EPILOGUE

5 years later

Ethan's POV

"Happy birthday, princess," I spoke lifting the little girl I love with all my heart in my arms.

Nina, my daughter, giggled softly having the same smile as Lauren. She is a replica of Lauren except for the blue eyes she got from me. Lauren and my daughter have always smiling faces, and I'm glad my daughter looks like my wife.

"Thank you, daddy." Nina giggled throwing her arms around my neck hugging me tightly before moving back and giving me a soft kiss on my cheek.

"Wow...It's my princess' birthday..." I spoke in a sing-song voice and my daughter chuckled tipping her head back and that was all I wanted to make even my worst day the best.

"Daddy, can I dress up like a princess today?" Nina asked me excitedly and I smiled at her nodding my head mirroring her excitement.

"Sure, sweetheart."

"Yay!" she hugged me again and I laughed at her excitement.

"But first-" I started but was cut off by the little talker.

"Daddy, can we also wear the twinning dresses we bought last month? Even Milo wanted to wear that dress. He said to me last night." she spoke pointing towards our golden retriever who found the plants outside more interesting than our conversation.

"Did he really say that?" I narrowed my eyes at her and she gave me a cheeky smile.

she thought for a moment maybe contemplating whether to continue her lie or not.

"No. he didn't exactly say that but he liked that dress, Daddy," Nina spoke shrugging her shoulder and I squinted my eyes at her before shaking my head at her adorable actions.

"Sure, princess. Whatever you want."

"Also Daddy, can we watch the new Disney movie together? April told me that there was a scary shark in the movie that ate every human it saw. Can we watch it? Also, Daddy, can we bake a chocolate cake today, We can also bake brownies and some pies-" Nina went off saying everything and anything that gets in her brain just like Lauren. It's like her thoughts and chats don't have a full stop except when she sleeps.

"Absolutely not."

I heard the voice that has been the fuel for my heart to function properly and the essence of my soul for the past few years. To be honest, I wouldn't want it the other way. The love of my life and the one person who can anger me in a second but also can calm me down walked towards us.

Lauren...

Lauren is like my medicine. Its taste is harsh sometimes but heals. She is the epitome of sunshine, her brightness can be overwhelming sometimes, but without her, it's only darkness. And darkness is no friend of mine. Never before and not now too.

"But mommy, it's my birthday." Nina gave me her signature puppy eye looks which she always uses on me whenever she wants something while Lauren stood completely unfazed at her daughter's puppy eyes.

Wow, how can she stand against that puppy-eye charm while I fail all the time. Maybe I need a tutorial on that.

"Still, you can't have too much sweet baby. Your dentist said no to sweets, remember?" Nina sighed resting her head on my shoulder with a sight at Lauren's words.

"But mom-" Nina was about to say something but Lauren stopped her.

"No."

"Daddy..." My daughter complained looking at me.

I stared at her before eyeing Lauren and she looked at me as if waiting for me to challenge her.

okay... It's not do or die situation anymore. It's die or die.

My phone rang in my pocket and I took it out thanking whoever for saving me from this tight situation between the mother and daughter and looked at my phone to see Ryan's name.

"It's Ryan" I spoke to Lauren, answering the phone before walking towards the couch where Lauren sat beside me while Nina sat on my lap. Seeing us on the couch, Milo ran towards us and sat on the other side of me already grabbing Nina's scrunchie from her hair using his mouth. Milo is obsessed with scrunchies, I think.

"Hey," I spoke answering the phone and showing only my face and stared at Ryan where he was sitting on a couch

"Why am I seeing you?" he asked me with a frown.

"Maybe because you called me?" I replied while Lauren shook her head at me while my little daughter chuckled covering her mouth with her little hands. My daughter is the cutest human.

"I didn't call to talk to you. Where is my birthday princess?" He spoke and with a sigh, I turned my camera towards Nina in my lap.

"Happy birthday, Nina princess!!!" Ryan shouted excitedly from the other side while Nina chuckled even more at her uncle's excitement.

"Thank you, Uncle Ryan," Nina spoke adorably with a pink tint spreading on her chubby cheeks while staring at her uncle whom she adores with all her heart.

"Where is Aunt Eva?" Nina asked and Eva appeared in front of the camera a moment later.

"Here, sweetie," Eva spoke and Nina smiled at Eva.

