Chapter 10 - The Foundation of Forever
The grand ballroom of the Portland Grand Hotel was a symphony of flashing camera bulbs, glittering crystal chandeliers, and murmuring socialites in designer gowns and bespoke tuxedos. The press had been buzzing all morning with leaked headlines about Ethan Brooks’s sudden engagement and the reappearance of his long-lost college sweetheart.
When the double doors at the end of the ballroom swung open, the collective chatter of five hundred elite guests instantly died down to a stunned silence.
All eyes turned toward the entrance.
I stood beside Ethan, wearing a stunning emerald silk evening gown that draped effortlessly over my frame, my hair swept up in an elegant chignon, the sapphire-and-diamond ring sparkling brilliantly on my left hand. With one hand tucked securely into the crook of Ethan’s arm, and our son Theo walking proudly beside us in a miniature tuxedo holding a small velvet pillow for the evening’s ceremony, we stepped into the light.
Flashbulbs popped like lightning storms across the room. Microphones recorded our every step. But as I looked around the room—seeing the stunned, powerless expressions of board members like Eleanor Brooks seated near the back—I didn't feel a shred of fear.
Ethan squeezed my hand gently, leaning down to whisper in my ear.
"Ready?" he asked.
I looked down at Theo, who flashed a bright, gap-toothed smile, and then looked up at the man who had searched the world to find us.
May you like
"Always," I whispered back.
We walked down the grand staircase together, stepping into a future that was no longer built on secrets or running away, but on truth, family, and an unshakeable love that had survived the test of time.
