498Six months later.
Six months had passed, and the near-constant air of uncertainty and chaos had been replaced with something more permanent, something solid. Rose couldn't remember the last time she had felt this content, this peaceful.
Standing outside Adrian's art studio, Rose took a deep breath before stepping inside. The small gallery space buzzed with life, filled with the chatter of guests admiring Adrian's latest collection. A warm smile crept onto her face as she spotted familiar faces among the crowd.
Adrian had done well for himself—his once messy studio had transformed into a vibrant creative space, and tonight, he was hosting an intimate showing. It was just a small gathering of close friends and fellow artists, but the energy in the room was palpable, the excitement infectious.
"Look who finally decided to show up," came a teasing voice behind her. Rose turned to see Lissa, her best friend, glowing with joy—and a baby bump.
"Liss!" Rose beamed, pulling her into a gentle hug, mindful of her growing belly. "You look amazing!"
Lissa grinned, patting her stomach. "Well, pregnancy has a way of doing that, I guess. Christian's been hovering like a mother hen, but I'm fine."
As if on cue, Christian appeared by Lissa's side, his arm draped protectively around her. "Someone's got to keep an eye on her," he muttered, though the teasing in his eyes softened his words.
Rose laughed, her heart swelling at the sight of her friends so happy together. "You two are going to make great parents, all gooey and in-love," she said earnestly, watching as Christian placed a gentle hand on Lissa's belly, the love between them obvious.
"Speaking of love," Lissa began, her eyes twinkling mischievously, "where's Dimitri?"
Rose blushed at the mention of Dimitri. "He's on his way. We couldn't park so he had to park further away," she explained.
Before Lissa could tease her about her clear blushing, a loud voice interrupted the moment. "Rose, you made it!" Adrian bounded over, his face lit with excitement. He was beaming as he gestured to the canvases lining the walls.
"Of course I did! I wouldn't miss your big night," Rose replied, admiring the pieces. His work had evolved since the last time she'd seen it—there was more depth, more warmth in each brushstroke.
Adrian glanced around nervously before leaning closer, lowering his voice. "Hey, I want you to meet someone." His eyes flickered to a young woman standing near the far wall, blonde hair tucked behind her ear, her gaze fixated on one of Adrian's paintings. Sydney, Rose assumed—one of the artists he had recently met.
"That's Sydney? You mentioned her before," Rose said knowingly, watching Adrian's fidgeting. "She's another artist, right?"
Adrian nodded, his face softening as he watched Sydney from across the room. "Yeah. She's... incredible. I don't think I've been this inspired in years."
It was obvious in the way Adrian looked at Sydney that his feelings went deeper than just artistic admiration. The smitten look on his face made Rose smile, and for a moment, she remembered when Adrian had once harboured feelings for her. Things were different now—Adrian had moved on, found someone who sparked something new in him, and Rose couldn't have been happier for him.
"You should go talk to her," Rose urged, nudging him gently. "You clearly like her, Adrian."
"Yeah?" Adrian's voice betrayed the nervousness he rarely showed. "Fuck it, yeah. I'll do it. Wish me luck." With that, he shot Rose a quick grin before making his way over to Sydney, his hands fidgeting nervously as he approached her.
Watching him go, Rose felt a wave of warmth. Everyone around her seemed to be finding their happiness—Lissa and Christian with their baby on the way, Adrian falling for Sydney. And then there was her happiness, with the man who had turned her world upside down and made it right again.
Almost as if on cue, she felt strong arms wrap around her from behind. "Miss me?" Dimitri's deep voice rumbled close to her ear, sending a shiver of warmth through her.
"Always," Rose replied, turning to face him. The sight of him made her heart race, even after all these months. Dimitri's dark eyes were filled with affection, his gaze never wavering from hers as he leaned down to kiss her gently.
He looked good—better, stronger. The scar from his injury was barely visible now, and his physical recovery was complete. But it wasn't just his body that had healed. His heart had healed too, and they had rebuilt their relationship from the ground up.
They were solid now. Real. No more lies, no more secrets, no more fear.
As they stood together, Dimitri's arm around her waist, they wandered through the gallery, admiring Adrian's work. One painting in particular caught Rose's eye—the painting of her that Adrian had started months ago.
Rose smiled at the memory, leaning into Dimitri's side. "Adrian painted that when we broke up," she sighed. "That feels like a lifetime ago."
"It was," Dimitri replied, his voice soft. "We've come a long way."
They stood in comfortable silence, soaking in the moment. Rose felt the weight of all the things they had been through—every hurt, every mistake—and realized how far they had come. They had rebuilt themselves stronger, together, and this was only the beginning.
As they continued to stroll through the gallery, Rose caught sight of Adrian standing close to Sydney, their heads bent together in quiet conversation. Adrian's hand hovered near hers, and from the way Sydney was smiling, it was clear something special was blossoming between them.
Rose's heart swelled with happiness for her friend. Adrian deserved this, and from what she could see, Sydney was exactly what he needed.
It wasn't just the way he smiled when he was around her, but the way his entire demeanour softened, the usual arrogance replaced by something gentler, more vulnerable. She'd never seen Adrian look at anyone like that before.
She turned her gaze away from the couple, her hand tightening in Dimitri's. His thumb rubbed soft circles on the back of her hand, a silent reminder that he was there, that they were together in this moment. For a brief second, Rose allowed herself to bask in the quiet comfort of it all—the noise of the gallery fading into the background as she focused solely on the warmth of his presence.
Dimitri leaned down, his lips brushing her ear. "Adrian looks... different, doesn't he?"
Rose chuckled softly, glancing back toward Adrian and Sydney, who were now standing close, their heads almost touching as they spoke in low voices. "He does. I think he's really falling for her."