"Happy birthday, Nina," Eva spoke sitting beside Ryan and he looped his arm around her.

"What does my sweet girl want from Sweden?" Eva asked and Nina's excitement died a bit.

"Sweden? You are not here?" Nina asked and Ryan smiled softly at my girl's words.

"No, honey... we are still in Sweden," Eva answered with a guilty face.

"Will you not come to my birthday today?" She asked them with a pout and they both shook their head.

"I'm sorry, princess. We can't. But I'll send you anything you want from here. Toys? dresses?  What do you want?"

"I don't want anything." The pout is still on her lips while Lauren and I share a look.

"Nina..." Eva tried calling Nina but she ignored them turning her face away.

"Princess," Ryan called but she still ignored them.

"What If I say I'll bring you that dress you loved in that Barbie movie?" At Ryan's words, Nina widened her eyes before nodding her head excitedly with a huge grin.

"Yes. yes, Uncle Ryan. I want that."

"Sure. I'll send you that by night." Ryan and Eva smiled at Nina's excitement.

Nina smiled excitedly at her mother listening to her uncle's words, before turning towards them again.

"Where is Aiden, Uncle Ryan?"

"Aiden is busy playing with toys, baby," Ryan spoke before turning his camera around towards a little 2-year-old boy who was busy playing with his toys with a keen face.

"Aiden?" Lauren called to the little boy and he looked up at her voice.

"What is my little boy doing?" he came running towards the camera once he saw Lauren on the screen.

"Ishihsshi." Aiden said something gibberish that I didn't understand at all but Lauren chuckled at his words as if she understood everything he said.

"I know. I know." Lauren smiled at him nodding her head.

"Hello, Aiden," I spoke looking at the camera but once he saw me and not Lauren, his smile was replaced with a frown.

"nnschijd.." He spoke something before giving the phone back to his father and going back to play with his toys completely ignoring me.

I swear, he is a little Ryan. They both will do anything to annoy me and this little Ryan is not even old enough to speak but still does annoying things like his father.

"Aw, man I love my son," Ryan spoke chuckling at his son's actions.

"Of course, you do."

"Please you two don't start now." Eva glared at me before returning her glare to her husband. Ryan and Eva have been married for three years or something like that now.

"Lauren, how is everything over there?" Eva asked Lauren while Nina started petting Milo who rested his head on her lap.

"It's perfect Eva, except for the fact that you both are missing on my daughter's birthday." Lauren glared at them.

"I know."

"After talking for a bit more about everything and anything, we finally hung up the call.

***

We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon baking cookies and cakes just like Nina wanted. I mean who can say no to my daughter? She is Nina Maeve Kingston. And Lauren's daughter. There's no chance of winning.

"Can I mix it, mommy?" Nina asked her mother while Lauren was mixing the batter.

Lauren smiled at Nina before nodding her head giving the whisk to her while guiding Nina on how to mix the batter.

I watched as Lauren laughed at the way Nina mixed the batter speedily spilling all the contents outside the bowl and Nina laughed throwing her head back and making her mother laugh even harder.

"Nina, baby, you are not helping me at all," Lauren said taking the whisk from her and continuing doing her work.

I have to say that Lauren improved a lot in her cooking and she makes the best cakes I've ever tasted. And eating Lauren's dishes after a hectic day makes everything perfect.

"Daddy, look at this."

Nina showed me one of the brownies that Lauren baked just before while Nina decorated it with choco chips and sprinkles.

"It looks pretty, princess." I smiled at Nina.

"I made it." She gave me a toothy grin placing the brownie in front of my lips.  I took a bite and Nina waited excitedly for me to speak.

"It's delicious, honey. This is the best." I spoke taking another bite of the brownie while Nina gave me a full-blown smile.

"Thank you, daddy." she spoke and before I could say something in return, she went back to the to search for her mother.

"You're welcome" I whispered the words to myself before returning to my business call.

***

The day passed and it was evening in no time. We decorated the house with a theme of blue and white. because for some reason, Nina loves these colours.

"There she is, my girl," Alice spoke hugging Nina while she laughed at her aunt's excitement.

"Happy birthday baby," Alice spoke and in walked Chris after a moment with their daughter.

April ran towards her best friend, Nina.

"Happy birthday, Nina." April spoke before giving her a gift that she brought with her.

