Page 239 of Vows We Never Made

Even if they’ve been cordial, things are strained ever since Ethan found out about his origin.

I get it, though I’ve tried to encourage a little healing.

Not easy when the rift started well before her secret fell out.

I think they’ve misunderstood each other since Ethan was little. Elvira has some seriously complex feelings about her son, but at the end of the day, they’re family to the core.

They still love each other, even if it’s over some distance.

Old wounds like this don’t just scar over effortlessly, no, but I believe they’ll find their way through it.

Love is relentless, right?

She looks up at him now, her face pale and her lips pressed together.

“Well? What was it?” I ask again. I can’t look away from the desolate yet loving expression in her eyes.

He hesitates before he looks at me and smiles.

“I said we both had to deal with Gramps’ meddling growing up, one way or another. And we could either let that define us or we could grow. Our decision.” Ethan glances down at me, his blue eyes softer than I ever imagined. “I told her I loved her and I always will.”

“It’s healthy to say it,” I tell him, pulling affectionately on his sleeve. “I’m proud of you, hubby.”

“It’s the fresh start my wife deserves, and so do I.” He squeezes my hand.

I look out across the small sea of faces again, old friends and distant relatives we’ll be pressing hands with all evening.

Everything has fallen into place, better than I ever could’ve hoped.

Even Cooper Daley got what he deserved.

The land deal falling through drove him off the deep end. His careful, power tripping and underhanded seductions started getting sloppy.

And yes, when Mom told me he’d started sending gross texts to a lady in her classes again, Imighthave let Mom slip the woman’s number to Margot.

What happened next was sweet justice.

Now, his wife is leaving him, and his finances are—

Yikes.

That’s the only word.

The little real estate empire Cooper Daley built will be in a tailspin for a long time to come.

That means plenty of fresh opportunities for Blackthorn Holdings, but that’s just the icing on the cake.

Daley tried to trick people into giving him what he wanted instead of working for it honestly. He let greed and ego win, and now they’ll cost him everything.

Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered,Ethan reminded me the other day.

I feel a surge of pity for his ex as I look up at Ethan again.

I’m sure she never imagined a betrayal like that on their wedding day.

If Ethan had a traitorous, cheating bone in his body, though, I think I would know.

As I look at him in awe, tracing his jaw, loving the thicker beard he’s grown in lately and the sharp angles of his face, the compelling softness of his eyes, I’m certain he’s a different man.