Chapter 226: Peace at last

~Lora’s POV~

The cool wind brushed against my skin, bringing the salty smell of the ocean. I stood on the balcony of our beach house, leaning on the wooden railing. Below, the waves crashed on the shore, making a steady sound that I loved. Above, the stars sparkled in the dark sky like glitter on black velvet.

It was quiet here. Finally quiet.

The kids were all asleep. The twins had fallen asleep hours ago after playing on the beach all day, and Lisa had dozed off in my arms while I read her a story. For once, the house felt calm. It just felt… peaceful.

I heard the sliding door open behind me, and then Chard wrapped his arms around my waist from behind. He pulled me back against him, his warmth coming through my thin sweater. I closed my eyes and leaned into him.

“Happy?” he asked softly, his lips brushing my ear.

I turned my head slightly and kissed his chest, right over his heart.

“Completely,” I whispered.

He held me tighter. One hand rested on my stomach while the other stayed around my waist. We stood in silence for a while, listening to the waves and feeling the breeze.

“I love you,” he said after a moment. His voice was low and rough, the way it got when he was being honest. “More than anything.”

I smiled against his chest.

“I know,” I said. “I’ve always known.”

Chard laughed softly and kissed the top of my head.

“You’re getting too good at reading me,” he murmured.

I turned around in his arms to look at him. The moonlight highlighted his face, and for a moment, I thought about how far we had come. There was a time when I wasn’t sure we would make it through everything. But here we were. Still together. Still choosing each other.

“I love you too,” I told him. “Even when you’re stubborn and overprotective.”

He smirked. “That’s basically all the time.”

“Exactly,” I said, smiling. “And I still love you.”

He leaned down and kissed me slowly. It wasn’t rushed like it used to be when everything felt uncertain. This kiss was steady. Certain. Like we finally had time.

When we pulled apart, I rested my forehead against his.

“We made it,” I whispered.

“Yeah,” he said softly. “We did.”

Later, after Chard went inside to check on the twins, I found myself in Lisa’s room. She was sitting up in bed, rubbing her eyes even though she should have been asleep. I sat beside her on the mattress.

“Hey, baby,” I said gently. “Why are you still awake?”

She looked up at me with her big, innocent eyes and shrugged.

“I had a bad dream,” she mumbled.

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

She shook her head but leaned into me anyway. I wrapped my arms around her small body and held her close. She smelled like baby shampoo and a hint of the ocean.

After a few minutes of silence, I spoke again.

“You know,” I said quietly, “your mummy made some bad choices. She did things that hurt people. But she loved you enough to keep you safe. She loved you enough to give you a better life.”

Lisa didn’t say anything. She was still too young to fully understand. But she stayed curled against me, her small hand resting on my arm.

I pulled back slightly to look at her face.

“You’re my daughter now,” I told her. “Forever. No matter what. I’m not going anywhere, and neither is Daddy. This is your home. You’re safe here.”

Lisa looked up at me with wide eyes, then slowly nodded. She hugged me tightly, her little arms wrapping around my neck.

I hugged her back just as tightly, closing my eyes as I pressed my cheek against her soft hair.

“I love you so much,” I whispered. “More than you’ll ever know.”

She didn’t answer with words, but she held on a little longer before finally lying back down. I pulled the blanket up over her and kissed her forehead.

“Sleep now,” I said softly. “I’ll be right here if you need me.”

I stayed in her room for a few more minutes, watching her drift back to sleep. When I was sure she was okay, I stood up and walked back out onto the balcony.

Chard was still there, waiting for me. He didn’t say anything when I stepped outside. He just opened his arms, and I walked straight into them.

The waves kept crashing below us. The stars kept sparkling above.

And for the first time in a long time, I felt like everything was exactly where it should be.