---- Chapter 17 Elaina Higgins POV: The gala was a resounding success, raising more money than | could have ever dreamed. The following weeks were a whirlwind of activity, managing the new grants, interviewing artists, and expanding the foundation's reach. | was busy, fulfilled, and for the first time in my life, | felt a deep, unshakable sense of purpose. One sunny afternoon, Graham and | were in his bookstore, a rare quiet moment in our busy lives. He was shelving new arrivals, and | was sitting in a comfortable armchair by the window, sketching ideas for a new jewelry collection inspired by the rugged coastline of our town. The air smelled of paper and ink, a scent that had become synonymous with peace and safety. "| have something for you," Graham said, his voice pulling me from my creative reverie. He came over and knelt in front of me, a small, velvet box in his hand. My heart did a little flutter. It wasn't the frantic, anxious Pounding | had once associated with love, but a soft, warm beat, steady and sure. He opened the box. Inside was a ring, but it wasn't a diamond. It was a simple, elegant band of white gold, with a single, ---- perfectly imperfect sea glass stone, its color a soft, ethereal blue, the exact shade of the ocean on a calm morning. He had found it on one of our walks along the beach. "| know you've had your share of big, dramatic promises," he said, his voice quiet and earnest. "So I'm not going to make any. I'm just going to ask. Elaina Higgins, would you be willing to continue building this beautiful, quiet life with me? Would you marry me?" Tears streamed down my face, but these were not the tears of grief or betrayal | had once known so well. They were tears of pure, unadulterated joy. "Yes," | whispered, my voice thick with emotion. "Yes, of course, yes." He slid the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly. It wasn't a shackle or a symbol of ownership. It was a promise of partnership, of a love that was as real and enduring as the ocean that had smoothed the edges of the stone it held. Our wedding was nothing like the grand, ostentatious affair | had once planned. It was small, intimate, and perfect. We were married on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, the very spot where Derek had given his life to save Graham's. It felt right, somehow. A way of closing the final chapter, of acknowledging the complex, tragic journey that had led me to this place of peace. We said our vows surrounded by a small group of friends and the women from the foundation whose lives had become ---- intertwined with mine. My wedding dress wasn't a fragile, antique lace gown full of ghosts. It was a simple, modern dress the color of sand, and | had never felt more beautiful. After the ceremony, as the sun began to set, painting the sky in brilliant hues of orange and pink, Graham and | walked along the beach, hand in hand. "| was thinking," | said, leaning my head on his shoulder. "The foundation is doing so well. | think it's time to expand." "Oh yeah?" he said, a smile in his voice. "What did you have in mind?" "l want to open a new wing," | said, a plan that had been forming in my mind for weeks finally taking shape. "A gallery dedicated to emerging male artists who are working to challenge toxic masculinity. A space for them to explore themes of vulnerability, empathy, and emotional honesty." Graham stopped walking and turned to face me, his eyes shining with a love and admiration that still took my breath away. "Elaina Barnett," he said, trying out my new name. "That is the most brilliant idea | have ever heard." | smiled, a deep sense of rightness settling in my soul. It was the perfect way to honor the entire, complicated story. It wasn't about erasing Derek's memory or pretending the pain hadn't happened. It was about transforming it. It was about taking the darkness he had created and using it to foster light and change. ---- It was about ensuring that his legacy wouldn't be one of just betrayal and ruin, but also, in the end, one of redemption. We stood on the shore, the waves gently lapping at our feet, and watched as the last sliver of the sun disappeared below the horizon. A new day was coming. A new life. And | was ready for it.