Epilogue
SCARLET
Six Months Later
Endless tulips in every color surround me; in any other moment of my life, this would have been everything I’ve ever wanted to see; my perfect fantasy brought to life.
But now, even with all this beauty around me, my eyes keep drifting back to one thing: the massive rock sitting on my finger.
An oval, five-carat diamond set on a beautifully engraved band, catching the light with every movement of my hand.
Knox truly outdid himself. Not just with the ring, but with the way he has handled everything that’s come with our new reality.
The media jumped onto the story the second they spotted my engagement ring two weeks ago.
Overnight, it was all over front pages, trending articles, and gossip headlines.
Every paparazzi site scrambled to post first, desperate for clicks.
It didn’t take long before my past was dragged into the spotlight, either. The day that happened, I half expected Knox to pull away and rethink everything, but he didn’t.
Instead … he did this.
“Let’s give them a show,” he’d said, and then he went on to organize the engagement party of the decade.
Influential faces fill the venue; men who have worked alongside Knox for years, celebrities who have stayed in his hotels, business partners, family members, and our closest friends. It’s all big, dramatic, a little over-the-top … and somewhat of a public performance.
But for once, I don’t mind it because I’m standing beside him. The man I chose. The man I get to spend the rest of my life with.
He stands out even in the middle of all this elegance.
The flowers, the tall white-clothed tables topped with glowing candles, the servers weaving through guests with trays of signature cocktails named after The Network’s motto—Discretion, Elegance, Choice—and plates of our favorite foods.
A live band plays soft music from the stage, but it’s the kind that fills the room without overwhelming it, leaving space for laughter, conversation, and celebration.
“There you are.” A familiar hand slips across the small of my back. A second later, I feel a soft kiss land on the back of my neck, sending a gentle shiver through me.
“My God, there are so many people here,” I whisper, turning to face my fiancé. He looks as dashing as ever in his navy blue suit, which matches my light blue dress. “I didn’t expect this many to show up.”
Knox gives a little shrug, accompanied by that small smile of his that always manages to calm me.
“They’re here for the latest gossip,” he says lightly.
“So we may as well give them something worth talking about.” He leans down and presses a kiss to my forehead, and my insides melt all over again.
That’s the effect he’s had on me from the very beginning, and somehow, it’s only grown stronger.
Six months ago, we made a promise to choose each other every single time.
Since then, we’ve kept that promise fiercely, without hesitation.
A month after that night, I moved in with him, and the dogs acted like it was the greatest day of their lives.
Milly practically glued herself to me for a week straight and has completely come out of her shell since.
Tim and Boa became even more hyperactive than before.
And I fit right in. Most of my vintage treasures now decorate his once-sleek, modern home, blending our styles until it all somehow became a perfect reflection of us.
It all came together, just the way it’s meant to.
“Congratulations to the happy couple,” a deep voice echoes through the chatter around us.
I turn to my left and nearly freeze. Locke Stonebridge stands there, immaculate in a dark gray suit, his expression controlled, but unmistakably pleased.
He barely attends events like this. In fact, it’s almost a rule that he doesn’t.
Yet here he is, offering us one of his rare, genuine smiles of approval.
“Thank you,” I say softly. “We’re happy to have you here.”
Knox gives a respectful nod of acknowledgment beside me, his arm tightening around my waist. Mr. Stonebridge moves on, disappearing into the crowd.
As he does, a server walks past carrying another tray of our signature cocktails.
Discretion. Elegance. Choice. Those are the reminders of where our entire story began. Right at The Network.
For a brief moment, everything around me becomes almost too much—the music, the chatter, and the sea of faces. So many people are watching, whispering, and analyzing us, all at once. I feel it all tightening around me, and my chest tightens.
So I do the one thing I’ve learned to do whenever the world feels too loud. I turn to the one person I will always trust. Knox is already looking at me, smiling like he knows exactly what I need before I even say it.
“I choose you,” I tell him. “Every time.”
He leans in and kisses me, slowly, softly, and impossibly tender. He doesn’t need to reply. He’s shown me in a thousand ways how he feels, and he continues to show me every single day.
When we part, a spark of mischief curls in my voice. “How about we steal a moment of peace … and sneak into the storage room together? I’m sure no one will notice.”
I half expect him—the owner of Aurora Grand hotels known for his discipline and composure—to politely decline, but he doesn’t. Instead, he smiles in a way that’s reserved only for me. And at that second, as he takes my hand, I can only hope this is exactly what the rest of our lives will look like.