Chapter 197: Ch 197: Epilogue- To a better tomorrow (Part 1)
The night was unusually quiet, the kind of quiet that felt intentional—like the world itself was holding its breath. We had walked far enough from the city lights.
Out here, it was just us. No noise. No eyes. No weight except the ones we carried inside.
Theo stopped first, turning back toward
with that expression he always wore when he wanted to say sothing. But then he paused to think more and ultimately decided he did not want to say anymore
. His eyes reflected the dim moonlight, sharp yet soft, steady yet uncertain.
"You’re quiet,"
Theo said finally.
"I’m thinking."
I answered, a little surprised that he had decided to talk to
at all.
"About what? About leaving
and thinking how you can have a better life?"
He asked, though there was no bitterness—only a calm honesty.
"No!"
I said softly but firmly.
The breeze shifted, brushing past us gently as if to remind us that ti was still moving. Theo stepped closer, just a single step, but it was enough to close the distance between us.
Close enough for warmth to escape from his clothes and reach my skin.
"I didn’t want to pressure you. I still don’t. You’re free to walk away from this at any mont."
He murmured.
"Theo, stop trying to make
go away. I am not going anywhere."
I replied.
Theo’s breath caught almost inaudibly. His fingers twitched, as if he was fighting the urge to reach for . Then, he cleared his throat.
"Then what am I to you?" Theo asked quietly.
The question lingered in the air, weaving itself between us, impossible to ignore.
His gaze didn’t move away from mine—not even for a second. It wasn’t a demand. It wasn’t desperation. It was a simple need for truth.
I took a slow breath, searching myself. Searching the ss in my chest that had been growing heavier and heavier these past days.
"You’re..."
I paused.
"The person I choose."
Theo blinked, stunned. It was rare to catch him unguarded, rare to see anything break through that calm he wore like armor.
But right now, the emotion that flickered in his eyes was unmistakable—relief, disbelief, warmth all tangled together.
"You choose ?"
He repeated, as if making sure the words were real.
"Yes, I choose you."
I said.
Theo exhaled shakily, sothing inside him loosening. He stepped closer again, slow, deliberate, giving
ti to pull away. I didn’t move. Not even a little.
"Then... may I?"
He asked.
Instead of answering with words, I reached out first. My hand brushed his, fingers tracing the shape of his knuckles before intertwining with his slowly, carefully. His grip tightened just enough to feel real, just enough to feel right.
Theo leaned down, resting his forehead lightly against mine. The contact was warm, grounding, steady in a way I hadn’t realized I needed. His voice was only a whisper, barely more than breath.
"I thought I’d lost this chance. And I would have accepted it. Even if it hurt."
He admitted.
"You never lost it. I just needed ti to understand myself."
I whispered back.
"And now that you have?"
Theo murmured.
"I’m here. With you."
I said.
A soft laugh escaped him—one of those rare ones that felt unguarded, honest. He lifted his free hand and placed it against my cheek, thumb brushing gently across my skin.
"You don’t know what you’ve done to . Your re existence makes
do things I never wanted to do.
Theo said softly.
"Do you regret it?"
I asked.
"Not for a mont."
The world around us stayed still, almost reverent. The moon hung quietly above, the distant sounds of the city fading into nothing. It felt like the night existed solely for this mont—for us.
Theo pulled back just enough to look at
clearly. His voice lowered again, filled with sothing deep and warm.
"No matter what happens next, no matter who tries to co between us... I won’t step away unless you ask
to. I’m not here to cage you. I’m here because I want to walk beside you."
He said.
"And I want the sa. Don’t carry your burdens all alone."
I whispered.
He closed his eyes for a second, as if absorbing the words before opening them again. His gaze stayed locked on mine, steady and unshaking.
"Then, may this be our beginning."
Theo said softly,
He lifted my hand—still held tightly in his—and pressed a gentle kiss to the back of it. A quiet promise. A quiet claim. Nothing possessive. Nothing forceful.
Just... devotion.
When his forehead touched mine again, I felt myself finally exhale, as if sothing I had been holding in for too long had finally found release.
"I’m with you."
I repeated.
"And I with you, for as long as you’ll have ."
Theo whispered.
The night wrapped around us, sealing the mont in its silent warmth. No chaos. No uncertainty.
