Five years had passed since I first set foot in Cambridge, a girl on the verge of transformation. Now, as I stood before the towering glass windows of my office, overlooking the city skyline, I knew I had become the woman my mother had always believed I could be.
Graduating from Cambridge with honors had been one of my proudest achievements. The years of hard work, sleepless nights, and relentless determination had paid off, and as I walked across the stage to receive my degree, I felt an overwhelming sense of fulfillment. But the moment that truly solidified everything was stepping into Bellamy Enterprises, no longer as a shadow of my mother's legacy, but as its rightful leader.
The company had flourished under my direction. With Alaine's mentorship, I had learned not just how to run a corporation, but how to lead with integrity, strength, and innovation. Bellamy Enterprises had expanded internationally, pioneering new ventures that honored my mother's vision while carving out my own. It was no longer just my mother's company—it was ours.
My personal life had flourished as well. Delphine and I had spent the last few years rebuilding our relationship, one honest conversation at a time. At first, it had been awkward, hesitant, but as time went on, we found a rhythm. She had grown tremendously, learning from her past mistakes and forging a path of her own outside of Cassandra's influence. Now, we weren't just sisters in name—we were family in every sense of the word.
Louis and I had also found our way back to each other—not as lovers, but as friends. Time had softened the wounds of the past, and though our history would always be there, we had both moved forward. He had gone on to build a life of his own, and when we ran into each other at a charity gala last year, we finally spoke without the weight of betrayal hanging between us.
"You've done well for yourself, Elise," he had said, raising a glass in my direction.
"You too, Louis," I had replied, and for the first time in years, it had been easy, free of resentment.
But the greatest joy of my life stood beside me now, his hand resting gently on mine as I gazed out at the city. Darren had been my constant, my greatest love, the man who had shown me that love didn't have to be complicated—it could be kind, unwavering, and real.
The night he proposed had been perfect. Under the soft glow of the Cambridge stars, he had taken my hand, his voice steady but filled with emotion.
"Elise, we've been through so much together. I have loved you for as long as I can remember, and I want to spend the rest of my life showing you just how much. Will you marry me?"
Tears had welled in my eyes as I nodded, unable to form words past the overwhelming happiness surging through me. "Yes, Darren. A thousand times, yes."
Now, as we planned our wedding and looked toward the future, I knew one thing with absolute certainty—my past had shaped me, but it did not define me. I had built a life filled with love, success, and family.
And as I turned to Darren, seeing the love in his eyes, I knew that the best was yet to come.