CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT - The Final Word

"No, it's not that," Mara said quickly. "Well, not just that. It's everything. The zip lining, the snorkeling, this beautiful dinner... and then that ugly scene. It's a lot to take in." Cassius nodded, his thumb tracing circles on the back of her hand. "It has been a rollercoaster, hasn't it? But you know what? I wouldn't change a thing. Because every moment, good or bad, I've spent with you." Mara felt tears prickling at the corners of her eyes. "Even the arguments? The insecurities?" "Even those," Cassius said firmly. "Because they're part of us, part of our story. And they make moments like this even more precious." As they finished their meal, the moon rose over the ocean, casting a silvery path across the water. Cassius stood, holding out his hand to Mara. "Dance with me?" he asked softly. There was no music, just the rhythm of the waves and the beating of their hearts. As they swayed together on the moonlit beach, Mara felt the last of her tension melting away. "I love you