"Thank you," Nina spoke before showing her dress to which April looked as if she was watching a real princess. April is four years old now and she is literally the female version of her father. She looks just like Chris, but her personality, she got it from Alice, I can say.

"You look so beautiful, Nina," April spoke looking at Nina.

"Happy birthday,  little angel," Chris spoke before lifting Nina in his arms.

"Thank you, Uncle Chris."

I stood behind April and tapped her shoulder lightly. Once April saw me she threw her arms around my neck in a hug.

"Uncle Ethan," April spoke resting her head on my chest.

"Finally, my April is here. I missed you a lot." I spoke pulling back from the hug and looking at April.

"I missed you too, Uncle Ethan. But I am here now, we can play a new game this time. Nina will also love this game." April spoke.

"Right, of course. How about we play this new game in the garden?" I asked her and April nodded her head tucking her curly hair behind her ear.

Nina and April ran out towards the garden while Chris and I walked behind them.

"They grow up so fast. Don't they?" Chris spoke looking at our daughters who were completely busy running while Milo chased them.

"Don't even start. It was just yesterday I took her little body in my hands." I spoke with a short smile.

"They were so little," Chris spoke.

"I'm scared when she will grow up and bring a boy home one day." Chris spoke again after a moment of silence.

"That's my worst nightmare," I spoke looking at him for a moment.

"I think it's best if we learn how to fight, Ethan. I'm not going to lose my girl for some boy." Chris spoke.

"No boy will ever get her," I replied.

We stayed in silence for a moment doing nothing except stare at our daughters. Chris and I came a long way from where we began. Ryan and I have been friends since middle school but I met Chris much later in life. For some reason, we became friends even though we both had different tastes in everything. The only common thing we had was that we could be as much as heartless as we wanted. But still, even after a few misunderstandings and disputes, we met again and we became friends again. as if we were meant to become friends from the beginning. Maybe we were.

"I'm going to feel sick if I see anything blue anymore" Chris spoke looking at the blue artificial tree that was placed at the corner of the garden for decoration purposes.

"Get used to it. Once your daughter gets obsessed with some colour, that will be the only colour you'll see till she starts liking another colour."

***

LAUREN'S POV

"Where is Ryan and Eva?" Alice asked me once Ethan, Chris went out following Nina and April.

"They ditched the party." I spoke shrugging my shoulder.

"No way." She looked offended.

"They totally did."

"Ok. how is Mrs Miller doing?" I asked Alice and she smiled at me brightly.

"She is good. Actually.. more than good, if I have to say. I think therapy really helped her through everything."

"I'm glad."

We continued chatting but the giggles from the glass window in the room brought us out of our talks. Nina and April laughed loudly at Milo while Ethan and Chris stood behind staring at the little girls.

Seeing Nina and April together gives me a different kind of happiness. I love how Nina and April are friends just like I and Alice once were. It's nice seeing the people you love get along well with each other.

***

I and Ethan stood at the side of the room while Nina looked down at her cake excitedly. Everyone is in the room waiting to participate in celebrating the little girl's birthday.

Elena stood staring at her granddaughter with a content smile. Her heart has never been this happy. She was so used to having some kind of void in her life, that this new change in her life is still something she is getting used to.

I looked at James, Ethan's grandfather who sat in the wheelchair and looked like he was arguing with his caretaker. I frowned for a moment before my eyes fell on the cupcake in his hands. No wonder they are arguing. James still thinks that he is young and can eat whatever he wants while the caretaker seems to have another opinion about that.

Nina was busy staring at her cake while April and her other friends stood beside her.

When Ethan got a call, he left the room and returned two minutes later with a square box in his hand. He stood in front of Nina showing the gift box to his daughter.

"Your uncle Ryan sent you a gift." Ethan spoke and Nina jumped with excitement before taking the box and opening the box but frowned when she saw that box was empty.

She was still deep in her frown when someone tapped her shoulder and she turned around to look at Ryan and Eva in front of them along with little Aiden.

"Uncle Ryan." Nina jumped in his arms.

"Happy birthday princess..."

"You said you were in Sweden," Nina spoke.

"You seriously thought I would miss your birthday?"

"Yay!" She hugged him again before she ran towards Eva who stood behind Ethan with Aiden in her arms.

"Won't you hug your favourite uncle, my little apple?" Ryan spoke hugging April in his arms once Nina left to talk to Eva.

