She entered her room, and immediately a smile spread across her face. It was different from when she left. The bed was moved from the centre of the room to the wall, with a lovely four-poster bed frame housing her new mattress. The curtains were changed from the original blue to a darker grey colour to match the carpet. The window frames were not switched out, they couldn't be, but they were painted over to match the room.

Nadine smiled, walking over to her wardrobe to touch it. It was also painted, but only on the outside. Since it was empty, her clothes still stashed in her luggage, she could easily see the messages and words scribbled on the back of the closet. She would sit in it as a child and draw or write a tiny poem whenever she was bored. Nevaeh's horrid sketch of the palace was just at the base. Nadine leaned forward to touch it and laughed, remembering how embarrassed Nevaeh was of it when they were old enough to draw better.

She stalked to the window and braced her arm on the frame, looking down at the forest and small cabins that surrounded the castle. Even though most of the cabins were farther away, she could still see people moving about their homes. It was remarkable to be home after so long, but she didn't feel the time at all. It was like she never left, aside from the fact that her room was different.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it." She replied.

A maid walked in behind her mother, courteously greeting before heading to the bathroom to draw Nadine a bath. Her mother waited for the door to close before she continued. "I wasn't sure what your style was like after all these years, so I enlisted the help of your friend Denise, Jonathan and maybe a little of your husband. You like things, classic, chic, and some expensive trinkets here and there. It took a few tries and different designs, but I tried to make it look as blingless as possible."

"As blingless as possible?" She asked dubiously.

"Yes."

"Mom?"

"Hmm."

"The bed frame is made of gold." She indicated with her finger as her mom shrugged. "And I am also pretty sure that those gems above the mirror are extremely expensive."

"Well, I said 'blingless, not boring."

She laughed, shaking her head in disbelief as she walked towards the bed. Nadine sat beside her, resting her head on her shoulder. "Thanks, Mom. The room looks beautiful."

"The girls would be in later to put your clothes into the wardrobe and restock your bathroom with toiletries and more towels."

Her mom left when the maid finished fixing the tub, but not before encouraging Nadine to take her time. Nadine didn't need any advice in that department, she was very inclined to destress for everything. She closed the bathroom door and walked to the tub, feeling the water with her fingers.

After she left the hospital, she was immediately driven back home but put on bed rest for a considerable amount of time. At that time, she sat in her bed, reading books, receiving gifts and well wishes until she was up to her neck in presents. Her family, at least most of them, had returned after she recovered, and they kept in touch. Every day they kept her updated with all the changes made to the castle as they prepared for her return. She never expected the wave of people waiting outside to greet her, but she was more than happy to see them. She suspected, with time, she would learn the names of some of the faces she had forgotten.

Nadine stripped out of her clothes and walked into the tub, crossing her legs as she lowered herself into the water. She rested against the tub, thinking back to everything that had happened within the last six months, all that she had gone through, including the kidnapping.

Alex had sent a letter to her home. This time, thankfully, through a loyal old friend, not a frightened stranger. Though the girl didn't know where he was, she travelled all the way to Aeston to deliver it on his behalf. Nadine had been sceptical at first, but she read the letter from beginning to end. He decided to leave to recover what was possibly left of his life, after informing the police of what he had done. He said he didn't want her to do it because he at least owed her the mercy of not having his arrest on her conscience. She didn't know how she felt about him being out there, but a part of her wanted to believe he would do better with his life this time around.

The scare of almost having her baby and her die on him was what brought him to the realization that letting go was the best option. Alex wrote in his letter about having only himself to blame if anything had happened because death was never in his plans for anyone. He told her he didn't expect her to forgive him for what he put her through, but on his end, he intended to forgive himself for what happened to his brother. He wanted to try and leave the past in the past. He had wished her well and told her not to hate him too much because it would be bad for her health.

"Don't forget, you are talking to an expert."

That part made her laugh. It was the same thing she said to him when they argued at the mansion. She wasn't free from the pain and trauma of what he had put her through, but she was thankful that everyone came out okay. What she planned on doing was focusing on having a healthy pregnancy and relishing being back home.

"Deep in thought?"

She sloshed around to turn and face Dominic. She didn't hear him come in, but he was standing against the bathroom door, watching her for, who knows how long. He walked over to the tub and knelt to meet her gaze. He picked a lump of wet hair from her shoulders as he smiled at her.

"Feeling better?"

"Mmhmm." She leaned forward, using the body of the tub for support so she could kiss him soundly. "Are you enjoying the palace?"

"I am." He groaned as he moved to sit on the floor. She pouted, tugging on his hair only to get a yelp and a disappointed stare. He had cut his hair after she came home from the hospital, so it was shorter than before but still thick enough for her to yank when she wanted to annoy him.

"Where did the children take you?"

"To the basement. There is some kind of ghost haunting the basement. For some reason, they only thought to tell me that when I was already down there. As my luck would have it, when they left me to myself, I remembered the maze they walked me through and found my way out before I started living the reality of those horrid movies you make me watch."

