Epilogue

Amelia Eighteen months later

"Mila!" Damian calls towards the bathroom. "Time to go!" He starts to walk past the bathroom before double-taking, his jaw going slack. "Hon, this is the opening of the restaurant, but you're going to take all the attention."

I smirk and breeze past him. "Come on, we don't want to be late."

"You're a goddess, Amelia Garrett!" he calls after me.

It's been well over a year of setbacks with this new restaurant, but it's finally ready.

He keeps his hand on my leg as Edgar drives us, and I'm surprisingly nervous for this grand opening. I've been asked not to visit the last few months of renovations to my old house, so the final product is a mystery. I don't even know the name of it.

Damian squeezes my thigh as Edgar pulls up, letting us get out. "You won't recognize it," he murmurs.

He takes my hand, rubbing his thumb across my fingers soothingly as we walk towards the entrance. Just like he'd said that first time we'd come here, the front porch is now a wrap-around seating area, although there's no table service tonight.

There are large garden beds providing a lot of the fresh food for the restaurant inside, as well as a whole lot of fruit trees that I was glad I wasn't around to watch get planted. It would have ached too hard in my chest. Around the side of the house is a chicken coop for all the eggs, and Damian's even in talks of getting some more farm animals when the pool finally gets filled in.

And there, above the door, is the name. The Heiress. I chuckle at Damian, who gives my hand a fond squeeze. "Needed a reminder of you."

We spot Eleanor the second we walk in, and she beams at us before a little ball of yellow sundress sprints towards us. "Mommy! Daddy!"

Damian crouches and catches Jackie as she barrels her way into his arms. "Hey, my girl. You had a fun time with Nanny?"

Jacklyn reaches over and gives me a one-armed hug before babbling away in an attempt at telling us everything that she'd done since we'd seen her last. Olivia and Josh join us, and it's only after we've greeted them that I manage to look at everything.

Everyone's here, milling around with members of MVM, the public, and restaurant critics. Robyn and Gabby are talking quietly to one another, standing close to each other on the other side of the room, and I'm glad to see no sign of Douglas Bright anywhere near here. I'll look at all the people later, but first I need to look at the house.

"Oh, wow," I whisper. What had been my living room and kitchen is now a massive open space filled with tables. The rooms at the far right—including the study that we recreated at our house—have been renovated to include a state-of-the-art kitchen and the office.

Upstairs has been left for me. It's been completely gutted to turn into a venue space, with what had been mine and Jackson's bedroom being turned into a separate quiet space for those who need it.

Damian hands Jacklyn to Olivia and gives them both a conspiratorial glance as he puts his arm on my waist. "Come on," he murmurs. "Let me show you around."

We start outside as he shows me in detail what's growing in the gardens, what plans he and Gabby have for the future, and everything they're predicting will happen. I'd seen the very beginning stages of the project and the plans, but to see it all in person and to see how passionate Damian is about it all leaves a warm feeling in my stomach.

He leads me back inside, and we head upstairs, wandering through the venue space with its impressive views and its dark wood paneling floors which immediately makes me feel cozy and safe.

"You ready for this?" he whispers as we come to the double doors that now lead to the quiet space. "I didn't want you to lose the entire house."

"It was never mine," I murmur.

He pushes open the doors and lets me walk through. The original wall color is the same, but where had once been my bathroom was now windows into the main venue room. My closet is now a coat room. I notice a small plaque on the door and I look at it closer.

Jackson's Room

I throw a watery smile at Damian, who seems to understand more than I could have ever hoped for. Maybe Jackie will need a room like this when she goes to events. Maybe she'll struggle with all the things Jackson did. Damian knows that just the same as I do.

He plants a kiss on my temple, and I move to look at the pictures on the wall.

"We hope to fill the wall with couples who get married here," Damian explains as I notice Olivia and Josh's wedding photo, mine and Jackson's, Eleanor and Andrew's, Brooke and her husband, Clarice and hers.

There's a large gap before the photos continue with an enlarged photo of my mom and dad's photo. I notice with sudden clarity that Audrey and Damian's father haven't made it onto the wall. Damian is not on speaking terms with her, but there's a small lump in my chest that wonders if we should make contact. Last I'd heard, she'd disappeared to live with Damian's older sister and hadn't even attempted to return to any MVM property.

My breath catches in my throat, and Damian hears it. He rubs my back soothingly. "No, we never got to put a resort on the land that I still think is cursed, but it doesn't mean that your parents aren't still a part of it."

I manage a shaky breath. "Thank you," I whisper. "That means a lot." I point to the empty space on the wall. "Who are we missing?" I look at him in surprise. "Who's getting married I don't know about?"

Damian gives me a small smile, and his voice softens with nerves. "I left that blank for our wedding photo, Mila."

I give him my full attention in surprise as he catches my hand and takes a step back before sinking onto one knee.

My mouth drops open, and I cover it with my spare hand. "Oh my God," I squeak.

"Mila, my Mila."

"Oh my God." My brain can't think of anything else. My engagement to Jackson had been planned for weeks in advance, and I'd known about it almost as long as Jackson had considered it. This one is a complete surprise.

"I think that's a good oh my God, but should I continue, or are you going to say it again?"

"Oh my…" I breathe and nod for him to continue, trying to stop my tears from ruining my make-up.

"Gabby joked when you first joined me for dinner all that time ago that you were going to be my fourth wife, and I said in horror that I'd hoped not. I'm so glad I was wrong. You're the strongest, most incredible woman I've ever laid my eyes on, and I want nothing more than to be by your side for the rest of time. I want to be here to watch you grow and to catch you whenever you fall. I want to be your hero but also your sidekick. I want everyone to know I'm Jackie's father and any future children we might have."

"You already are," I sob.

"Legally. On paper." He gives me a chuckle and looks towards the door. "Jackie? You there?"

Our daughter peers around the door, her little face bright with excitement. She runs in on Damian's gesture and hands a tiny ring box to him before standing out of the way. Damian grins at her and opens the box.

"Amelia Garrett? Will you stay Amelia Garrett, but do me the honor of having my name next to yours?"

"Yes," I sob. "Yes, of course!"

There's a gasp of excitement from the doorway, and as Damian puts the ring on my finger, I see all of our friends and family—the majority of them on the walls in these photos—all with their expressions of pure delight and anticipation.

Damian stands up and pulls me in for a kiss as the group at the doorway clap and cheer. I feel Damian's grin against my own as I close my eyes and let myself take in the moment.

My husband-to-be, our daughter, our friends and family… I have everything I could possibly need right here.

Damian pulls away, his shoulders relaxed for the first time tonight.

"How long have you been planning this for?" I murmur.

"About a year," he says with a laugh. "I knew it would be here, it was just timing that needed to be worked out." He groans. "Every single delay of this restaurant nearly made me lose my mind."

I squeeze him tight. "I love you," I whisper. "I'm going to be your wife."

"The best wife I could have hoped for."

"I should imagine so! You've worked your way through enough of them to know."

He throws me a playful look as we head towards the people crowding the door.

It's as he makes it to the door when I suddenly feel a little light-headed.

Damian looks to see where I stopped before all the food in my stomach is brought back up into my throat. I make it to the nearest pot plant in time as I vomit.

Everyone is stunned into silence, and I slowly bring my gaze up to Damian's, who is staring at me with wide eyes.

"Oh fuck."