His Ruthless Redemption (Isabella and Dominic) novel Chapter 242

Chapter 242

İsabella’s POV

For a long moment, I simply stared at the small velvet box resting in my hands.

It was surprisingly light, too light to carry everything it suddenly seemed to represent.

I looked back up at Dominic. “What is it?”

Instead of answering, he took one careful step closer. “May I?”

I nodded.

Without another word, he gently took the box back from me, his fingers steady, but only just.

When he opened it, a delicate silver necklace lay nestled inside black velvet, its chain catching the afternoon sunlight and tiny oval pendant rested at the center. It was beautiful, elegant and simple, exactly the sort of thing I would’ve chosen for myself.

Dominic unclasped it before looking at me again. “Turn around.” Something in his voice made my chest tighten.

I quietly gathered my hair over one shoulder and turned.

A second later, I felt the cool chain brush against the back of my neck. His fingers lingered there for just a heartbeat longer than necessary as he fastened the clasp.

The touch was feather-light, almost reverent, as though he already knew it would be the last time he would ever do something so ordinary.

When he stepped back, I instinctively reached for the pendant.

“Open it,” he whispered.

My fingers trembled slightly as I pressed the tiny latch.

The pendant clicked open and immediately my vision blurred.

On one side was a tiny photograph of Mateo, his gap-toothed smile filled the little frame. It was the picture Caterina had insisted on taking after he’d proudly baked me breakfast a few months ago, flour all over his cheeks and a crooked chef’s hat balanced on his head.

My beautiful boy.

Then I looked at the other side.

And forgot how to breathe.

It was Aspen. The last ultrasound, tiny and grainy, almost impossible for anyone else to make out. But I knew exactly what I was looking at.

My hand flew instinctively to my mouth and fresh tears spilled over before I could stop them.

Dominic’s own eyes glistened.

“I didn’t….” he swallowed thickly before continuing, “…I didn’t want you to ever feel like you had to carry one child while leaving the other behind. They’re together. Always.”

of 55 you

A tear escaped him again.

1 closed the pendant carefully before pressing it tightly against my heart, silently vowing to always carrying it with me everywhere.

For a long moment, I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t even think.

I simply stood there crying quietly while the tiny silver locket rested beneath my palm.

Finally, I managed to whisper, “It’s beautiful.”

His smile was small. “I hoped you’d think so.”

I shook my head.

“No,” Looking back up at him through my tears, I smiled sadly. “I mean, it’s perfect.”

Neither of us spoke after that. There simply weren’t words big enough anymore to describe the depth of what I was feelinį right then.

Without thinking, I stepped forward. This time, it was me who reached for him. My arms wrapped around his waist and h came around me almost instantly, tightly, as though he was afraid that if he didn’t held me tightly enough, I might disappear.

I rested my cheek against his chest, listening. His heartbeat was steady beneath my ear.

How many nights had I fallen asleep listening to that same heartbeat? How many mornings had I woken up wrapped safely in these arms before life had become so unbearably complicated?

“I wish…” I began but the words caught in my throat, too overwhelmed with emotion to come out.

He rested his cheek lightly against my hair. “I know.”

I pulled back just enough to look at him. I had to say it. “I wish we’d met under different circumstances.”

His smile trembled.

“So do I.”

“I wish…” Fresh tears filled my eyes again. “…that we’d only ever had ordinary problems.”

He nodded. “So do I.”

“I wish Mateo could’ve grown up with both of us.”

“So do I.”

“And,” My voice cracked completely. “I wish Aspen had been here.”

Dominic closed his eyes and his forehead came to rest gently against mine. “So do I.”

We stood like that for what felt like forever, neither of us trying to fix anything, neither of us pretending this wasn’t happening.

Just two people grieving the life they had wanted more than anything.

Eventually I drew in a shaky breath. “I should go.”

He didn’t answer immediately.

When he finally did, it was with the

knew if he didn’t, neither of us would have the strength to.

I wiped my cheeks before taking one final look at him.

He looked exhausted, heartbroken and somehow peaceful. Maybe because he’d finally accepted that loving someone sometimes meant respecting the choice that broke your own heart.

A sad smile found its way onto my lips. “Thank you.”

He frowned gently. “For what?”

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