Chapter 20 - A Quiet Moment by the Fireplace
As midnight approached, the house finally grew still. The girls were fast asleep in their rooms, and the puppy was curled up snoring softly by the hearth.
Julian and Evelyn sat on the large leather sofa by the fireplace, wrapped in a single wool blanket. The orange glow of the embers flickered across their faces as Julian gently played with the diamond ring on Evelyn's finger.
"Do you ever look back and wonder how we survived all those years apart?" Evelyn asked softly, resting her head against his chest.
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"Every single day," Julian murmured, tightening his arms around her. "It took losing everything to realize what actually mattered. You and the girls are my entire world, Evie. Nothing else has ever come close."
Evelyn smiled in the dark, closing her eyes as she listened to the steady, comforting beat of his heart.
