About

THE NEXT CHAPTER Arielle had imagined her wedding day a thousand different ways. But somehow, reality had been even more beautiful. She and Nathaniel were married. After everything they had been through—the separation, the years apart, finding each other again, and learning how to love each other as adults—they had finally built the life they once thought they had lost. Now they lived together in Monaco. Quiet mornings. Long dinners. Trips between Monaco and Boston. And a home filled with little pieces of both of them. Life felt peaceful. Until one morning, Arielle realized something was different. She had been unusually tired for days. At first, she blamed the wedding, traveling, and the endless changes that came with starting married life. Then she noticed something else. Her period was late. Arielle stared at the calendar. Once. Twice. Then she quietly bought a pregnancy test. She took it alone. She waited. Two lines. Arielle froze. For a moment, she couldn’t breathe. She looked at the test again. Pregnant. Her hands trembled. After everything she had experienced years ago, the word carried a weight she couldn’t explain. She sat quietly on the edge of the bed, staring at the tiny test in her hand. Then Nathaniel walked into the room. “Arielle?” She looked up. He immediately noticed the tears in her eyes. “What’s wrong?” She didn’t answer. Instead, she slowly held out the test. Nathaniel stared at it. His expression changed. He looked at Arielle. Then back at the test. “Are you…” She nodded. “I’m pregnant.” For several seconds, neither of them moved. Then Nathaniel crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. Arielle buried her face against his chest. This time, she wasn’t alone. This time, she didn’t have to run. Nathaniel held her tightly, his voice shaking as he whispered: “We’re going to have a baby.” Arielle smiled through her tears. For years, she had believed some chapters of her life would always belong to the past. But standing there with her husband, she realized something. Sometimes life doesn’t give you the ending you expected. Sometimes it gives you another beginning. And this time… they were beginning it together.