No shadows from the past. Just two people choosing each other in the stillness, letting the future take shape on its own.
Together.
The walk toward Emma and Ben’s neighborhood was quiet, but this ti the silence wasn’t suffocating.
It felt strangely calm, like the world was finally returning to sothing normal.
We followed the narrow stone path that curved around the residential gardens. By the ti we reached the concrete road of Emma and Ben’s cafe, the late afternoon sun had ward the yard in soft gold.
I slowed without aning to.
Theo noticed imdiately.
"You want to see them?"
"I don’t want to disturb them if they’re... in the middle of sothing."
Theo’s gaze softened.
"Then we won’t disturb them. We’ll just look first."
So we walked closer quietly, stopping at the side of the house where the backyard opened up. And that was when I saw them.
Emma sat on a low bench under the shade of a tree, chatting animatedly. Ben stood nearby, leaning against the wall with a relaxed smile.
And in front of them sat Edwin, their son—fully healed and laughing.
They looked peaceful, like a family finally getting to breathe after everything that had happened.
I felt myself freeze.
Theo slowed beside .
We didn’t speak. It felt too intimate to interrupt. Edwin laughed at sothing Emma said—sothing light and small, but real. Ben ruffled his son’s hair shalessly. Emma swatted at him when he did.
A quiet, dostic mont.
One they deserved.
"We should leave them to it."
I whispered.
Theo humd.
"You care about them a lot."
"Of course I do."
"Then they’ll want you there. But we can leave if that’s what you want."
He said gently.
I took a step back—
And that was exactly when Emma’s head snapped up.
Her eyes widened the mont she saw
standing at the edge of the yard.
"Oh no you don’t! Don’t even think about running away—get over here!"
Emma stood up instantly.
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
"So much for subtlety."
Theo chuckled under his breath as Emma practically power-walked toward us.
"You have been avoiding us."
She pointed at
accusingly the mont she reached us.
"I haven’t—"
"Yes, you have,"
She said firmly. Then she noticed Theo’s presence and blinked.
"And you brought soone with you?"
Before I could explain, she waved her hands.
"Doesn’t matter. Co on—both of you. Join us. You’re family."
Theo stiffened for half a second at the word, then relaxed again, almost cautiously.
Emma dragged
toward the bench with the sa enthusiasm she always had.
Ben looked up and grinned.
"You finally made it."
Edwin also turned his head. His expression softened the mont he recognized .
"Hey. It’s nice to see that you are alright now."
He said quietly.
"Yeah. Sorry. Things were... hectic."
I said, taking a seat when Emma pushed
down.
"You don’t need to explain. We’re just glad you’re here."
Edwin smiled.
Theo hovered beside
until Emma motioned at him.
"You too—sit. Anyone he brings is welco."
Theo hesitated for a second, then sat beside . His posture was straight, almost formal, but Emma’s easy grin seed to relax him slightly.
"So. You two look close. Partner, right?"
Emma said, plopping back onto the bench.
Theo blinked.
I nearly choked.
Ben raised an eyebrow in quiet amusent, and Edwin coughed discreetly into his hand.
I cleared my throat.
"Emma—"
"What? I’m right, aren’t I? He looks like he’s glued to your side."
Theo let out a quiet laugh, low and warm.
"I suppose I am."
Emma clapped her hands triumphantly.
I buried my face in my palms.
Ben leaned back, smiling.
"Ignore her. She’s been in a good mood today."
Edwin shifted, relaxing as he watched us.
"You can stay awhile. It’s... nice to see you outside of danger for once."
He said, his voice softer than the others’.
The honesty in his tone made sothing warm settle in my chest.
I glanced at Theo. He gave a small nod—gentle, steady, reassuring.
"Yeah, we’ll stay."
I said quietly.
Emma imdiately launched into a story about sothing that happened earlier, Ben added sarcastic comntary, Edwin rolled his eyes affectionately, and Theo sat beside , listening with a faint smile.
The four of them laughed, argued, teased, and talked.
I leaned back slightly, letting the sound wash over .
It felt peaceful.
Warm.
A place I didn’t realize I still had.
And sowhere beside , Theo’s hand brushed mine again—soft, grounding, certain.
For the first ti in a long while, I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
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