Chapter 8 - THE HEALING SHORES
In May, we returned to Maine.
Not to the small cottage where we had met, but to a beautifully restored seaside home sitting right on the cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean.
The weather was brilliant, the sea air crisp and sweet with the scent of wild pine and salt water.
Sophia, now over two years old, ran along the soft grass lawn in a yellow sundress, chasing a golden retriever puppy Julian had surprised her with for her birthday. Her laughter rang out clearly over the crashing waves below.
Julian’s sister, Clara—who had returned from her medical residency in London as soon as she heard the truth about what Margaret had done—sat on the porch with us, sipping ice tea.
“Mother called me last night from Nice,” Clara mentioned quietly, looking at Julian. “She’s angry that you aren't holding the wedding at the Greenwich country club.”
Julian didn't even turn his head from watching Sophia. “My wedding is happening on this cliff, with twenty people who actually care about us. She was invited to send a gift, nothing more.”
Clara sighed, then smiled warmly at me. “I’m glad you stood your ground, Elena. For years, my mother ran our lives like corporate subsidiaries. You gave my brother his life back.”
“He gave me mine too,” I said softly, taking Julian’s hand as he reached for mine across the table.
Later that evening, after Sophia had fallen asleep in her nursery, Julian and I walked down the wooden stairs to the private beach.
The tide was low, the wet sand reflecting the pink and orange hues of the setting sun. We walked barefoot along the water’s edge, holding hands in peaceful silence.
“Do you remember this beach?” Julian asked softly.
“I remember every inch of it,” I replied. “This is where you told me you didn't care about your family’s money. You said you just wanted a quiet life.”
May you like
Julian stopped, pulling me into his arms under the fading light.
“I meant it then, and I mean it now,” Julian said softly. “The money, the company, the status... none of it matters without you and Sophia. You two are my real estate, Elena. You are my home.”
