Happiness
RONNY’S POV
Hello lovelies, I’m so sorry for the mistake, I accidentally published a chapter for my other book here and I’m still waiting for it to be corrected. Please pardon me.
*****
The courtroom was quiet.
The air felt cold, heavy, and full of waiting. I could hear the soft sound of papers turning, chairs moving, and people whispering. Everyone was waiting for the judge to speak.
I sat beside Liliana, holding her hand. Her fingers were small and cold, but her grip was strong. She didn’t look scared at all. She sat tall and calm, her face serious.
Across the room, her sister, Lily, sat in a prison uniform. Her wrists were tied with metal cuffs, and her eyes were full of anger. Even now, she was glaring at Liliana like she wanted to hurt her.
But Liliana didn’t even look at her. That’s what I loved most about my woman—she was brave. She didn’t let fear control her.
Then the judge started to speak. His voice was deep and steady.
“Lily Arthur,” he said, “you have been found guilty of all charges. The murder of Evelyn Arthur, the attempted murder of Liliana Arthur, and the kidnapping of Liliana Arthur.”
My chest tightened as I listened.
The judge continued, “For these crimes, you are sentenced to thirty years in prison. You will not be allowed parole for the first twenty.”
The whole courtroom went silent. Then Lily screamed.
“No!” she shouted. “You can’t do this to me!”
The guards stepped closer, but she didn’t stop. She turned to her mother and yelled, “This is your fault! All of it! If you had been a better mother—I wouldn’t have been so desperate to find a father! I wouldn’t have done this!”
Her words echoed around the room like a storm.
Her mother just sat there, crying quietly. Liliana’s father stared straight ahead, his face hard and cold.
Liliana didn’t even blink. She just sat there, calm and strong. And then, to my surprise, she smirked—a small, fearless smile that made me want to pull her into my arms right there.
That’s my girl.
The judge hit his hammer against the table. “Order in the court,” he said firmly. “Take her away.”
The guards held Lily by her arms and began to drag her out. She screamed and kicked, shouting, “You can’t do this to me! You’ll regret this!” But no one listened.
It was over. Finally over.
I turned to Liliana. She still looked calm, but I could see the relief in her eyes.
“Let’s get out of here,” she said quietly. “I’m not in the mood for all this drama.”
I chuckled. “You got it.”
We stood up, still holding hands, and walked out of the courtroom together. The cameras outside started flashing as soon as they saw us. Reporters called out our names, asking questions, but I didn’t care. I just wanted to get her away from all of it.
Our driver opened the car door, and I helped her in before sliding in beside her.
The moment the doors closed, the noise disappeared. It was quiet again. Peaceful.
Liliana let out a long breath, like she had been holding it in for too long. Then she turned to me and smiled softly.
She took my hand, lifted it to her lips, and kissed it gently.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
I frowned a little. “For what?”
“For giving my mother justice,” she said. Her voice was soft but full of feeling. “Now she can finally rest in peace.”
My chest tightened. I reached out and touched her cheek. “I’ll do anything for you,” I told her. “Always.”
She smiled, but then I felt a wave of guilt wash over me.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. “What is it?”
I sighed. “You remember when you had that accident?”
“Yes,” she said slowly.
“I thought your friend Erika had something to do with it,” I admitted. “I accused her. I was angry and scared, and I didn’t think straight. But now… I think I should apologize. What do you think?”
Liliana’s lips curved into a soft smile.
“Awwwn, babe,” she said, teasing me. “That’s actually sweet.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Sweet?”
She nodded, still smiling. “My strong, serious man wants to say sorry. That’s cute.”
I laughed. “Cute? Really?”
“Yes,” she said, giggling. “You’re adorable sometimes, you know that?”
I groaned. “I don’t think ‘adorable’ is the word I’m going for.”
She laughed harder. “Well, it’s the truth.”
Her laughter filled the car, warm and bright, and I couldn’t help but laugh too. It felt good—really good—to hear her laugh again.
For a long moment, we just sat there smiling at each other.
