Fired Up

Valeria's POV

The sun was setting over the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple. It was a moment of peace, a feeling I hadn't experienced in a long time.

Lewis was beside me, his hand resting on mine as we sat in the garden, Mateo playing with Willow and Kaiden not far away. The chaos of the past months had slowly begun to fade, leaving room for something more solid, more real. We had weathered so much together, and yet here we were, a family in the truest sense of the word.

I couldn't remember the last time I had truly allowed myself to feel this safe. In the beginning, I had been consumed with fear—the fear of losing everything, the fear of what my future might look like, the fear of opening my heart again. But as the days went by, I realized that I was no longer the person I was before. I was stronger, braver, and more willing to embrace whatever came next.

The journey hadn't been easy. There were nights when I felt like I might break, moments when I doubted whether I could continue fighting. But I had learned to lean on those I loved, and in return, I had found a love and support I hadn't even known I needed.

"Are you okay?" Lewis asked, breaking my thoughts. His voice was gentle, his eyes full of understanding.

I smiled, looking at him. "Yeah. I'm more than okay."

He nodded, his thumb brushing over my knuckles. We had both come so far—together, separately, but always finding our way back to each other.

And as I watched Mateo laugh, his face lit up with pure joy, I felt a sense of peace settle over me. Whatever challenges lay ahead, I knew I wasn't alone. We weren't alone.

In the distance, I could hear the sound of the ocean waves crashing against the shore, steady and eternal. I closed my eyes, feeling the warmth of the sun on my face, and allowed myself to be fully present in the moment.

For the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful about the future.