Epilogue
EPILOGUE
DULCE
One Year Later
I glance at Ford as he squeezes my hand. His smile is calm and controlled, but something is unsettling about it—something that never quite goes away. I’ve learned to ignore it because of the attention he gives me. He’s gentle, attentive, and caring. His house in Vegas and in Italy were stocked with clothes in my exact size. The chef’s kitchen mirrored the same equipment in the bakery.
But now, as Dr. Jordan looks between the two of us, a nagging feeling creeps into my mind. His words keep repeating in my head. “How did you think your husband knew who to call that night at the hotel room? Or why he ordered the same cookies every week for the past four years?”
My mind spins as I blink. I remember that night—when Ford called Dr. Long from the hotel and asked specific questions. But he knew. He always knew. I never questioned it—not really. I chalked it up to coincidence, to Ford just being… Ford.
But now, I can’t shake the unease.
“Ford…” I speak softly, my voice suddenly tightening in my throat.“Why did you call Dr. Long at the hotel that night?” Did you know about my nightmares?
Ford’s eyes flicker for the briefest second, and then his smile widens, but it’s no longer reassuring. If anything, it feels… predatory.
He leans in slightly, his hand gripping mine tighter, and my heart skips a beat. “Because, Dulce,” he says slowly, his voice like velvet wrapping around my throat, “I’ve always known where you were. But they weren't supposed to do what they did. And for that, I'm sorry.”
A cold shiver runs down my spine. I try to pull my hand away, but his grip only tightens.
“What do you mean, Ford?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
Ford leans back casually as if we’re discussing the weather. “Everything I’ve done… was for you, but you’re mine. Always.”
My breath hitches. Always?
Dr. Jordan clears his throat, but I can’t look at him. My eyes are locked on Ford, and suddenly, everything—every coincidence, every moment that seemed too perfect—starts to fall into place. The bakery sponsorship. The day he took me home on my birthday. The way he always showed up when I needed him. Months before my grandmother passed away.
Oh my God.
“You’ve been… waiting?” I ask, the words trembling on my lips.
Ford’s smile remains unwavering. “Of course, Dulce. How could I not? I couldn’t take any chances. Not with you. But I never knew about that night. I was on a plane, and Chris took what was mine.”
I stand abruptly, my heart racing, but there’s nowhere to go. Ford stands, too, stepping closer. Too close. I can feel his presence, towering, suffocating.
“Ford…” I say, my voice breaking. “You… you planned all of this, didn’t you?”
He tilts his head, his eyes dark and piercing. “I did what I had to do, Dulce. For us. For our future.”
I stumble back, but my legs feel weak, like they won’t hold me. I glance at Dr. Jordan, searching for some kind of help, but all I see is his calm, knowing expression. Like he knew this would happen. Like he expected it.
I shake my head, panic clawing at my chest. “No, no, this isn’t right. This isn’t… love.”
Ford steps closer, his eyes locking onto mine. “Love?” He laughs softly, darkly. “This is the only kind of love, Dulce. The only kind that matters. You’re mine. And you always will be.”
His words wrap around me like chains, tightening with every second. My heart pounds in my ears, my breath coming in shallow gasps. I want to run, to scream, but I can’t. I’m trapped. Trapped in a life I thought was mine but was never really mine at all.
Ford smiles, his hand brushing my cheek, and I flinch. “Don’t worry, Dulce,” he murmurs, his voice soothing but filled with a darkness I never fully saw before. “I’ll always take care of you. Always.”
I look into his eyes, and all I see is obsession. Control. Possession. Mixed with love that is dark.
If I ever thought I would leave Airy, I was alluding myself. Ford will never let me go. And I don’t think I will ever want him to.
THE END