"Some stories start with war and end with love—and mine began the day he chose me."

  They say healing takes time, but no one tells you what to do with the silence it leaves behind. It's been two days since I got discharged. Two days of sunlight streaming through windows that once held the scent of antiseptic and death. Two days of Theo never leaving my side. He cared for me as if I were made of porcelain—fragile, sacred.

  He cleaned my wounds with hands gentler than I ever thought they could be. Fed me even when I insisted I could do it on my own, his signature glare silencing every protest. He read books to me in a voice that held every ounce of love, wrapped me in fresh bandages, dressed me like I was a queen, kissed the scars like they were sacred.

  And then... he was gone.

  He brought me to his mansion, tucked me in our bed, slipped my mother’s bracelet onto my wrist—and disappeared. No call. No message. No sign of when or if he'd return. The bracelet was his final whisper. A promise. A goodbye?

  Debra, the twins, and Lucas have been taking care of me. Eva is here too, just six months old. She lost both her parents in one night. I watch Debra cradling her, soothing her tiny cries. My heart breaks for the innocence she carries, unaware of the cruelty of this world. I told Theo I wanted her custody. He simply said, "It’s already taken care of."

  That man... always one step ahead, always knowing the whispers in my heart before I speak them.

  But I miss him. His smell. His warmth. Even his annoyed glares when I try to pretend I’m stronger than I feel.

  I haven’t asked Lucas where Theo is. Not yet. Not until today.

  Storming toward the doorway where Lucas is giving orders to a few men, I demand, "Where is he, Lucas? It's been two days. He didn’t call, didn’t message. Where is he?"

  Lucas looks tense. "He’s just a little busy."

  "Don’t lie to me," I hiss. "Don’t hide anything from me. Where is he?"

  Lucas sighs deeply. "He went to finish the war he started."

  I don’t speak. I simply nod and return to our room.

  That night, I wake up around midnight. The room is cold, quiet. I turn and find him—Theo—sitting on the edge of the bed, his back toward me, his bloodied hands resting on his knees. His white shirt is drenched in red. His face is blank, expressionless.

  I gasp. "Theo! Are you alright? Are you bleeding?"

  I crawl to him, take his hands in mine, frantically searching for wounds.

  He looks at me.

  "It’s not my blood, Mira."

  And I pause. There’s a darkness in his eyes. Deeper. Heavier. More haunted than before.

  "Where were you, Theo? I missed you."

  He pulls me into his arms, burying his face in my waist. "I killed them, Mira. All of them. No one will ever hurt you again. No one will take you from me."

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  I hold him. Tight. So tight. I run my fingers through his blood-matted hair, whispering that I’m here.

  Then I lead him to the bathroom. I wash the blood from his hands, his arms, his face. He doesn’t speak. Just watches me, silently. Like he’s afraid he might wake up and I’ll be gone.

  That night, he falls asleep with his head on my chest, his body wrapped around mine like I’m his anchor. Lucas had told me he didn’t move for three days when I was unconscious. Barely blinked. Barely breathed. And now he sleeps, utterly exhausted, as though the weight of the world finally let him go.

  In the morning, I let him sleep.

  I go out, spend time with Eva. Debra is teaching me how to care for a baby. It’s harder than it looks, but I’m learning. Because this little girl needs someone. And I think maybe, just maybe, I need her too.

  Sometime later, Theo comes downstairs. He looks better, a little rested. He walks over and tells me to get ready.

  "Why?" I ask.

  "Just do it," he says.

  I wear a cherry red dress that falls to my knees. No makeup, just a little gloss. I skip the heels and wear flats. When I come downstairs, Theo is waiting outside by the car. He opens the door for me.

  "Where are we going?"

  "It’s a surprise."

  We arrive at a building, one I recognize instantly. My breath catches.

  "The orphanage?" I whisper. "Why are we here?"

  "I own it now," he replies. "It’ll be a second subsidiary. A place for rescued kids, women. A home."

  The place is under construction, but even through the scaffolding and dust, I can see the changes. He leads me upstairs. The place where they once kept me locked. Where I used to wish on stars from a broken window.

  Now, there’s a gallery. Glass windows. The stars above look the same, untouched.

  "You changed everything," I say.

  He nods. "Just the parts that held your pain."

  I smile. "The stars were the only good part. You could see so many from here."

  He doesn’t answer.

  When I turn to look at him, he’s on one knee, holding out a ring.

  "Mira," his voice trembles slightly. "You’re my light in all the dark. Marry me. Make this war-torn soul yours forever."

  Tears blur my vision.

  "Yes," I whisper. "Yes, a thousand times."

  He stands, slips the ring on my finger, and we kiss under the stars.

  For the first time in a long, long time—I feel whole.

  4 Years Later

  It’s been four years since we got married. Happily, peacefully—more than I ever dreamed possible.

  We got married the very next day after Theo proposed. He said he couldn’t wait any longer. I believed him. I saw it in his eyes—that fierce, soft kind of love that never lets go.

  The wedding was simple but beautiful, just like I wanted. We got married in his mansion garden, under the same stars where he’d once asked me to be his forever. Everyone was there—the kids from the Life Centre, the women, Debra, the twins, Lucas, Katalina, and all the men who’d stood by us through it all.

  Speaking of her… she’s grown up so much. Bright, curious, stubborn like Theo. But she's not alone anymore.

  She has two baby brothers now—Ivan and Lev, our little twins.

  Life is… normal now. Happy. Full of noise and laughter and tiny feet running through hallways.

  Today, we’re at the cemetery. It’s Sarah and Ric’s death anniversary.

  I bring Eva here every year. She lays flowers down gently, as if she understands the weight of it all, even at her young age. Theo stands beside me, holding Ivan while Lev rests quietly in the baby carrier. Lucas is waiting outside in the car—we’re supposed to take the kids to the park afterward. A promise Theo made, and one he’ll always keep.

  He’s the best girl dad I could’ve ever asked for. He plays with them, paints Eva’s nails, lets her braid his hair—even teaches her to read every night. When I was pregnant with the twins, it was Theo who cared for me through it all. I didn’t even know what to expect—but he studied everything, every book, every guide. He made sure I never felt afraid. Never felt alone.

  He was my anchor then… and he still is.

  As I stand in front of Sarah and Ric’s grave, I whisper a silent thank you to them—for watching over us. For somehow guiding me toward this life.

  Then I glance at Theo.

  His eyes meet mine, and in them I see everything—our past, our pain, our healing… our forever.

  I can’t believe I found love like this, I didn’t just find a home in you, Theo—I found my peace, my strength, and every reason to keep believing in miracles.

  He smiles, and in that moment, I know:He found me in the fire, stayed through the ashes, and gave me forever

  I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.