Chapter 10: Epilogue – A Future Written in Fire
Three Years Later.
The sun was rising over the coast of Zanzibar. Waves kissed the white sands with calm grace, and palm trees danced gently in the breeze.
At the edge of a private beach stood a little girl — about two years old — curly-haired, caramel-skinned, chasing the foam in a yellow sundress that fluttered in the wind.
Her name was Aurora Jayce Royce.
She had her mother's boldness, her father's eyes, and the spirit of a survivor written in her smile.
A few steps behind her, Hailey watched protectively, a book in one hand, a straw hat shielding her glowing face.
Then came Jason — dressed in a loose linen shirt, barefoot, coffee in hand.
He reached her and wrapped an arm around her waist.
"She's fast," Hailey said, laughing.
Jason smiled. "She's mine. Of course she's trouble."
They both looked out at their daughter, full of life and laughter.
Behind them stood a newly opened Safe Haven Centre — their latest shelter for women and girls fleeing violence. Fully staffed. Free. Protected.
The walls were painted soft lavender.
At the entrance was a plaque:
> "For the girl who survived. For the child who will never have to."
— Donated by The Silent Bloom Foundation
---
Later that evening...
Aurora was asleep in Jason's arms, her cheek pressed to his chest, her tiny fingers clinging to his shirt.
Hailey rested her head on his shoulder. The stars glowed like embers above them.
"You ever think about it?" she whispered.
"What?"
"How we got here. From that clothesline... to this."
Jason chuckled. "From disguises and secrets… to diapers and baby giggles."
She turned to him. "You saved me."
He looked at her, serious now. "No. You saved me. I just fought to deserve it."
She smiled.
Then, after a pause…
"I'm ready," she said.
Jason blinked. "For what?"
Hailey reached into her pocket and handed him a small velvet box.
His heart stopped.
Inside was a ring — simple, gold, engraved with the initials J + H.
"You always said you didn't want to ask until you'd earned me," she whispered. "Well… I think you have."
Jason's eyes filled.
He dropped to one knee, still holding their sleeping daughter.
And with a broken voice full of peace, he said…
"Yes."
---
THE END.
...A QUICK SUMMARY FROM THE BOOK
He hid his wealth to find peace. She hid her pain to survive. But secrets can't stay buried — not when love is at stake.
Jason Royce is a billionaire tired of living under the weight of power, expectations, and betrayal. Disguised as a quiet university student in Lagos, Nigeria, he seeks a life untouched by fame — until he meets Hailey Drew.
Hailey is everything Jason didn't know he needed: bold, beautiful, caramel-skinned, and fiercely independent. Her dreams reach beyond borders, but her past still haunts her — especially in the form of James, her possessive ex-boyfriend with a dangerous obsession.
What starts as a soft love story soon spirals into a whirlwind of lies, abduction, and vengeance. When Jason is declared dead and Hailey is taken captive, their worlds fall apart. But death, as the world knows it, was only Jason's disguise.
Now operating from the shadows, Jason must dismantle a powerful mafia empire to reclaim the woman he loves — and the unborn child he never knew he had.
As secrets unravel, Hailey finds strength not just to survive, but to fight. And when their paths cross again, it won't be just about love — it will be about justice, healing, and reclaiming the silence once used to hide.
beneath the billionaire's silence is a powerful tale of love, betrayal, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between two souls destined to rise — no matter the cost.