Chapter 30

It had been four long years. Four years since Leonard left me. Four years since he deprived me of the time I could have spent with him before he died. I waited for him, held on to a thread of hope that maybe, just maybe, he would come back. But he never did. No word, no message, just silence. And that silence said everything I dreaded to hear.

I had always been strong, right from the beginning. That strength is what got me through. When I made him that promise, I never thought I would be forced to keep it, but life had left me no choice. I moved on, not the way Leonard might have wanted, but I did. I found happiness in the little things, mainly in my daughter, Gabriella, and the support of Clara and my family.

Aside from them, though, I had turned into another version of Leonard, cold, detached, and emotionless. Running Leonard Enterprises became my routine, not out of passion, but duty. I wasn’t really working; I was just supervising. People occasionally asked about Leonard, and every time, I brushed them off, avoiding any answers. There was no point.

Clara was no longer a maid. She had become family to me, and I made sure she went back to school to finish her nursing degree. Now, she worked in the hospital where I gave birth to Gabriella. My family was thriving too, my mother’s business had flourished, something she constantly thanked me for.

And Gabriella, my sweet Gabriella. She was my world. At four years old, she was the light in my life, the only reminder of Leonard I could bear to look at. Her black hair was like mine, but her deep brown eyes were all him. She brought me a joy I couldn’t find anywhere else.

“All done,” I said, finishing the last stroke of the brush through her hair, tying it into two neat ponytails.

“Thank you, Mommy!” she chirped with a bright smile.

Looking at her, I often wondered how long I could keep hiding the truth. I hadn’t yet told her about Leonard, her father, but I knew the day would come.

“Are you ready to go see Grandma?” I asked.

“Yes, and Auntie and Uncle!” Gabriella’s excitement warmed my heart. Today was the first time I’d be taking her to meet my family. I hadn’t done it before because, truthfully, I had been too broken to face anyone.

When we arrived, my mother was overjoyed to finally meet her granddaughter. My siblings, too, couldn’t get enough of her.

“She looks just like you when you were little,” my mom said, her eyes twinkling with nostalgia.

I smiled but found it hard to believe sometimes. The reality of being a mother hadn’t fully sunk in, even after four years. It was never part of my plan. But my life had changed drastically, and there was no going back.

Just then, my phone rang. Clara’s name flashed across the screen. I rolled my eyes before answering.

“Yes, Clara?”

“Eva, I need your help. It’s urgent,” she sounded anxious, which immediately set off alarm bells in my head.

“What happened?”

“It’s my mom. She’s sick, and I really need you to come with me to see her.”

“Oh, Clara, I’m so sorry, but do you really need me to go with you? I’m at my mom’s house right now.”

“Eva, I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important. Please.”

I sighed. “Fine, I’ll be on my way.”

Hanging up, I turned to my mom. “Mom, I have to help Clara with something. Can Gabriella stay here?”

“Of course, sweetheart. This is her home, too.” My mom’s reassurance helped ease my worry.

I leaned down to Gabriella, who was happily playing with my siblings. “Mommy has to go for a bit, but I’ll be back soon, okay?”

“Okay, Mommy,” she said, not even looking up from her toys.

I met up with Clara, and she drove us to a location I wasn’t familiar with. As we pulled up, I couldn’t help but notice how strange the place looked, but I bit my tongue. Clara led me inside, and the hallway was dimly lit.

“Why is it so dark in here?” I asked, my voice uneasy.

“I’m so sorry. Let me turn on the lights,” she replied quickly.

I was about to turn back when suddenly the room was flooded with light. But instead of relief, I was met with sheer astonishment. The space had been transformed, adorned with flowers and colorful lights. It was beautiful, but what caught my attention wasn’t the décor.

My eyes locked on a banner that read: *WILL YOU MARRY ME?*

My heart raced. This had to be some kind of joke.

“Clara, what...” I turned, ready to demand an explanation, but my words died in my throat. There, standing in front of me, was Leonard.

Alive.

My phone slipped from my hand and hit the floor with a crash, but I didn’t care. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move. Was this real?

I took hesitant steps toward him, my heart pounding in my chest. He didn’t say anything. He just stood there, staring at me.

“Eva,” he said, and the sound of my name from his lips broke me. I burst into tears and threw myself into his arms.

“You’re alive,” I sobbed, gripping him tightly. “Oh my God, you’re alive.”

“I came back for you,” he whispered, and I cried even harder. I pulled away just to look at him, my fingers brushing against his face, confirming he was real. He looked healthy, strong, and heartbreakingly handsome. I hugged him again, tighter this time, afraid he’d disappear if I let go.

But then, anger bubbled up inside me. I pulled away, the tears still streaming down my face.

“You left me!” I yelled, my voice shaking. “Why did you leave?”

“Eva...”

“No!” I hit his chest. “You promised you’d be back in two years!” I hit him again, harder this time, as the anger and hurt spilled out. “Why?!”

Suddenly, he grabbed my hands and pulled me close, his lips crashing against mine. I tried to resist, but I couldn’t. The fight left me in an instant, and I kissed him back with all the pent-up emotion I had been holding inside.

When we finally pulled away, both of us were out of breath. He wiped the tears from my cheeks, his eyes red as if he’d been holding back his own emotions for years.

“I kept my promise,” he said softly, and through my tears, I smiled.

He took a step back and dropped to one knee, pulling out a small box. My heart soared, more tears falling as he opened it to reveal a sparkling ring.

“Eva, will you marry me?” he asked, his voice full of hope.

I laughed through the tears, unable to believe this moment was real. “Yes,” I whispered. “Of course I will.”

He slid the ring onto my finger and stood, pulling me into another deep kiss.

“Aww, this is the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen,” Clara said, suddenly appearing from the shadows with a grin.

“You lied to me!” I smacked her arm lightly, making her pout.

“Ouch! Courtesy of Leonard,” she said, rubbing her arm.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “I forgive you.”

“Good! Because who else is going to be your bridesmaid?” she teased, and we both laughed again.

“Can we go now? I’m dying to see my daughter,” Leonard chimed in.

“She’s beautiful,” Clara told him with a warm smile.

“I couldn’t agree more,” I said, beaming.

We returned to my mom’s house, where I introduced Leonard to my family and, more importantly, to Gabriella. Watching him hold her in his arms, tears of joy in his eyes, I realized this was the happiest moment of my life.

I finally got my happy ending.