Chapter 126 Epilogue
Chapter 126 Epilogue
One Week Later
The first cry echoed through the delivery room and everyone finally felt every muscle in their body relax.
Lilith slumped back against the pillows, exhausted, tears spilling freely down her cheeks as the nurse carefully placed the tiny baby into her waiting arms.
“It's a girl,” the doctor announced with a smile.
The room erupted in relieved laughter.
Camille pressed both hands over her mouth before the tears won. “My granddaughter…” she whispered, her voice trembling.
For a long moment, none of them spoke, they simply admired the tiny little girl lying peacefully against Lilith's chest.
“What should we call her?” Celeste asked softly.
Lilith looked up at her. “We’ve been thinking about it.” She smiled. “Eliana-Rose. Eliana-Rose Blackwell-Ashford.”
Outside the room, Colin had nearly worn a path onto the hospital floor.
David leaned against the wall with his arms folded while Daniel sat beside Lucien.
“You've worn a hole into the tiles,” David muttered.
Daniel agreed with him. Colin ignored them.
The delivery room doors finally opened and the nurse smiled. “Congratulations.”
“It's a healthy baby girl.” Colin let out a shaky breath.
Lucien clapped him on the shoulder. “Congratulations, Nephew. I think that's the first time I've ever seen you nervous.”
“I wasn't nervous.”
“You absolutely were.”
Daniel laughed quietly. “I think we all were.”
Colin was allowed into the room first. Despite everything, he and Lilith had agreed to co-parent their baby. Lilith wanted a future different from Colin. Colin was determined to right his wrong.
It had taken months of pleading and Celeste's help to convince Lilith to let him be involved in Eliana-Rose’s birth.
And even now, as he held the tiny infant in his hands and sobbed, he couldn't be more grateful.
Then he had to leave, because it was what Lilith wanted.
Then the rest of the family filed into the room one by one.
Camille refused to let go of the baby. “My beautiful girl…”
Lilith smiled through tired eyes. “Mom…” It was the first time Lilith had let it slip out.
The single word made Camille cry all over again.
Celeste wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “We're going to make up for everything.”
Camille nodded. “For the rest of my life.”
Celeste’s phone rang, and she glanced at the screen.
Denise.
She answered with a laugh. “I leave for one week and the cake shop falls apart?”
“Falls apart? We sold out before noon! The online orders keep coming in. We need more cakes, more staff, everything!”
Celeste laughed. “I’ll be back next week.”
“No. You’ll be back when your niece stops being adorable.”
Everyone burst into laughter.
David reached for the phone. “Tell Denise I'll call her later.”
She rolled her eyes. “You tell her yourself.”
David scratched the back of his neck. “I will.”
Daniel screamed into the phone anyway. “Hey, Denise… Dinner tonight? David is asking?”
David glared. “Mind your business.”
After that, they had to leave early. It was Tuesday morning, and they had an executive meeting at Ashford Group. Susan, the president, had little tolerance for tardiness, especially from her son and nephew.
As Celeste returned to the room, she passed the family waiting area.
When Lucien finally got to hold his little niece, his heart nearly burst with happiness.
Camille watched him with a smile.
“You know, seeing you like this makes me wonder when you and Celeste plan to give me one of your own.”
Lucien looked up, caught off guard.
Celeste laughed from beside him. “Don't look at me. You're the one she's asking.”
“I believe I asked both of you,” Camille corrected.
Lucien shook his head, but he was smiling. He had been smiling a lot more since his mother was back in his life.
There was something lighter about him now, as though a weight he'd carried for years had finally been lifted.
Camille smiled knowingly. “I'll wait.”
“For what?” Celeste asked.
“For my grandchild.”
Lucien laughed, while Celeste groaned.
“Mom, please.”
\---
One Month Later
The Ashford estate was alive with music and conversation, Daniel and Nora’s wedding reception was louder than anyone had expected.
David and Denise were arguing over who had the better dance moves, while Camille watched them with an amused smile. Across the room, Lilith held a sleeping Eliana-Rose in her arms.
A waiter stopped beside Celeste. “Champagne?”
She smiled. “No, thank you.”
Lucien raised an eyebrow. “You’ve turned down three glasses.”
“I know.”
“Since when do you turn down champagne?”
She reached for his hand. “There’s a reason,” she said, placing it gently against her stomach.
Lucien frowned, looking at her. Then his eyes widened. “Celeste…”
She nodded. “There’s a little one on the way.”
For a moment, he simply stared at her.
Then he pulled her into his arms, nearly knocking them both off balance, and they stumbled toward the grass.
Daniel spotted them from across the terrace. “Can the two of you stop stealing my wedding for five minutes?”
Everyone around him laughed.
Lucien looked down at Celeste, still smiling.
“I love you.”
She cupped his face and smiled. “I love you too.”
At that moment, he slipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. “I think now's the perfect time.”
Celeste’s eyes widened. “Lucien…”
“I've been thinking of when and how to do this.” He opened the box and held the ring out to her with a smile.
“Celeste Ashford, will you marry me again?”
She chuckled, nodding her head excitedly.
“Yes! Yes Lucien Blackwell, I will marry you again.”
THE END