"Uncle! It's April, not Apple." she giggled at him and walked towards Eva while she is talking to Nina.

April and Nina were busy watching and talking to Aiden showing him their toys and Aiden was equally excited looking at the little girls and laughing at them.

Noah, Leah's adopted son also joined Nina and April along with Aiden.

A lot of things changed in the past five years. Some were in our favour and some became a lesson.

After the Olivia incident, Lauren hasn't spoken to her father once and her mother apologised to her for not treating Lauren right. Lauren's parents met Nina once when she was a baby and that's it. Never after.

Olivia paid every penny that the court told her to and left the country soon after. When it comes to Austin, it was awkward between me and him for the first few months but soon we found the common ground. And another surprise, Austin and Cami, the woman from dog daycare, slowly fell in love. She has always had feelings for him. Although he rejects her at first, she is stubborn enough to wait patiently for him to accept her and he did. Along the way, Austin fell for the head-strong Cami.

Austin and Cami were here at the party while Layla, Austin's dog and Milo sat beside Austin while he petted them both equally.

Chris and Alice soon married after a year of dating and then had April. Alice's grandma and Chris became best friends once Chris and Alice started dating. Alice's mother has gone through therapy and she is well now. Still healing but good.

Ryan and Eva married two years ago on a yacht just like Eva wanted with only a few near and dear ones. And then they had Aiden, the little adorable boy who looks a lot like Eva and Ryan at the same time. He is the both of them.

This is how five years has passed in everyone's lives...

***

It was just getting mid night and everyone left once the birthday party is finished. Lauren sat in her daughter's bed while Nina slept peacefully cuddling her. she kept the story book beside and took her phone which rested on the beside table.

Seeing a message from Alice in the group, she clicked on the notification.

ALICE : Today is a good day. I think Nina is happy. And April had a lot of fun too.

EVA : Even Aiden didn't cry much and was having fun all night. Aiden loves Nina and April.

RYAN : He is my son after all. Of course he loves my girls. They both are my princesses.

EVA : I feel like we should have given Nina something more precious than some princess dress and a toy house.

LAUREN : Something like a private jet or an island?

ALICE : shoo... go away gold digger.

LAUREN : Look who's talking @ALICE

EVA : she said precious, Lauren, not lavish... Seriously, a private island? I would if I could but I'm kinda broke right now.

ALICE : @EVA please...you have a rich brother and a rich husband. Please don't even talk about being poor.

EVA : They are rich. Not me.

ALICE : Yeah sure... Also, I'm thinking about some night out or something next week. what do y'all think?

LAUREN : I'm in..we can do karaoke? Just us girls.

EVA : with voices like Us? I don't know about you but I sound like a giraffe.

ALICE : I agree with Eva. I sound like a straight-out evil character from Disney.

LAUREN: right... And by the way, how does a giraffe even sound?

ALICE : You don't know that??

EVA : As if you'd know. @ALICE

LAUREN : Right!!! @EVA

ALICE : let's just Google it. @LAUREN @EVA

RYAN : how about a trip or a long holiday?

ALICE : You just returned from a holiday Ryan...

CHRIS: who added me to this group again??

RYAN : I added you. Don't even dare to leave the group again..we discuss important things here.

ETHAN : Yeah like karaoke and how giraffes sound. right?

ALICE : Who added you again, Kingston?

ETHAN : my wife....

ALICE : I've got to brainwash her against you someday.

ETHAN : please do try. I want to see you fail at it again.

LAUREN : Guys...I'm.right here. @ALICE @ETHAN

RYAN : you want me to remove you from the group? @LAUREN Sure I can do that.

LAUREN : Since when we are on talking terms again? @RYAN

RYAN : Right. I forgot about our last fight. Let's just pretend that I didn't talk to you first.

LAUREN : Sure

RYAN : Sure

*CHRIS left the group chat*

I laughed at the messages where the arguments continued further with Alice Ryan Eva because Chris left the group again.

I looked down at my daughter and got up from the bed without disturbing Nina and placed a teddy bear beside her.

I kissed her on the forehead before cherishing my daughter's adorable face and was about to walk out but stopped when I saw Ethan at the room's door.

Ethan entered the room and placed a soft kiss on Nina's temple before following me outside the room.