Then she leaned her head against my shoulder. “Do you think it’s really over now?” she asked softly.
“It’s over,” I said. “She’s gone. You’re safe. And I’m here.”
She closed her eyes and whispered, “You promise?”
I looked down at her and smiled. “I promise.”
Her hand tightened around mine. “Okay,” she said quietly.
The drive home was peaceful. The sunlight hit her face as we passed through the streets, and I couldn’t stop looking at her. She looked free—lighter somehow, like a heavy weight had finally been lifted from her shoulders.
When we got home, Martha was already waiting by the door. The second she saw us, she smiled. “You’re back! How did it go?”
Liliana smiled gently. “It’s over, Martha. She’s in prison.”
Martha nodded, her eyes shining. “That’s good. You both look so happy.”
Liliana laughed. “Maybe because we finally can be.”
Martha chuckled. “Lunch will be ready soon. Go rest, both of you.”
We went upstairs hand in hand. The house felt warmer than before. The air didn’t feel heavy anymore. It felt like peace.
Liliana sat on the edge of the bed and sighed softly. “It feels strange,” she said. “Everything looks the same, but it feels different now.”
I sat beside her. “That’s because it’s finally peaceful,” I said. “You’re free from all that pain.”
She smiled and looked at me. “Free,” she whispered. “I like how that sounds.”
I took her hands in mine. “You deserve it, Lily. Every bit of happiness that’s coming your way.”
Her eyes softened. “You’re the reason I can breathe again, Ronny.”
I smiled and brushed a strand of hair from her face. “And you’re the reason I believe in love again.”
She laughed quietly. “We make a pretty good team.”
“The best,” I said.
She leaned forward and kissed me softly. Her lips were warm and gentle, and my heart felt like it could burst from happiness.
When she pulled back, she looked at me playfully. “So… you’re really going to apologize to Erika?”
I nodded. “Yeah. I was wrong, and I want to fix it.”
She smiled wider. “She’ll forgive you. Just bring her some of your pancakes and you’ll be fine.”
I laughed. “You think food solves everything?”
“With you cooking? Definitely,” she said.
I laughed again, and she joined me. It was the kind of laughter that filled every corner of the room and made everything feel lighter.
For a while, we just stayed like that—talking, laughing, holding hands. I couldn’t stop thinking about how far we’d come.
From pain and fear to peace and love.
From being broken to being whole again.
She rested her head against my chest, and I wrapped my arms around her. “You know,” I said softly, “I used to think happiness wasn’t meant for me.”
She looked up at me. “And now?”
I smiled. “Now I know it was waiting for me all along. Waiting in you.”
Her eyes sparkled. “You’re getting better at this romantic stuff.”
I chuckled. “Only because I have the best teacher.”
We both laughed again.
Later, we went downstairs for lunch. Martha had made something simple but delicious. We sat together at the dining table, talking and smiling like normal people—like a normal couple.
It felt good. It felt right.
After we ate, Liliana leaned back in her chair and looked at me. “You know,” she said, “I still can’t believe everything’s finally done.”
I reached for her hand and squeezed it gently. “It’s done, baby. You can stop fighting now.”
She smiled softly. “I think I will.”
Her eyes lingered on me for a long time. “You really are the best thing that ever happened to me, Ronny.”
I felt my throat tighten a little. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me too, Lily. You’re my home now.”
She smiled, stood up, and came around to sit on my lap. She rested her head on my shoulder, her hands resting over mine.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you more,” I said, kissing her hair.
We stayed like that for a long time. The sound of the clock ticking was the only thing we could hear. It was quiet. Peaceful.
And for the first time in my life, I felt complete.
But even as I held her close, a tiny part of me felt strange. A small voice in my chest whispered something I couldn’t understand. Maybe it was fear. Maybe it was guilt. Maybe it was just the thought that happiness this perfect never lasts forever.
Still, I pushed it away.
I looked down at the woman in my arms—the woman who had survived, fought, and healed—and I decided that whatever came next, we would face it together.
Because right now, she was my world.
And I wasn’t going to let anything take her away from me.
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