"It's good for him," Dimitri said, his voice thoughtful. "He deserves to find someone who makes him happy."
Rose nodded. "We all do."
Dimitri's gaze shifted back to her, a quiet intensity in his eyes. "And do you feel like you've found that?" His question was soft, but the meaning behind it was clear.
Rose turned to face him fully, her heart skipping a beat as she met his eyes. There was no hesitation in her answer. "Yes," she whispered, her voice full of certainty. "I've found everything I need right here."
Dimitri's smile was warm, genuine, and filled with a tenderness that made her chest tighten. "Good," he murmured, his hand lifting to gently cup her cheek. "Because I don't plan on letting go anytime soon."
A warm flush spread through Rose at the simple but profound statement. She leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a brief moment as she let the truth of his words settle over her. This – they – were real, solid. It wasn't just about the passion or the heat between them anymore. It was about trust, about love that had been tested and strengthened through everything they'd been through.
When she opened her eyes again, Dimitri was still looking at her like she was the only person in the room. The intensity of his gaze was enough to make her heart race, but it also brought a deep sense of calm. For so long, she had been afraid to fully let go, to allow herself to trust in this love. But now, standing here with him, it felt easy. Natural. Right.
As Rose and Dimitri moved through Adrian's gallery, admiring the art on display, she found herself stealing glances at him. He looked so at ease, his usually serious expression softened by the warmth of the evening, his hand resting comfortably in hers. Every once in a while, their eyes would meet, and he'd give her that soft smile—the one that never failed to make her heart skip a beat.
They stopped in front of a striking painting, one of Adrian's more abstract works, filled with bold colours and wild strokes. Rose tilted her head, trying to make sense of it.
"What do you think it is?" she asked, turning to Dimitri.
He squinted at the canvas, clearly as perplexed as she was. "No idea," he admitted with a chuckle. "But Adrian would probably give us some deep, philosophical explanation about how it represents the chaos of the human condition or something."
Rose laughed, squeezing his hand. "That sounds about right."
As they stood in front of another painting, Dimitri's phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen. He pulled it out, glancing at the screen, his brows lifting slightly as he read the message.
"What is it?" Rose asked, curious.
Dimitri smirked, holding up his phone so she could see the text.
It was a message from Ivan—along with a picture of a cute outfit for baby Katya.
Ivan: "Think Sonja would like this for Katya?"
Rose's grin was instant, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Oh my God," she laughed, nudging Dimitri playfully. "Ivan is definitely crushing on your sister."
Dimitri chuckled, shaking his head as he typed a quick response to his best friend. "Yeah, it's starting to get obvious now, isn't it?"
Rose raised an eyebrow. "Starting? Dimitri, that man is practically screaming it from the rooftops."
Dimitri laughed again, sliding his phone back into his pocket. "You're not wrong. But I think Sonja likes him too," he admitted, glancing at Rose. "Neither of them will admit it, though."
Rose grinned, shaking her head in mock exasperation. "They're worse than we were," she teased, giving him a sidelong glance.
"Maybe," Dimitri agreed, pulling her a little closer. "But they'll figure it out. Just like we did."
As they continued to walk through the gallery, Rose spotted Lissa and Christian again, standing off to the side, deep in conversation. They looked incredibly happy—Lissa was glowing, her hand resting protectively over her small but noticeable baby bump. Christian stood close to her, his arm wrapped around her waist, his expression filled with love and pride.
Rose's heart softened at the sight of them. Seeing her best friend so content, so fulfilled, brought a wave of warmth and joy.
As if sensing her gaze, Lissa glanced over and caught Rose's eye, giving her a bright, radiant smile. Rose waved back, her own smile widening as she watched Lissa and Christian share a soft laugh, their connection palpable.
A thought crossed Rose's mind, one that had been lingering in the back of her head for a while now. She turned to Dimitri, who was still looking at the artwork with quiet interest.
"Do you think that'll ever be us?" she asked softly.
Dimitri looked down at her, his expression curious. "What do you mean?"
Rose gestured subtly toward Lissa and Christian, her eyes lingering on Lissa's bump. "You know... married, baby on the way. Do you ever see that for us?"
For a moment, Dimitri was silent, his eyes following hers to their friends. Then, slowly, he smiled—a smile that was warm and filled with a kind of deep, quiet certainty.
"Yeah," he said softly. "I do."
His words sent a flutter through Rose's heart, and she looked up at him, her pulse quickening. "Really?"
Dimitri nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "I think about it more than I probably let on," he admitted. "You and me... having a life together, building something real. It's what I want, Rose. I want it all with you. I never thought I'd want a life like that again, but then you came along."
Rose's heart swelled at his confession, a mixture of happiness and anticipation swirling inside her. She hadn't expected him to be so open about it, but hearing him say it—hearing him talk about a future, about their future—felt like everything she hadn't even realised she needed.
"I want that too," she whispered, her voice full of emotion. "I don't know when or how it'll all happen, but... I know I want it. With you."
Dimitri's hand tightened around hers, pulling her a little closer, his eyes filled with that same unwavering intensity she had always loved about him. "We'll figure it out," he promised, his voice steady. "Together."
Rose smiled, a real, genuine smile that reached her eyes. The future was still uncertain, still full of possibilities and challenges. But with Dimitri by her side, it felt less daunting. It felt like something she could embrace, something she could look forward to.
And for the first time in a long while, Rose felt excited at the idea of a future – their future - one filled with love, trust, and everything they had fought so hard to build.
As they stood together, surrounded by art and the hum of quiet conversation, Rose rested her head against Dimitri's shoulder, letting the warmth of his presence seep into her bones.
Whatever came next, they would face it together.
And that was all she needed to know.
The End