Epilogue

Auden’s POV


It’s been a month since the whole incident that managed to shake every one of us thoroughly and a whole lot has happened since then. To say it was easy for us to finally stop going everywhere with a weapon was an understatement.

Nicolas refused to go see a therapist even though Tristan and I knew he needed one badly because the Nicolas we rescued that night was a lot different from the one we were used to facing. He rarely smiles like he used to and a scowl was always on his face almost every time. He finally bleached his hair once again, but instead of his usual white color, he decided to turn it pitch black.

Nicole’s gunshot wound finally healed perfectly but a small scar remained in that spot as a reminder to what she went through at the age of sixteen. Nicole never argued about the guards we placed around her after the incident since she understood just fine how it was for her own safety. Her relationship with her twin brother wasn’t fully clear to me because they rarely play goofily the way they used to, but I knew they spent a lot of time together in each other’s rooms, I guess they were both maturing.

Daven returned back to his goofy nature just fine and he and Nicolas grew more closer than they were before the incident. I was at least glad that the incident didn’t leave any other marks on Daven except the scar on the side of his forehead- which was why he decided to grow his head out until it fell into his eyes, perfectly shielding the scar.


Aria moved into the house immediately because I still wasn’t sure it was safe for her to move to her house, but we both know that was the excuse I used at first because I just couldn’t let her work out of my life after I just got her. I was really grateful that Nicolas accepted her into the house without any complaints. Nicolas and Aria weren’t buddies per se, but they exchanged a few words each time they came across each other- which was kind of rare since all of us were kind of busy with one thing or the other. Aria and Nicole became close as ever and I was already beginning to suspect that Nicole was starting to tell Aria stuff she could never tell me, not like I was complaining since I knew it was good for Nicole to have someone she’s extremely comfortable around to confide in.

Tristan finally returned back to work along with aria and I and after about a week, the questions from the police and whispers in the company about the man who got a snipper into his neck and died beside me in the conference meeting thankfully died down and everyone moved away from the incident and focused on other things. I wouldn’t say I was no longer paranoid about walking into my office everyday since the scene of men in black coming out of nowhere and attacking me in the office unexpectedly just wouldn’t leave my head until after a couple of weeks.

I drove myself and aria around, not sure if it was safe for me to get another driver to drive me around yet. I know I could perfectly pick one of the guards and declare them my driver but the wary feeling wasn’t leaving my stomach anytime soon.

I didn’t know if someone was waiting for us to loose our guards a little bit before deciding to strike, which was why we were still taking precautions and double checking everything we do just to be extra sure.

Aria and I got unreasonable closer and it would seem like my love for her was adding weight day in day out until I could feel it heavy in my heart wherever I go. Her smile was enough to make me content, something I’ve never experienced in my whole life from someone else.

Of course we’ve had our fights, as expected but there was nothing a clear communication and make out sex couldn’t solve, I was perfectly happy with her in my life and the thought of my family being safe.

And with that, I wrapped my arms around a sleeping aria and pulled her into me until she was splayed over my naked chest. I kissed her cheeks and stroked my fingers through her blonde curls. She was on her period today and moody as hell with a shitty appetite.

She moved on my chest and muttered something inaudibly before drifting back to sleep, which made a fond smile pull at the corner of my lips. Her sleep talking was a bit louder on some nights while some nights it was just quiet whispers which were cute as hell.

I dropped a light kiss into her hair before sliding my eyes shut, trying to sleep since we were going to be getting up in a few hours in preparation for work.


I love you, Aria...

Those last thoughts echoed in my head as I drifted to a dreamless sleep.




————



Aria’s POV


I held onto Auden’s arm as we stood side by side, in a very wide hall where Nicolas’ and his twin’s high school graduation was currently taking place. Nicolas’ didn’t seem like he had a lot of friends here in school, because he wasn’t mingling with people like his sister was doing, or perhaps it was because he was still affected by the trauma of being kidnapped some months ago had cost him. Till today, I had no idea of what actually went down at the place where he was kidnapped, but I wasn’t blind, I could tell that something really bad had happened to him at that place, that had casted something like a dark shadow over him. Even though I didn’t know who he was before, there was a huge difference from the person he is now, and the person who was described to me by Nicole.

Their certificates were given to them and I smiled at how the whole crowd cheered for them, a proud and satisfied look was on Auden’s face throughout, and I knew he was feeling really fulfilled by watching his little siblings cross another milestone in their lives.

Nicole and I grew closer after I fully moved into their house, and I love her company so much. I got more relaxed around Nicolas, but he never got to be the same around me, in fact, he was almost never caught hanging around an open place like the sitting or dining room, he was always holed up in his bedroom. Auden reassured me countless times that he didn’t hate me and that he was just fighting his own demons that way, and I try not to think about it too much.

My mother died a month ago and Auden threw a befitting funeral for her, my distant relatives were extremely shocked by it, and by the fact that I was able to get someone that rich to myself. A few of my distant cousins who I didn’t know existed before tried to form a bond with me after the funeral, but I dismissed them because I had a feeling they only wanted to milk me of Auden’s money.

I pulled out of Auden’s grip and pulled Nicole into a hug as soon as she approached us, and she squeezed me tight.

“Congratulations love.” I whispered into her smiling, wet cheek and I felt Auden’s hand brushing her hair at the same time, as he murmured words of congratulations and pride to her.

Never in my wildest dream did I ever imagine that I was going to be this happy in future, never did I see it coming that my heart was going to ever get this full of nothing but joy and contentment, but here I was right now, with my heart overflowing with love and every other positive emotions, and I couldn’t be happier than I am at the moment.