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T he sea breeze carried the scent of salt and memory as Honoria stepped out of the carriage, the familiar cliffs of Rosalynde Bay stretching before her.

It had been fifteen years since she first walked these shores, since that summer when she had met the man who had changed everything.

And now, she was back, not for a reunion, but for a celebration.

Reese was waiting for her, just as she knew he would be. He stood near the edge of the cliffs, his posture relaxed, yet there was something expectant in the way he watched her approach. There was no hesitation in his gaze, no uncertainty. There was only quiet understanding.

“You timed this well,” she said, stopping beside him.

He smiled, slow and knowing. “I’ve had fifteen years to perfect my strategy.”

She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. “You always did prefer well-executed maneuvers.”

He lifted a brow. “And you always saw through them.”

For a moment, they simply stood there, watching the waves crash against the shore.

She had spent so many years building the life she wanted.

The seminary at Everhall Court flourished.

It was a place of learning and independence for young women.

And all the while, he had been there. Never pushing, never demanding, simply waiting.

He reached into his coat and withdrew a small package. “I have something for you.”

She took it, unwrapping the cloth slowly.

Inside, the war department’s seal marked a set of official documents.

The confirmation of her husband’s death and the final legal ruling that awarded her his estate.

There was something heavy still in the envelope.

She titled it over and out slid her husband’s pocket watch.

Her breath hitched as she traced her fingers over the piece, time-worn and scratched but unmistakably his. This was the proof that had been withheld from her for so long.

“I know you searched for these,” Reese said quietly.

Tears pricked at the back of her eyes. She had fought for so long, waiting for closure, and now it was in her hands. No more uncertainty. No more waiting.

She looked up at him, emotions tightening her throat. “You always knew, didn’t you?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached for her hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “I knew that when you were ready, you’d come to me.”

Honoria exhaled a shaky breath. “I thought I was waiting for closure,” she admitted. “But in the end, it wasn’t about my husband’s death. It was fear, Reese. Fear of loving again. Fear of losing.”

His expression softened. “I understand that more than you know.”

She shook her head. “Do you?”

He let out a quiet chuckle. “I used my valet’s name when I came here all those years ago for the same reason.” His gaze locked onto hers. “We really are two of a kind, Honoria.”

Her lips parted slightly, and for the first time, she let herself accept it, not just the truth of his words, but the truth of her own heart.

His fingers tightened around hers, pulling her closer. “Every time I proposed, you put me off.”

She let out a watery laugh. “Every time, I wasn’t ready.”

He cupped her face, his voice low. “Are you ready now, Honoria?”

She swallowed hard, feeling the remnants of the past dissolve into something lighter, something freer. She looked up at the man who had always been her steady force, her anchor. And finally, finally, she knew.

Honoria took a breath, then tightened her grip on his hands.

“No.”

Reese’s smile faltered. Just slightly. A flicker of something unreadable in his eyes.

She exhaled softly, her lips curving. “Because this time, I’m asking.” A breath. A heartbeat. “Marry me, Reese.”

There was a stunned pause before his low, disbelieving laugh. “You’re serious.”

She lifted her chin. “I’ve never been more serious.”

Reese’s eyes burned into hers, something unspoken and overwhelming passing between them. He grinned, one of those rare, dazzling smiles that could undo her completely.

“Yes, Honoria.” His voice was rough with emotion. “A thousand times, yes.”

And as the tide crashed behind them, he pulled her into his arms, kissing her fully, deeply, as if making up for all the lost time.

The End