kairo as if expecting him to step in, but this time, he didn’t.
This time, I protected him.
Their relationship will never be perfect, but she’s making an effort, so inviting her to Christmas was a given.
“Do you think she’ll behave?” I ask softly, balancing Tilly in one arm and cupping his jaw with my other hand. “If it’s too much, I’ll ask her to leave. I don’t care if it’s Christmas.”
“I’m fine,” he assures me softly. “But I love that you care.”
“Of course I care. I love you.”
“I love you too. And you.” His eyes drop to Tilly, and she giggles and squeals as he kisses her, tickling her with his beard. “Let me?”
At his request, I pass Tilly into his thick arms where she looks infinitely smaller than she already is, and together, we head through to the lounge.
Merriment is high.
My mom and dad dance to Christmas tunes in the kitchen with wine in hand.
Martin lounges on the couch surrounded by a new blanket and his new girlfriend who knitted him a kidney to make up for the one he lost.
Faith is by the Christmas tree with two of her friends as they add their own homemade baubles to it.
After the booming success of Just A Sweet Thing, Faith’s been promoted to head decorator and we’ve opened three more bakeries in the city to keep up with demand.
My parents never have to worry about bills or insurance again.
Seeing everyone together warms my heart more than I can say.
Tilly squeals, reaching for the sparkling lights draped across the ceiling, and everyone’s attention is on us.
She becomes the star of the show as everyone seeks their five minutes with her and she soaks it all up like she’s fully aware.
She smiles brighter than any star, waves her little fists to the music, and takes her bottle without complaint as if she wants to show off to everyone around us.
Dinner is served. Kairo and I share a chicken while everyone else devours a ham.
We share stories of past Christmases, lament about the challenges of the year and how different things are from last year, and there are a few awkward questions about Kairo’s leg.
Luckily, Martin redirects by making a huge deal about his lost kidney.
Through it all, Kairo’s mother, Clarice, is a silent participant.
She eats and drinks without a word, smiles politely, and keeps to herself until the games break out after dinner.
We’re two rounds into making a drunk Martin catch a candy cane when Clarice approaches.
“She’s not too tired, is she?” Clarice asks, her lips pursed as she looks at Tilly resting quietly in my arms, fascinated by the twinkling lights above.
“She napped before dinner so she’s fine,” I reply politely.
“That’s good.” Clarice sucks in a short breath and then focuses on her purse. After rummaging around a little, she pulls out a parcel and hands it to Kairo.
“What’s this?” Apprehension fills his eyes as he stares down at the red wrapping.
“A present.” Clarice’s lips twitch into a smile.
Kairo and I exchange a glance, then he slowly unwraps the parcel.
Inside rests an off-white silk blanket with the initials K.S. stitched in blue thread on one corner.
“It’s your baby blanket,” Clarice says. “It took me a long time to find it among the storage. It was cut from a piece of my baby shawl, which came from your grandmother. I had it cleaned and the edges hemmed so it would be safe, and I thought you would like it. Not that I’m implying you should continue the tradition.
” Her brows lift. “I just thought it would be a nice gift.”
Her words are careful and measured, another glimpse of how therapy is helping her.
It’s a sweet gift, all things considered, and Kairo looks stunned to see it again.
He turns it over his hands, smoothing his knuckles over the silk, and then he looks up at his Mom.
“This is a really nice gift, Mom. Thank you.”
“Oh, it’s nothing.” She waves at him with one hand. “Since selling the estate, I’ve found so many old things I thought were lost. We could… go through them together sometime. If you want to.”
She’s so different from the arrogant, snobbish woman I met last year.
The collapse of Silver Canopy ultimately garnered her a lot of public sympathy when it was revealed that Kairo’s father wasn’t as good as the world thought.
Kairo’s CFO, Ryan, ultimately revealed hundreds of company secrets in an attempt to reduce his sentence for fraud and numerous other charges.
Silver Canopy is no more, the Sycamores are free from Bernard’s shadow, and my family bakery is booming.
The world is a strange place.
“I’d like that,” Kairo replies, his voice tight. “Thank you.”
Tilly starts to fuss so after kissing Kairo’s cheek, I retreat back to the bedroom and soothe her down into her bassinet.
She whines at being set down but she falls fast asleep within a few rocks and I turn back to the dresser.
Underneath the letter sits the pregnancy test I took this morning.
I know the signs.
Kairo and I can’t keep our hands off one another, and I’m not mad about it either.
Bringing a sibling into the world for Tilly will give her a love neither Kairo nor I experienced.
Picking up the test, I hide it in my palm and head back out to the party.
The music’s turned down and Clarice is talking to my mom while everyone else drapes around the couches, processing the amazing meal we had.
Kairo stands near the kitchen counter with his back to me.
“Kairo?” My heart skips a beat as I approach, chewing nervously on my lower lip.
It’s one thing to raise a baby, but doing that while also being pregnant will make us face a whole host of new challenges.
Maybe it’s a bad idea.
But I’m not keeping it a secret this time.
“I have a present for you.” I hold out the positive test as Kairo turns to face me, but before I can speak, a glint in his own hands catches my attention.
Resting in his palm is a sparkling engagement ring with several sparkling gemstones set within a white-gold band.
My mouth drops open.
“What’s that?” We speak in unison and draw the attention of everyone around us.
Kairo’s eyes are fixed on the test while I stare at the ring, struggling to find the words to explain myself and ask what the ring is for.
Luckily, Kairo sorts out his thoughts first.
“You’re pregnant?” he asks softly, his voice filled with awe.
I nod silently. “You have a ring?”
Kairo sinks down to his knees and gazes up at me with love flooding his eyes.
“Marry me,” he says warmly. “I love you, Devon. We’ve survived the…
the fall of my company, your ex, bullets, pregnancy, weeks-long court cases.
I love you. I’ve never loved anyone as much as I love you, and this past year has shown me that I want to be with you for the rest of my life.
I never doubted that. We lied to the world and told them we were engaged and then we wed through a contract.
With your marriage to that dick annulled, ours is now legal, but I want to marry you properly.
A real wedding with input and family so I can show you off and we can create real memories together. Marry me. Be with me.”
“Are you sure?” I gasp, struggling to keep up with everything he’s saying.
Ever since I signed that contract, I accepted what we were and it felt right.
I never felt like I missed out on anything, but now that it’s presented to me, it’s absolutely what I want.
“I’m pregnant.” I show him the test again, as if he hadn’t noticed it before.
“I know.” His smile stretches from ear to ear. “We’re going to have another baby and I want to marry you.”
“You’re not mad?”
Kairo clutches at my hand. “Not at all! I could never be mad. I love you, Devon. I love you so much that even saying that feels like a disservice to how deeply I feel for you. I love our little family and I want it to be bigger. I’m here for you. Always.”
My heart races and tears sting at the corners of my eyes.
The ring Kairo offers blurs as I stare at it, then I sink to my knees and throw my arms around his neck.
“Yes! Yes, I’ll marry you!”
Soft cheers and applause rise up from everyone in the lounge while Kairo pulls me into his arms and kisses me.
His tears of joy mingle with my own, and we laugh against one another’s lips.
“Another baby,” I gasp. “Are you ready for this?”
“I’m ready for anything,” Kairo replies. “And I know you’re going to look hot as fuck in a wedding dress.”
His mouth claims mine and my heart soars, excitement swelling in my chest.
We’ve been everything from strangers in a bar with fake names to fake-engaged turned contract married.
Now, at last, we’re a proper family.