The Billion Dollar Fiancé [#8]

Epilogue

There weren't tears to accompany the goodbye the Devereuxs left for Daphnia. Each of her children and grandchildren stood by her coffin as it was lowered to the ground - all of them fighting the pain and sadness in their eyes.

Camilla met Connor's gaze from behind the coffin, and he flinched at the sound of the wood settling in the dirt. Her heart ached for him. Beside him was Stephen who could hardly look at the final moment of being so close to his mother before grabbing a fistful of dirt in his hand.

Sadie was the first to sprinkle the dirt onto her mother's coffin. Joseph followed and then Connor as he limped on his wounded leg and held on to his crutch with his free hand. Tristan was hesitant when he realized he was next on the list of Devereux children. Stephen had a similar reaction, but he was emotionless as he allowed the dirt in his hand to descend into the earth through his fingers. Victoria couldn't hold it in anymore. She became a sobbing mess the moment she released the handful of dirt and fell into Connor's arms.

It was painful for Camilla to watch. Daphnia had treated her as her own growing up. The love was never jaded, and everyone knew there was a home where the woman walked. She couldn't imagine the pain of the rest who had joined the family.

She couldn't count the seconds she stood there until Stephen wrapped his suit jacket around her shoulders. She looked down at it and then up at him before accepting his comforting embrace. "Watch over him," she whispered. She prayed Daphnia could hear her.

"Let's say goodbye to the family before we leave."

Stephen and Camilla were expected to fly out in the morning. It would be heartbreaking having to part from the family when they needed each other the most, but they had all encouraged the couple to leave for Italy to finally start their life together and enjoy it while it lasted.

"Stephen," she said, looking up into the eyes that completely owned her. "I haven't told you how much I love you."

"You never have to tell me." He lowered his head to kiss the corner of her mouth and forced a smile. "As much as I love hearing it, I already know."

"Is leaving what you want to do?"

He frowned. "Are you having second thoughts?"

"Your family is celebrating the life of your mother at the house. We should be there for all of them."

"Oh," he said, scratching the back of his neck. "You think I won't be able to leave for Italy without regretting my decision."

She didn't say anything.

"Cami, as long as I'm with you, I'll never regret a single thing. I love my family, and we will always have each other, but right now, I need you."

Her heart skipped in her chest. She leaned up onto her toes and pressed her lips to his, pulling him closer to feel like they were one. The man she had always loved was next to her, grieving and fighting, and she didn't want to be anywhere but beside him. "Let's go be with them."

•••••••••••••••

"Stephen was seven at the time. He colored all the walls and turned the living room into a nursery. It looked so great Mom couldn't even be mad."

Everyone laughed at Joseph's story. It wasn't humorous, but it was a memory the siblings could share together.

"There was that one time Dad came home really drunk for the first time after his poker night," Tristan reminded the family. "She took his keys for a week and then ended up losing them somewhere in the garage."