Epilogue

VIVIANNE

The sun shines down on us, the air around us sticky and thick, clinging to our skin like a second layer.

The view is breathtaking—clear turquoise water, soft white sand, palm trees swaying lazily in the breeze.

We finally made it to the Bahamas—together.

I sink deeper into my lounge chair, basking in the warmth. Eyes closed, face tilted toward the sun, I let the heat melt away the tension I hadn’t realized I was still carrying.

The last year hasn’t been the easiest or the prettiest, but being with Liam has made it amazing. He’s been my peace, my chaos, my partner in everything.

We’ve grown so much closer. We fought hard, laughed harder, and leaned into each other even when it would’ve been easier to walk away.

Now, it feels like we’re indestructible.

Beth tried to come between us again, to win Liam back with old memories and manipulation—but it didn’t work.

She underestimated how far we’d come.

Now she’s a single mom, and her baby daddy is in federal prison.

Exactly where he belongs.

There were hearings. A trial. The evidence was laid out in excruciating detail. Every charge was proven, every testimony a nail in his coffin. A jury heard both sides and found Mr. Stryder guilty on all charges—eighteen in total.

The assault charges opened the door.

Once Liam started digging, the truth unraveled fast and ugly.

Turns out, Mr. Stryder wasn’t just a disgusting pervert—he was embezzling from the company and committing fraud left and right. That led several personal clients to press charges too.

It was exhausting—mentally, emotionally—but through it all, Steph stood by our side. Our rock. She held our hands through the worst of it, offering every bit of support she could. When it was finally over, she didn’t walk away. She asked how she could help us rebuild.

That’s what family really does.

With everything that came to light, Liam launched a full investigation at Stryder Corp. And it wasn’t just the top brass—several mid-level employees were found complicit in Mr. Stryder’s crimes.

Liam had to let a lot of people go, which wasn’t easy for him. But he knew it had to be done.

And when the dust settled, he saw an opportunity to fix things from the inside out.

He created a new position focused on ethics and hiring integrity—then gave the job to Jenna, with a well-deserved raise.

She has been rocking the role.

We trust her completely, and she’s been exactly what the company needed to move forward.

Becca’s in college now. She took a course over the summer and fell in love with medicine.

I think it called to her after Momma’s passing.

As for Marcus, he’s still himself, though I think I convinced him to seek therapy for whatever he’s holding onto that makes him so mean all the time.

Hopefully, it helps him, and we can work on mending our relationship—if nothing else, for the sake of my beautiful little nephew.

As for me—I took some time to breathe. To think.

After everything I’d been through, I wanted to build something of my own.

I played with the idea of building a company like Liam’s—one that invests in small businesses, especially ones led by women. It felt like a natural fit.

But the more I sat with it, the more I realized I wanted something different. Something more hands-on, rooted in community.

That’s when Kimberly stepped in.

Once Mr. Stryder was out of the picture, she opened up.

She became a true friend—not just to me but to Liam too.

Now, she works for me, helping run the small community center I opened in the spring.

I wanted a space that felt welcoming. Practical. Creative. Uplifting.

We offer classes on everything from cooking to pottery to financial literacy.

People come to us to learn how to throw clay, how to write a resume, how to prep meals on a budget.

It’s not flashy, but it’s meaningful.

And for the first time in a long time, I feel grounded.

“Viv?”

Liam’s voice cuts through my thoughts, soft but sure, pulling me back to the present.

“Hmm?” I turn—and find him on one knee, right there in the sand.

My hand flies to my mouth. My heart feels like it might explode.

“Oh. My. God.”

His smile is boyish, nervous and confident all at once, like he’s not sure whether to be afraid or take the plunge.

“Vivianne Pierce, will you marry—”

“Yes!” I cut him off, already bouncing on the balls of my feet.

He stands, laughing, and I throw my arms around him.

He leans in, kissing me softly like he’s memorizing the shape of forever.

“Is that what this vacation was all about?” I ask, laughing through my tears as it all starts to make sense.

The little things. The way he kept checking his bag. His weird insistence on beach day, even though he hates sand.

He smirks, his eyes dancing in the light. “Maybe.”

“I love you,” I say, breathless, pulling him into another kiss.

“I love you too.”

I hesitate, then step back. “I have something to tell you too.”

He tilts his head. “Yeah?”

I reach for my bag, heart thudding in my chest, and pull out the white stick.

Two clear pink lines.

I hand it to him, watching his expression shift—confusion, then realization, then pure unfiltered excitement.

“You’re serious?”

I nod, barely holding back tears.

He scoops me into his arms, twirling me in the air with a grin that could outshine the sun.

When he sets me down, he kisses me deeply, our foreheads pressed together, breath mingling.

The world around us disappears.

And just like that, a new chapter begins.

End of Book