Chapter 10 - The Horizon of Tomorrow
That evening, the sun set over the Virginia coast in a breathtaking display of violet, gold, and deep crimson.
The guests had departed, leaving the estate quiet and serene. The twins were sound asleep in their sage-green nursery, lulled by the soft melody of a wooden music box.
I walked out onto the second-story balcony—the very window where Graham had once stood watching me in the dark.
Beside me, Elias leaned against the stone railing, looking out toward the sparkling lights of the bay.
"What are you thinking about, Clara?" Elias asked softly.
"I was thinking about six years ago," I admitted, looking up at the stars beginning to appear in the clear night sky. "When I stood at an empty grave and thought I was all alone in the world."
Elias smiled—a warm, gentle smile that completely smoothed away the years of pain.
"You were never alone, Clara," Elias said, locking his arm in mine. "Even when I was locked in that dark room, even when Graham intercepting my letters... I was always coming back for you."
"And you caught me," I whispered, laying my head against his arm. "You caught me before I hit the marble."
"And I always will," Elias promised.
May you like
Below us, the ocean waves broke softly against the shore, steady, permanent, and clean—washing away the ashes of the past and carrying us forward into a bright, unbroken tomorrow.
THE END
