Vengeful Redemption

Chapter 15

"One day, you will find that pairing soul. It will be a feeling beyond your imagination. You just can't help it but to adore them. You will feel your whole heart melt for this person. This beautiful soul will bring joy, laughter, calmness, and so much inspiration that you will finally see hope in front of you. For once, you can actually say, I'm in love. I can see a future with this person. I can share my life with this person. Maybe this one is not a lesson. Maybe this one is what they call a soulmate."

Carlos Medina

AVERY

Three weeks later...

I'm on my way home from the lawyer's office, thankful this mess is behind me. Hopefully that's the last piece of paperwork I have to file. Between wills, statements, and reports it's a wonder my eyes haven't glazed over. It turns out my dad wasn't as sly as he thought. The government was amid preparing to audit him. Once the lawyers found out about the circumstances surrounding Weston's death, they held his funds as evidence in a money laundering case. Weston's name has spread around the world as a murderer and a cheat. They painted me and Luke as the heroes who fell victim to Weston's evil plots.
On a more positive not my work has finally been noticed. Perhaps for the wrong reasons, but I'm not complaining. I've received job offers from every newspaper and news broadcasting station in the city. The most surprising turn of events is lukes' sudden career shift. As of last week, Luke started working for the F.B.I. as a criminal profiler. From what I hear it's been tough acclimating him out of his grey areas. He tends to want to dwell there. I laugh out loud at the thought.
My life feels full and right.
The government seized most of everything but left me the house, only because it was purchased before the money laundering began. I couldn't stand the thought of seeing it, and the idea of living there was laughable. Luke and I sold the house and everything in it. My bank account with Luke's combined is enough to set us up for early retirement, and our children won't ever have to work if they don't want to. We are officially billionaires. Money aside, I've never been happier. Once Luke and I professed our love for one another, everything else fell in place.
I still think of my father against all efforts not to. There's nothing to miss, really. I dreaded being in the same room, but he was still my biological father. I don't make excuses for him anymore, and I allow myself to grieve. Not for the person he was but for the person he could have been maybe in another life. Luke often reminds me I can't control my thoughts or the pain they bring, but I can control how I react to it.
I step inside our suite and see a four course candle-lit dinner.

"Luke?"

There's no answer. A slow smile lifts my lips as I follow a trail of red rose petals to the bedroom. Luke is on the bed, kneeling on one knee. He's holding a small black box. As I approach, he opens it, and Inside is a delicate gold ring, with the biggest rock I've ever seen. Shocked, I drop my purse and keys.

"Are you? Is this?.." I ask in disbelief. He smiles, Luke is nearly naked, in tight black boxers and a bow tie. All of that golden skin stretched taught over his muscular body. My toes curl with anticipation.

"You bet it is! Get your sweet little ass over here and give me an answer, woman."
Drinking him in, I approach his larger than life form. This time, I cup his cheeks and look into his eyes. Luke goes still before leaning in to kiss me his eyes have that wild look to them. Promising me earth-shattering pleasure is on the cusp. I pull back from his delicious kiss and say
"YES! Luke Val Trien. I would be honored to be your wife!"
Luke picks me up and kisses me, deep and true. It's not long before things get heated. We eat dinner cold, after I spend most of the night celebrating in bed...

THE END