Epilogue

Donnie"s deep, soothing voice from the baby monitor on the nightstand pulls me out of my slumber. I sit up, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and take a moment to orient myself, realizing that the noise is coming from the living room. I stretch my arms and take a deep breath, trying to shake off the last remnants of sleep. Glancing at the clock, I realize Donnie let me sleep for three hours even though I was only supposed to take a short nap. Grateful for the extra rest, I swing my legs over the edge of the bed and make my way toward the living room to the source of the sound.

Little giggling and Donnie"s voice became louder as I draw closer to the living room. My heart swells with joy as I enter the room, and I can"t help but smile at the sight. With his back to me, Donnie sits on the ground on a thick comforter, surrounded by our triplets in their bouncy chairs and Sophia on his lap.

It"s hard to believe how life can take unexpected twists and turns. What was supposed to be my safe place became my nightmare for years. For the longest time, I lived in fear, burying all my pain and heartache behind the locked red door. The thought of facing my demons was too overwhelming, so I chose to shut them away and pretend they didn"t exist. But now, something inside me has shifted. I am ready to confront my past, to unlock the door and let the darkness escape. All the darkness haunting me for years will turn to ash, and I will finally be free.

And it is all because of Donnie, my true king.

If someone had told me that I would be reunited with my little blue angel after being separated for so long, I would have probably laughed in their face. If someone had told me that I would unexpectedly gain a half-brother, go to college, get engaged to the most amazing man on earth, and give birth to not one, not two, but three more beautiful babies, I would tell them to get your head checked. But here we are, living proof that sometimes our dreams come true. The stars aligned for us when we were just six years old, and now, we can finally say that everything we wished for has come to life.

I lean against the wall as Donnie reads them a book, using different voices and inflections to bring the story to life. The triplets are captivated, their little faces lit with wonder and excitement. Nestled in Donnie"s lap, Sophia is cooing contentedly and gazing up at him with adoration.

God, I"m such a lucky woman.

"Once upon a time, in a faraway city," Donnie begins. "Lived a beautiful princess and a brave prince. Their bond was unbreakable. But one night, the prince had to leave his princess behind. For years, they were separated, their hearts aching with loss and longing. Years passed, and just as all hope seemed lost, fate intervened, and he found his princess. But their happiness was short-lived when bad men hurt her. The brave prince would do anything to keep her safe. After many battles with the evil that lurked in the darkness, they finally won, and the princess was finally free. And now, the prince knew that the princess would always and forever be his. And they lived happily ever after."

Sophia claps and babbles while looking at him with her big, bright eyes. The triplets smile and make little noises that sound like spit bubbles.

Donnie glances over his shoulder and smirks. "How long have you been up?" he asks.

"Not long."

"Mama!" Sophia suddenly bursts out in happiness, then repeats the word a few times but in a quieter tone.

"Hey, sweet girl," I say softly. But before I can take another step, a loud and furious pounding on the door startles me.

Donnie shoots up from the floor and whispers-yells at me, "Shorty! Get over here."

Reacting quickly, I take Sophia from his arms and hold her close.

"Stay here," he warns, and I nod in agreement.

I position myself in front of the triplets to protect them from whatever the hell is behind that door.

Donnie peeks through the peephole. His reaction is immediate and intense as he urgently exclaims, "Shit!" and abruptly flings the door open.

Ash enters the room, and I am struck with shock and horror, my hand instinctively flying to cover my gaping mouth.

What the hell?

Without hesitation, Donnie pulls Ash inside and hastily shuts the door. His voice is filled with concern and confusion as he asks, "What the hell happened to you? Are you hurt?"

Ash stumbles through the door, and he is covered head to toe in blood. His white shirt is now stained scarlet, his hands tremble, and his eyes are wide with shock.

He shakes his head, and it sounds like he can barely muster the strength to speak, his breath coming in ragged gasps. "D, something terrible... happened," he manages to utter, his voice thick with emotion.

"Okay," Donnie says calmly, like he is talking to a spooked doe who is ready to bolt. "Whose blood is that?" he asks.

Ash finally looks at me with a torn expression, and his words spill out in a torrent of fear, crushing my entire world.

"It's Tia"s."

To be continued in Ash and Tia's story.

Release date TBD.