"I have been down there once or twice; there is nothing there." She assured him, playing with the lapels of his shirt. "When I am done, I'll be your faithful tour guide. I intend to show you the best places."

"Not forgetting that you should still be resting."

"Oh honey, so humble of you to think I am walking. We own a chariot. We own several."

Dominic smiled, plucking at her nose fondly. "Then we can go anytime you are ready. Any other plans? Nevaeh already told me to prepare my tastebuds for a treat this evening. Can only imagine what the food here would taste like."

"That's for you to find out later tonight. We are going to be here for months, and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do. Listen, when I get better, and I am out of any danger, maybe we can go out riding. We own some of the most beautiful horse breeds."

"Of course, though I am no good with riding either."

"You'll learn." She assured him, pulling him closer to the edge of the tub for a kiss, then resting back to lure him farther in.

"My clothes, my clothes."

She held on to him, dragging him further in as she kissed him, murmuring in a sing-song voice. "They'll survive."

"I didn't lock the door."

"It's the bathroom," she whispered, tugging his jacket off and moving to her knees. "They can enter the room, but no one would walk into the bathroom without knocking. Don't worry."

They laughed together, for the first time in months, free of fear or scared for what might happen the next moment. Dominic dropped back into the tub, and she sat between his legs, her head against his chest as they faced the large windows, watching the birds fly and the sun sink behind the trees.

Months passed, and they were finally settled in the palace. Her in-laws were flying in to visit in a few days, and preparations were being made to celebrate Dominic's birthday in a few weeks. Even though she was miles away from town, she tried to keep up with work by checking in on Denise and staying informed on what happened in the restaurant. In a few days, Denise would also be joining them with Jonathan and Jackie to visit the palace for the first time.

With Alex gone and no more disturbing letters pouring into their hands, she and Dominic took the time to relax and savour their baby and their lives. She sometimes would take walks with him under the canopies of trees surrounding the castle or have picnics by the river with her nephews playing around.

"How does that feel? Better?"

Nadine nodded, watching him as he massaged her legs. The lotion was cool; it relieved some of the aches she earlier felt before she got into bed. He rubbed the muscle some more before putting her leg down and clearing the bed of everything, setting them on the dresser. The whole house was quiet, but quite a few people were still awake, enjoying the night while the rest went to bed. Her dad was one of them. He was in the living room with the twins when she left to go to her room.

"Maybe some sleep would do you good. I also feel so exhausted."

Dominic climbed in behind her, helping her drag the blanket over their legs as they settle into bed. He kissed her bare shoulder, palming her stomach gently, murmuring unintelligibly, as he lay on the pillow. She had been more than uncomfortable all day, but a good night's sleep and some time off her feet might, she believed, would do her good. Nadine laced their fingers together and snuggled back into him, closing her eyes and immediately falling asleep.

Later in the night, she became restless. The flash of pain woke her first, and she grimaced as she sat up on the bed. Dominic was still asleep beside her, his hand slipping off her side as she sat up, trying to catch her breath. She had false alarms before, but the contractions felt so intense that she was sure it wasn't one of those times.

"Dominic." She murmured, her face contorted in discomfort. He didn't seem to hear her, so she picked up her pillow and slapped Dominic over the head with it. "Dominic, call a doctor."

"Hmm, hmm?"

She hit him again, and he came fully awake, crawling over the bed to her side. She leaned against him, her chest rising and falling as she reached behind her to grab hold of his neck. "Call a doctor."

"Okay, breathe, I'll be right back."

He ran out of the room, and she sat, her hands tearing into the sheets as she squeezed them in anguish. Thankfully, her mother had prepared adequately for the birth of her child, keeping the doctor close by just in case anything happened. Everything was prepared, and she tried not to let anxiety make her uneasy because, even with the blinding pain in her abdomen, she had to be relaxed. So, she sat, waiting for Dominic to return, focusing on breathing in and out.

Dominic came back, and she stretched her hand out to him; her breathing grew laborious. "Ah, oh, mmhmm. Dominic, where is the doctor? Where is she?"

"She is on her way. Keep up with me, okay? Breathe in and breathe out. Your mother is also coming." He kissed her head, and she smiled tightly, clinging to his hand. She just kept nodding even without him asking her a question, trying to focus away from the pain, but it was hard to do when it was so prominent.

"Ah!" She slapped the bed as the doctor rushed into the room, followed closely by her mother and a few maids hauling in the things she needed. She shook her head, tears falling from her eyes as she threw her head back to scream. "Ah, somebody, do something."

"Nadine, Nadine, I need you to breathe, okay? It's going to be over soon; we'll work together and get through this. Dominic, help me get her over here."

"Here we go."

She laughed, stopping to groan in pain before nodding towards Dominic and taking his hand. "Here we go."