Chapter 10 - The Unbroken Home
That evening, as a brilliant amber sunset painted the sky over Providence, a small, intimate dinner was held in the grand dining room of the estate.
Mrs. Gable had prepared a feast of roasted lamb, fresh summer salads, and a giant strawberry cake to celebrate Brinley’s fourth birthday.
Reggie sat at the foot of the long table, wearing a surprisingly neat suit, telling hilarious stories about his time in the military while Brinley giggled hysterically, covered in pink cake frosting.
I sat at the head of the table beside Jude, watching the scene with tears of profound happiness shining in my eyes.
A year ago, I was scrubbing floors, terrified for my life, wondering how I would feed my daughter. Today, I was sitting in a home filled with warmth, safety, and a love that had bloomed in the darkest room of the city.
After Brinley was tucked into her big canopy bed—fast asleep, clutching her one-eyed teddy bear and a brand-new toy dinosaur Jude had bought her—Jude and I walked out onto the second-floor balcony overlooking the illuminated gardens.
The night air was cool and sweet, filled with the scent of blooming jasmine.
Jude stepped up behind me, wrapping his strong arms around my waist, pulling my back flush against his chest. I rested my hands over his, leaning back against him, feeling the steady, calming beat of his heart.
"What are you thinking about?" Jude whispered in my ear, his lips brushing softly against my skin.
"I was thinking about the day Brinley broke into your study," I said with a soft laugh. "I thought my life was ending."
"Your life was ending, Clara," Jude murmured, turning me around in his arms so I was facing him under the starlight. He reached up, his long fingers gently cupping my jaw, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. "And mine was beginning."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple, breathtaking platinum band set with a single, flawless pear-cut diamond.
"I spent fifteen years in the dark, Clara," Jude said, his stormy gray eyes searching mine with a raw, intense tenderness. "I thought my heart died in that fire with my sister. Then a three-year-old girl walked into my room and told me I wasn't evil... and her mother showed me how to live again."
He slipped the ring onto my finger—a perfect fit.
"Marry me, Clara," he whispered, his forehead resting against mine. "Let me protect you both for the rest of my life."
Tears of pure joy spilled over my eyelashes as I looked up into the eyes of the man who had saved us.
May you like
"Yes," I whispered, wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him down to capture his lips in a slow, deep, passionate kiss. "Yes, Jude. Always."
Below us, the quiet estate lay peaceful under the starry night sky—a fortress built not on fear or blood, but on the unbreakable promise of a family reborn.
