Among the Stars ✔️ [Completed] [book three]

Chapter 65

Walking high above the bay of Positano, Italy, I wrap my chunky cardigan firmly around my body. While Daniel has completed his final scenes the last few days, I have walked our babies, wrapped snuggly in their double pram around this beautiful town. A shiver ripples through me in the cool late February breeze.

I imagine the hustle and bustle of visiting here in the summer months as I glance down towards the almost deserted bay. The grey clouds seem to hang ominously above my head.

To be honest, I'm grateful it has been this quiet while I have spent the last week meandering each day with the twins. The lack of tourists at this time of year has meant that I have remained thankfully undisturbed.

Today has felt like forever to arrive, and despite my misplaced anger and anxiousness, I practically forced Daniel to film today. I just needed to walk with my babies and keep my head clear. Daniel somehow understood what I needed to do today, and simply kissed me this morning as he left and told me that he loved me. It was all my heart wanted to hear from him as the day began.

For what feels like the hundredth time I check the time on my watch. Time seems to have slowed to a crawl today waiting for four o'clock to arrive. My watch informs me that it is finally five minutes to four. I stop walking, and simply stand still, breathing in the pure sea air.

Ed's funeral will be about to take place back in Manchester. Briefly, I wonder who will be there. But I push the unwanted thoughts from my mind, knowing in my heart that I don't really care.

He will burn.

He will be gone from this world.

He will be a distant memory.

While I stare out at the rippling water beneath me, I imagine watching him burn. A sense of calm unexpectedly settles over me after how anxious I have felt recently... how cheated that I didn't get to face him in Court. But now as I stand in the elements, I simply feel relieved that it is over. Comforted by the fact that there is nothing else he can do to hurt me, Daniel, my children, Willow, or any other women ever again. I'm also thankful that Willow didn't have to go through a trial when she was likely to have his baby at home by then. I'm not sure once she held his baby that she would have been able to cope.

It really is over. He is over. He is dead and gone.

Now we rebuild and grow the charity to show others that men like Edward Mathers will never truly win if you fight... that they will always show their true colours eventually.

That there is light if you seek it out. I want to be that light in the dark for others.

I jump out of my skin when I feel arms wrap around me from behind. "Shit!" I shriek as I turn to see an equally startled Daniel.

"Didn't you hear me?" He asks curiously. "I've been shouting you from down the hill!"

"Sorry, I was lost in thought." I answer truthfully.

"I knew I shouldn't have left you today." Daniel holds me close before he kisses the top of my head. He checks the twins with a discreet smile, he can never hide how much joy they bring him.

"I told you to carry on and finish as much filming as you can. Ed has gone, and finally I'm at peace with it." I nod, looking up at Daniel to show him I mean it. "I know how angry I've been, but that was just me wanting revenge." I smile. "All he really took away from me was one day in Court. I've done everything I wanted to do, and hopefully our charity will live on to show that there is a way to escape from men like him."

"You sure you're fine? He will be being cremated about now." Daniel takes the pram from me as we begin to walk slowly.

"I'm perfect. I really am. I have everything I could ever want." I reassure him.

"Well, you will be pleased to know that I have finished filming this afternoon. We're free to go home!" He grins, placing his muscular arm around my shoulder as we continue our stroll around the stunning headland.

I breathe in the sea air and the peacefulness of Positano. "Now we will get to spend some time with you, can we stay a few more days?"

"Of course." He says immediately. "I have been thinking." He stops walking to look at me. He notices a bench and guides me towards it.

"What's going on?" I ask nervously as I sit next to him.

"I want to quit acting." He says simply. His ocean blue eyes search mine for some sort of reaction.

"What?" I exclaim in complete shock. "Where has this come from?" I literally had no clue that he was thinking of quitting now. I thought he was comfortable with the balance he had found.

"I just thought today, I've had enough! I don't want to do this anymore! We have the rights to the script we bought. We could make that movie together... me and you." His eyes are wide with excitement at the proposal, but my heart plummets.

"Daniel, I love you and I'll be there to support you whatever you want to do ... every step of the way. However, the world of movies is your passion, not mine. We will travel with you... be there to do whatever you need... but making movies isn't for me!" I reach to take his hand in mine, intertwining our fingers. "Why don't you take some time off from everything. Let's just be a family for a while. Don't make any hasty designs when our emotions have been on overload for so long. You don't need to rush into anything... we have all the time in the world to decide what's right for our future." Even though I feel my voice wobble as I speak, I try to convey how I don't want Daniel to give up something he loves on a whim.

"I like the idea of taking some time away from everything. Just being a family of four. Enjoying some time together." He sighs longingly as he looks at our sleeping babies.

"There isn't any rush to make any plans." I reassure him. "We can just be us for a while in our own little bubble."

The sun breaks through the clouds, bathing us in pure sunlight. "Ok, Lizzie. That sounds wonderful." He gently cups my chin in his hand, pulling me towards him. Without warning he kisses me deeply, making my brain crackle.

"We've got forever." I whisper before I kiss him back with everything I have.

THE END

- hey guys!

I hope you are safe and well.

So, this is the end of the trilogy! What did you think? Please be honest.

There will be an epilogue that I will upload in the next few days, but the main story is done.

Honestly, I can't quite believe it. I feel very emotional uploading this chapter. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for all your support, it has meant the absolute world to me! Love T -