Chapter Five: A New Beginning
Ariella had always believed in the beauty of second chances—though she never imagined that one would come in the form of a complicated love story with the man she once thought she'd lost forever. But here she was, standing in the kitchen of her home with Damien, Liam playing in the next room, and the quiet hum of their new life settling around them.
It had been a week since the press conference. A week since the world learned that Liam was Damien's son. Since then, life had been a blur of phone calls, apologies, and reconciliations. But more than that, it had been a week of rebuilding. Of learning to trust again. Of finding a way forward.
The media had calmed down after the storm of the announcement, but their eyes were still on them. On Damien. On Liam. But Damien had made it clear that he wasn't going anywhere. And neither was Ariella.
She had watched him over the past days—strong, unwavering, yet softer than she remembered. He was no longer the man who had walked away in Paris, blinded by his father's pressure and his own fears. He was someone who knew what it meant to protect, to love, to sacrifice for the ones he cared about. And as much as it scared her to admit it, Ariella knew she couldn't keep pushing him away anymore.
"You're quiet," Damien said, his voice pulling her from her thoughts. He was standing by the counter, arms crossed, looking at her with an expression she couldn't quite decipher. "Penny for your thoughts?"
She smiled softly. "Just… thinking."
"About what?"
"Everything, I guess," she replied, crossing the room to pour herself a cup of tea. "About how much has changed in such a short time."
Damien leaned against the counter, watching her. "It's a lot to take in."
"Yeah," she agreed. "But we're making it work, aren't we?"
He pushed off the counter and walked over to her, gently taking the cup from her hands. His fingers brushed against hers, and the touch sent a familiar warmth through her. "We will," he said softly. "We'll keep making it work, Ariella. Together."
She met his eyes then, and for the first time in a long while, she saw the same unwavering determination in them. The same love that had once burned so brightly, now tempered with a maturity that made her heart ache.
"I don't want to live in fear anymore," she said quietly. "I don't want to be afraid of what the world might do or say. I want us to move forward. To be a family. And I want Liam to grow up knowing he's loved—by both of us."
Damien's eyes softened as he placed the cup down and cupped her face gently in his hands. "Liam already knows that. And so do you."
She closed her eyes at his touch, leaning into it. "I'm still scared, Damien. I'm scared that we'll mess it up. That I'll mess it up."
"You won't," he said firmly. "And neither will I. We've both made our mistakes. But we've learned from them. And now, we're here. Together."
Ariella opened her eyes to look at him, searching his face for any hint of uncertainty. But there was none. There was only the man who had walked back into her life, claiming the role of a father, of a partner, of someone who was committed to building a future—not just with Liam, but with her.
"I love you," she whispered, her voice breaking slightly with emotion. "I never stopped."
His lips curved into a smile that reached his eyes. "I never stopped loving you either. And I never will."
They stood there for a moment, wrapped in the intimacy of their shared words, until the sound of laughter from the other room broke the silence.
Liam was running through the living room, his little legs carrying him faster than Ariella had expected. Damien stepped away from her, his eyes lighting up as he watched their son play. It was still so surreal to see Damien with Liam. To see the way their bond was growing—unstoppable, undeniable.
Ariella walked over to the living room and knelt beside Liam, who was enthusiastically showing her a drawing he had made. "Look, Mama!" he said excitedly. "This is me and Daddy!"
Ariella smiled, her heart swelling as she looked at the picture. It was simple—a stick figure version of Liam, holding hands with a taller figure, clearly meant to be Damien. There was a small sun in the corner and a smile on both faces. It was pure. It was innocent.
Damien knelt beside them, looking at the drawing with a soft chuckle. "Looks like we're having a good time, huh?"
Liam nodded, holding up the paper for Damien to see. "I made it for you."
Damien took the drawing carefully, his fingers brushing against Liam's. "Thank you, buddy. It's perfect."
Ariella watched them, her heart full. It wasn't perfect—not yet. But they were getting there. Together.
After dinner that evening, Ariella and Damien sat together on the porch, the evening sky turning a deep shade of purple as the stars began to appear. The soft murmur of the city in the distance was a constant reminder of the life they'd always lived, but here, in this quiet moment, it felt like they were in their own little world.
"I've been thinking," Damien said after a while, his voice low. "About the future."
Ariella turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "The future?"
"Yeah. About Liam. About us."
She waited, sensing the weight of his words.
"I want us to live in the open," he continued. "No more secrets. No more hiding. I'm done with all of that. I want to be there for you, for Liam, for everything that's coming."
Ariella felt a lump form in her throat. "You mean… publicly? Everything?"
"Yes," he said, his eyes meeting hers. "I don't care about what the media says. I don't care about the gossip. I just want to be a family. And I want the world to know it. I want Liam to grow up knowing that his parents love him—no matter what anyone else thinks."
Ariella felt a tear slip down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly, but the emotion in her chest was overwhelming.
"Damien, that's… that's a big step."
"I know. But it's the right one. We'll do this on our terms. No more running away."
She nodded, her heart beating faster. "Okay. Let's do it."
They sat there for a while longer, watching the night unfold around them. The promise of a new beginning hung in the air—fragile yet full of possibility. They didn't have all the answers. They didn't know what the future would bring. But they were ready to face it together. As a family.
And for the first time in years, Ariella felt the weight in her chest lift.
They were finally free.
The past was behind them. And the future—whatever it held—was theirs to create.
Together.