Epilogue

Epilogue

WILL

Marrying Amelia in Vegas was the easy part.

Then life happened.

We easily fell into wedded bliss, taking a few days off after a quick honeymoon in Upstate New York. The cabin was in the middle of the woods with no phone reception, forcing us both to unwind.

Perfect—since the only thing on my mind was to devour every inch of Amelia’s body in all ways possible.

I swear, she broke me to the point where we couldn’t have sex for one whole day, the both of us needing to recover. I felt just as bad, ravaging her body at my pleasure, yet neither one of us complained. Impossible, after the multiple orgasms and forbidden stroll into the woods where I fucked her in broad daylight against some tree while squirrels watched.

When we arrive back in the city, it’s almost as if our vacation never happened. The takeover meant long hours and day trips out of state. Lex knew I had a lot on my plate with adjusting and tried to help out where he could, but of course—I am controlling by nature and don’t want someone else doing the job for me.

We tried to apartment hunt where possible, adding to our very hectic lives since living out of the Four Seasons was not ideal, and neither was traveling to Amelia’s condo. Our broker showed us apartments on the Upper East Side, but no matter how grand or luxurious they were, none of them satisfied Amelia. It prompted our first argument as a marital couple.

“It’s not that hard,” I told her after we left the fifth place for the day. “You’re a woman. Just pick which penthouse.”

“I’m a woman, so pick one?” She placed her hands on her hips, staring at me with contempt. “That is so sexist.”

I released an annoyed huff. “Look, I need to get back to the office. We can resume this tomorrow.”

“None of them, Will.”

“None of them?”

She shook her head with defiance. “It doesn’t feel like home.”

The argument went on until we were shown a three-story brownstone in which everything changed. I could see she instantly fell in love with the place, her face in awe as we walked through. I wasn’t going to risk her changing her mind, so I snapped it up and requested possession as soon as possible.

We moved in a few weeks later, with nothing but a bed to call ours. When it came to furnishing, I wasn’t interested, and neither was Amelia. Thank God we have Ava. This is exactly her thing, but I swear, she drives us both insane. The number of text messages about wallpaper is too much to bear. I warned her to leave me the hell alone and pick it herself, or she’s out, and I call someone else in.

Eric instantly put his hand up, but he was no better than Ava. The two of them just as annoying as the other.

Yet the biggest news of all to rock our world came the night after what would have been the longest day in history.

I returned from Boston, and Amelia had been in the office all day long. For the last week, she had gotten home just before midnight. A case had been assigned to Mom’s firm regarding a family of six children who lost both their parents to a drunk driver a few weeks back. The case itself is heartbreaking, taking the toll on the entire firm as they fought to find a family for all six children.

To make matters worse, the family was in debt, barely making ends meet. The parents left no assets behind or even a house to call their own.

Amelia really struggled, mentioning how difficult it was for her to remain professional when her emotions wreaked havoc. She began questioning whether practicing family law is the right career choice for her, but during these times of self-doubt, I assured her that all she is going through will make her stronger in the end.

As for me, it forced me to gain perspective. All the money in the world could not take the pain away for these children nor bring their parents back. It made me start thinking of ways Rockford Technology could make an imprint in society. It wasn’t just about making money anymore, I need a greater purpose, and all those thoughts were because of my wife.

We were sitting on the sofa Ava had delivered earlier today. I couldn’t complain given how comfortable it was, purposely ignoring the price tag when I saw the invoice. I was far from being tight, given my wealth, but who would have thought a sofa could cost so much.

With a bottle of wine open, we both drank, curled up in each other’s arms, not even changing out of our clothes.

Then we got the call.

Baby Knight, or as the nurses referred to him as Baby Stone, was to be placed into the foster care system then up for adoption.

“I don’t understand,” Amelia argued with Charlie during the call. “How can Stewart Knight apply to terminate his rights as the father?”

Charlie explained the process to Amelia even though Amelia knew precisely how it worked. It was more so she didn’t understand why he chose to do it.

However, that call—changed everything.

In the days which followed, Amelia began to withdraw from her usually jovial self. I narrowed it down to the case she was helping Mom with, knowing how much of an emotional toll it took on everyone involved. But as the days dragged on, Amelia sunk into a deeper depression. She barely slept, tossing and turning, waking up to nightmares in a panicked sweat.

I had no idea how to handle it, and reached out to Charlie for support. But she also worried about her daughter’s mental health, admitting the last time she saw her like this was when I left for London.

After my phone call to Charlie, I made my way to bed to find Amelia sitting upright, staring blankly at the wall. It had been a week since I last touched her, and I was out of my mind trying to help her. I just didn’t know what was running through her head.

“Amelia,” I called softly, sitting beside her. “You need to talk to me. Tell me what’s going on.”

“I don’t know,” she whispered, wringing her hands nervously. “There’s a lot on my mind.”

“But something is upsetting you? Is it about the baby? I know you disagree with Stewart’s decision, but the baby will go to a loving family.”

“How do you know that?” she snapped, her eyes dark and withdrawn. “Do you know how many children go from foster home to foster home? Some until they turn eighteen.”

I chose my words carefully. Amelia is training to be a lawyer and arguing can often be pointless. It’s something I’ve learned over the short time we’ve been together.

“I guess I don’t know for sure.”

“Exactly,” she stated, crossing her arms. “He needs to go to a loving home. Parents who will love him unconditionally for the rest of his life.”

“I’m sure there is a family out there for him.”

Her gaze fell upon her lap, unable to look me in the eye. I moved closer to her, lifting her chin gently while trying to understand her feelings.

“What’s really wrong here, Amelia?” I asked softly.