Once we are in our room, Ethan pulled me into his arms and rested his chin on my head with a sigh.

"I have a lot of things to say." Ethan spoke first.

"A lot?" I asked him.

"Yeah. You can't even imagine."

"We have the rest of our lives ahead. You can tell me whenever you want."

"What if I grow old and couldn't remember everything that I wanted to say to you?" He asked me giving me a look which reminds me of Nina's eyes whenever she wants to convince me or something. Nina and Ethan are similar in many ways. From looks to personalities.

"Right. Then I think you should just tell me now." I spoke giving him a short smile.

"Should I?"

"I think you should."

He pulled me closer and tightened his grip around my waist softly.

"You know, Lauren, our wedding wasn't the most happiest event that happened in our lives. Right? But I'm so happy it happened because I finally found you. You brought stability in my chaotic life although you are chaos yourself." I was about to defend myself when he continued.

"I have never met a woman like you. You are loud but only you can calm me down. You make me feel at peace. You showed me the light I've been searching my whole life within me." He uttered the words taking a deep breath.

"I just want to be with you for the rest of my life. I would do anything in this whole world if that means I can be with you." He sighed with a soft smile and cupped my cheek, fondness filled in his eyes.

"I want to wake up every morning with you by my side. I want to make breakfast for us while you get Nina ready for her school. I want to listen to your endless converstaions during office lunch hours. I want to look at you and worship your face when you stare at the sky from the office balcony during breaks. I want to cook dinner along with you. I want to watch you laugh with Nina." His smile grew bigger with his every word and his words brought a smile of my own. He sighed before staring at me with a soft face and a charming smile.

"I want to grow old with you by my side, Lauren. I'm loving you more with every passing day and I think I'm going to love you even more when you have gray hair and wrinkled face."

I looked at him completely melted at his words and his every word is filling me with an emotion that I can't even express myself. It's a feeling of overwhelming comfort and happiness.

"You are my whole world, Lauren. If I don't see you even for a day, my world collapses. You and Nina complete me and give me hope in this world. I want you to know that I love you and that's the only thought that runs in my mind constantly."

"Why are you saying this to me?" I blinked my teary eyes to look at him clearly.

"I just didn't want to regret never saying something that I've always wanted to say."

I looked at him and a soft smile graced my lips at his sight. He is such a beautiful man both in and out. When did I get this lucky to have a man like him in my life...

I think a girl is fortunate if she can find a good friend in her husband and I found one. Every women might not be lucky to get a best friend in her husband. But I got one.

I like how he listens to my constant talking, not just nodding his head but actually listening to all the stories I say. Sometimes he even reminds me of my unfinished stories and tells me to continue whenever we are free from any work.

I enjoy spending time with him. I enjoy watching him cook. I love eating together with him. The way he accepts my flaws rather than pointing them at me, warms my heart. We've come a long way from the beginning where there is nothing but hatred for each other. The fact that I once hated him make me feel silly now. The moment he entered my life it took a drastic turn.

"You would never know the amount of love I have for you, Ethan. If there is some truth to the concept of beyond life, I would want to spend even that with you. You complete me. You respect me. And I think although we didn't had that respect or love for each other at the begin, we are different now. And this change is the best thing that has ever happened to us."

"I love you too. A lot more than you could even think." I spoke the final words and his eyes sparkled with my every word. He looked like if he could, he would sakefeep everything I spoke in his memory.

He gave me a smile before pulling me closer and leaned down his head pulling me in for a kiss. And just like that we are back to our own dreamy land where nothing else exists expect us and Nina. Only happiness and hope exists in our own world.

We met strangers once who now turned into our family. The laughs we shared as friends made us forget our darkest hours at that time. Gave us hope individually. Gave us strength. Our story was Not Just A Love Story,  it was a story of family, friends and finally finding love.

I believe, love and life go hand in hand. When there is no love, we stop living. We only survive. But life is not meant to survive, it's meant to live every moment.

And just like I said before, maybe life is not that bad when you have someone to love in it.

THE END...

Author's notes,

We finished the book.. Yay!!!

Thanks a lot for everyone who read my book and waited patiently for me to finish this book. Also thanks to the people who voted and commented since the first chapter.

So, what do you think of this book??

This is my first time writing, so I know it's not going to be perfect but it's ok I guess. Nothing is flawless.

Please vote comment and share.

Take care and bye.