“Come with me. I’ll show you the inside of the house.” She extends her hand. “Come on.”
I slowly place my hand in hers—our fingers curl around each other’s. She leads me to the house, and we step inside. It’s grand and elegantly decorated.
“There you are.” A handsome man smiles as he emerges from the kitchen. He walks over and kisses my cheek. “I’ve missed you. Did you have a nice trip?”
I’m confused. What the hell is going on? I look down at my left hand and notice a large diamond ring with a band. It’s not my wedding ring from Oliver. It’s much more extravagant and different. I play along.
“Yeah. The trip was good.”
He wraps his arms around me, and I feel nothing but pure love.
“I miss you when you’re gone. Hopefully, that’s the last trip for a while.”
I break our embrace and smile as I stare into his beautiful green eyes. “Me too.”
“I have to go outside and tend to the flowers. Would you like to join me?”
“I’ll be out there soon.”
“Okay.” His lips press against my forehead.
He walks out of the house; the door creaks as it closes. I turn to Dahlia.
“Who is that?”
“That’s Elias, your husband. He’s your perfect man, and this is your perfect life.”
I feel overwhelming peace flowing through me for the first time in forever. I have no worries, no fear, no sense of impending doom—just peace.
“This is where you belong, Katherine. The real world is too much for you. You’ll never find a more perfect man than Elias. He loves you more than life, and he would never cheat on you or hurt you.”
I step onto the beautiful wraparound porch and feel the sun's warmth on my skin. White columns line the edges, supporting the roof, which provides shade for the white wicker furniture. Colorful potted flowers from the garden decorate the windowsills.
“It’s so beautiful here,” I say, staring at the handsome man watering the flowers. He catches my stare and smiles with a wink. My belly involuntarily flutters.
“You need to stay here, Katherine. This is your dream home. And Elias is the man you’ve always dreamed of. There will be no more fear, pain, or anxious thoughts. What do you say?”
I stare out onto the beach, the vast water stretching to infinity as the sun begins to set, casting a golden glow over this place called paradise. I feel different, and I don’t want to leave. My heart is filled with peace and serenity, and I wish to stay in this magical haven forever.
“Okay. I want to stay.”
“Did you hear that, Elias?” Dahlia shouts. “Kat isn’t going on any more trips. She’s here to stay forever.”
He sets down the hose, walks over, and his strong hands grip my hips.
“I am so happy to hear that. I love you so much, baby. You have no idea.” His lips meet mine. “Let’s go inside and celebrate.”
“I’ll be in in a minute,” I say. I turn to Dahlia. “Is this goodbye?”
“Yes, I’m afraid so.”
“Thank you, Dahlia.”
“You’re welcome, Katherine.”
I stare at her for a moment, step inside the house, and shut the door.
44