“Why can’t we foster him, to adopt.”

I stilled my movements, unable to piece my thoughts together without coming across insensitive. My eyes blinked slowly as a heaviness weighed down my limbs.

“For starters, this is the first you’ve ever mentioned of wanting to foster or adopt. I just assumed we’d have our own kids one day when you finished law school.”

“I do want to fall pregnant again one day, but why can’t this baby be part of our family? Luna is adopted, that never stopped Julian and Adriana from wanting her or growing their family.”

Adoption and fostering a child is beyond a foreign concept to me. Never had I ever thought about it, let alone considered it to be part of my future plans.

“Okay, but Amelia, it’s not that simple. You’re still studying.”

“So, I’ll defer.”

I shook my head, disagreeing. “You can’t defer.”

“Why not?”

“Because you worked so hard to get where you are.”

Amelia’s lips pinched together as her eyes fought back the tears. “Yeah, and inside a hospital in Orlando is a baby who has no family to take care of him. Now, you tell me what is more important? Yale or that child’s life?”

I shut my eyes, trying to stay patient. This could easily spiral into an argument that may tear us apart, so I made sure to think about my actions, knowing just how emotional she was.

“We can barely find time for each other. How are we supposed to raise a baby?”

I could see the disappointment across her face and how her shoulders collapsed against the bed head. There are not many things Amelia is passionate about or willing to argue over, so I knew this was important to her. I just wasn’t expecting her to want us to start a family this way.

“And say we work all that out,” I mentioned mildly. “There’s a lot of legal hoops to jump through. There is no guarantee we can become foster parents or adopt the baby.”

“But are you willing to try?” she pleaded, holding her breath.

“Is this what you want?”

“I want you, Will. And you are right. I never expected to start a family this way. But that little boy brought us together. There is a reason he came into our life all those weeks ago. There is a reason why Ashley walked into that bar that night.”

I reached out for her hand, kissing her knuckles softly. There was a huge part of me that wondered why it all happened. I took it as a test to see how strong we were and if we could reach the other side.

“This is not a decision for just me to make,” she confessed, lowering her voice. “It’s for us to make. As husband and wife. We both need to commit to providing a loving home for this child if we are blessed to be his parents one day.”

I remained quiet, thinking about the whole situation. There were so many things to consider, but the pressing thought was, am I ready to be a father? And to a child who is not biologically mine.

“We would need to move to LA to be closer to your Mom.”

Amelia’s lips slowly curved upward into a hopeful smile. “Is that a yes?”

“It’s a let us take one step at a time. There are a lot of hurdles to get through. I need you to be strong because there is no guarantee at the end,” I warned her.

She threw her arms around me, tears springing from her eyes. “I love you.”

My arms wrapped around her while I kiss her hair. There is nothing much that terrified me until now. I’d seen it all to get to where I am. But losing my wife would top the list without a shadow of a doubt, and second would be raising a child.

“You have no idea how much I needed to hear that,” I whispered in her ear.

It was never going to be easy—that was certain.

Charlie and Mom took on the legal side for us, processing all the paperwork necessary. The hardest part was the wait, up to three months to apply to be foster parents.

But then, luck appeared to be on our side.

Or perhaps, someone from above was watching over us.

Stewart Knight granted us temporary guardianship, still within his rights as the paternal father before his role in the child’s life was officially terminated.

He admitted that bringing a baby back home to London, with his wife and family learning of his affair, would be catastrophic for everyone involved. During a long video call with him in which our mothers sat in with us, Stewart admitted to a pre-nuptial agreement not being signed, and half of his fifty-billion-dollar empire would go to his wife.

It wasn’t just the money at play, nor his wife leaving him.

Her Italian background made it all the more complicated.

I read between the lines, though he never confirmed the truth, his wife’s family had mafia ties. It wasn’t just Stewart’s life on the line but this child too.

And so, he signed over the rights knowing his son will be given a good life. He also requested a confidentiality agreement to be signed that this situation is never to be spoken of. We all agreed with the intent to protect the baby.

The most surprising part of the conversation was Stewart’s honesty of his feelings toward Ashley. I’d spent enough time around powerful men to know his vulnerability is not for show. His words echoed his sentiments. He fell deeply for Ashley but knew he could never leave his wife.

A tragic ending to what was his greatest love story.

Then, after a month of waiting, the baby was placed in the arms of my wife, and I knew right there we did the right thing. All the heartache was worth the journey, all because we opened our hearts to allow another human being to be a part of us.

Amelia was born to be a mother.

And if it was possible—I fell in love with her even more.

Yet, none of this was possible without our family. They were the compass to guide us, the pillars keeping us strong. They are the tie to our past and the bridge to our future. We were far from perfect, but we always come together in the end.

To Lex, Noah, and Kate, for helping Rockford Technology open a new office in Los Angeles. The logistics of the move, along with the takeover from Lau, created an enormous amount of stress for me. However, they all stepped in, taking on as much as they could, allowing me to be present with our child.

For Julian and Andy, for helping Amelia organize to transfer to UCLA. It wasn’t easy, but thanks to them, Amelia won’t fall too far behind.

To Eric and Ava for finding us a new home, a stone’s throw from Lex and Charlie. If it wasn’t for them, we’d have no place to raise our child. Not only did they find a home which we both fell in love with, but they also furnished it and made sure we had everything we need.

To Adriana, for setting up the nursery and organizing everything we need for the baby.

For Dad, who organized a welcome home party. Thankfully, it didn’t involve strippers for once.

And to the two most important women in our life—our mothers.

Thanks to them, we have a son.

Ashton Alexander Edwards Romano.

Our rainbow baby, born after the greatest of storms.

THE END