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“I am sorry for pushing you away, Juliet. I really am,” he told her quietly after her sobs had silenced.

At first, she said nothing, but then her gentle voice reached his ears. “I thought…I was so afraid that you had finally abandoned me for good. I waited for days and days, and when you never came, I thought you were done with me.”

“No, Juliet, never.” He pulled back to look at her as he carefully spoke his next words. “I felt as though I was the unwanted one, the disappointment. I was so consumed by my failures and the weight of my responsibilities that it kept me from seeing just how much pain I had caused you. I…I was scared that I would never be enough for you and would turn into my father. He was a vile and angry man, and he hurt my mother seriously enough that she passed away from his abuse. I was scared that opening up my heart would also create the possibility of that happening to you.”

Juliet’s hands clung to his coat as she nodded into his chest in silent understanding.

“I was scared, too…of being abandoned again. It was not fair to see our marriage as a relationship that would likely end with me all by myself in a place I do not recognize. I should have tried to speak and engage with you more, rather than hold you responsible for my fears.”

She raised one of her hands and cupped his face tenderly.

“You are ten times the man your father ever was. You are greater, kinder and more responsible, and I know that your mother and sister would be proud of you. As am I. I am honored to call you my husband.”

Hector took her hands in his, inhaling shakily for a moment.

“I want to be better, Juliet. For you. For us and our marriage. I know I have made mistakes, and I have a lot to make up for, butI am willing to fight for our relationship. Because…I love you, Juliet. There is no one I would rather spend the rest of my life with. I love you.”

It felt freeing to say those three words to her and watch as her eyes lit up, and she understood the gravity of his declaration.

“I love you too, Hector. So much. And I also want to work on our relationship. You are the love of my life, and I want nothing more than to spend our lives together.”

Hector grinned, leaning down to capture her lips in a short kiss. When they broke apart, he lovingly assisted her back to the main section of the nunnery.

And thus, Hector and Juliet knew in their hearts that, despite all they had endured, they would remain in love and prosper together.

EPILOGUE

One Year Later

“Itold you! I said the answer was gold!” Ciara screamed, pointing an accusatory finger at her husband.

Jonathan looked apologetic on his wife’s behalf.

“Darling, you were not supposed to say the answer until it was our turn! You are giving them the points!” he said to her with a small smile.

“Oh, no, do not tell her! We owe a part of our victory to dearest Ciara. She might not have won the war, but it will go on record that she aided our landslide victory,” Marcus grinned.

“Landslide is quite a stretch, Marcus,” Hector tutted with a roll of his eyes. “You won with three points between yourself and the next duo. Stop fibbing, you are too old for that.”

“You are not my father, Hector. Let me embellish my life with as many falsehoods as I wish!” Marcus demanded in a dramatic way.

“Charades isn’t usually played in this rowdy manner, is it?” Juliet laughed.

“Speak for yourself, dear. All I have ever known about games is their violence,” Penelope sighed sweetly.

James looked as though he wanted to weep.

“I really thought that we could escape such…enthusiasm for at least one day,” he sighed tiredly.

“A misstep on your part, clearly, expecting anything involving the Earl of Elwike to be calm. Look alive, my sweet; they are about to start another round,” Penelope urged, winking at him.

Hector might not have been fond of such crowds and chatter, but there was something to be said about how happy he was to be there simply because Juliet was by his side.

His beautiful wife glowed with happiness, eagerly speaking whenever she was addressed, and Hector was grateful that they both had such lovely friends with whom to share this moment.

After hearing how badly she was treated at the events she attended, he was outraged. So much so that he promised that shewould never have to spend another moment in the company of such shallow, cruel people.

He let her try her hand at hosting instead, and as it turned out, she had an unmistakable flair for it if this garden party was anything to go by.