Over the years I'd stopped believing that I would truly be happy in my life because I thought a part of me had died with the sweet girl I'd given birth to, and I'd learned to live with the bitter truth.

Things had changed now.

And when I woke up every morning, I had to constantly remind myself that this wasn't just a beautiful dream. It was a reality. I'd never been religious but I thanked whoever was up there for deciding that I deserved this much happiness.

It's been a few months since I've got my daughter back, and since I moved into the mansion to live with Tyler and my girl. It was a decision that I had to make for myself, and I was glad that I'd decided to do this. Nothing made me happier than to be with the man I've always loved and a child that I'd loved more than my life.

Archer, Maya, and Tyler's cousins all adored Honor. It's the way that she was so cherished and loved that made me so happy. She deserved it so much. Even Jasper and Kiara were spellbound by Honor and showered her with gifts. Honor was so spoilt, I was starting to wonder if she thought of herself as a princess of some country. Everyone was making up for the lost time, the years that we weren't getting back, and I tried not to dwell on the past.

One evening after I returned from the bakery, and tried to look for Honor she wasn't in her room so I went searching for her everywhere, the gardens, the pool, the gaming area, the exotic pet sanctuary (where she loved spending time) and worried I came back upstairs when I decided to check Tyler's study. I tiptoed and opened the door slowly when the scene in front of me took my breath away.

Coloring books, crayons, and dolls were scattered on the floor.

Tyler was seated behind the desk and holding our daughter in his arms, his eyes closed and a serene expression on his face. Honor was in his lap, holding him tightly, and it brought tears to my eyes to watch them sleeping so peacefully. Tyler was an amazing father, and I could see that he loved Honor fiercely, whether it was just attachment for his kid or a matter of possession, I wasn't sure but I liked this side of him. He was honest with her as she was with him and they bonded perfectly. I could see very clearly how he was going to be protective of her. When Honor grew up to become a woman, he would swat any boys away that took interest in her, I was sure of it.

My womb literally wobbled every time that I watched the father and daughter interactions. Regardless of how Tyler was, I wouldn't have asked for a better father for my daughter.

He felt so connected to her. And I could see that Honor loved to be in his company, they were like these old best friends who had tons of things in common.

Tyler had staff to do grocery shopping, but sometimes I took Honor with me so we had normal stuff to do together as Mommy and child. And one time I found her laughing somewhere down the aisle, talking to a complete stranger. I walked up to her and heard her telling someone, "She's not my sister. She's my mom."

It was probably wishful thinking but I hoped that Honor would call me 'Mom.' I was dying to hear her say it.

She was a perfect blend between Tyler and me. She sweet, so well-spoken for a kid and sometimes shy which were some of my traits and she was also intelligent and smart, just like her father and I guess that ran in the Lockhart genes.

What I would have loved for her to not pick from Tyler was her love for the reptiles.

I almost had a heart-attack one evening when I found her sitting on the plush carpet with the thick and large Yellow-Brown Blood Python casually slithering over her body. She laughed as she felt tickled by the reptile.

I gasped and almost screamed but stopped myself because Tyler had asked me never to give the reptile any reason to feel threatened.

"What are you doing with that thing, honey? Put it down!"

She picked the heavy snake up, the way Tyler had taught her, and held him up to me, "You can touch him too, Vicky."

I shrieked and took two steps out of the door. "Put Basilisk down!" I told her, "It's dangerous, sweetie."

"But Tyler does this all the time." She protested.

"Your daddy has tons of experience with them and he's a professional snake handler, honey. I'll allow you to play with them when he's around."

"Basilisk is a tame danger noodle, right, Basi?" She cooed at him.

The reptile curled around her lap as if agreeing to what she said.

I sighed. She never listened to me, she was daddy's girl and Tyler's word was law. I decided to let it go; besides Basilisk was the only snake that Tyler said was completely harmless and Honor was allowed around it when Tyler wasn't around.

Sometimes I worried if Honor would turn out to be like some of the Lockhart's with an anti-social personality disorder, and I couldn't imagine that happening to Honor. It just broke my heart to think of her that way, and I would wake up in the middle of the night feeling anxious and scared.

My worries were put to rest when I went to put her to bed at night and found her in bed, looking at something. When she saw me, she quickly hid that thing away.

I sat down on her bed feeling a little wary, "What's that sweetie? What are you hiding?"

Some insecurities kept popping in my mind.

What if Honor said she wasn't happy with us anymore?

What if she said she didn't love me?

She slowly pulled out what she'd kept under the pillow. It was a framed picture of the Crandall's; the family that she lived with before. A beautiful brunette woman who was Alison and the handsome man beside her was the lady's husband, Joe and the couple had huge happy smiles on their faces as they hugged Honor for the photo.

"You miss them." It wasn't a question, I knew that had to be the reason she seemed melancholic.

She shrugged, "I always stayed with the nannies when they went on business trips but when they were around it was a lot of fun." She said and then quickly added, "It's not that I don't like it here. I love you guys, you and Tyler both. It's just I remembered how nice they were and I couldn't help myself and I—

I pulled her close and wrapped her in my arms, kissing the top of her head when she burst into tears, her body shook with loud painful sobs. I murmured soothing words to her, my heart broke as she continued to cry in my arms. But this was a gift; this meant that Honor wasn't like the rest of the firstborn Lockhart's. She had emotions, she felt pain from a loss.

Finally, a while later, she looked up at me with fat tears running down her cheeks which I wiped with my hand, Can I ask you something?"

I nodded.

"Why did you leave me?"

I knew that question was going to appear someday, but never thought it would be this soon.

"Firstly, Honey, you were the best thing that ever happened in my life." I said trying not to cry remembering the past, "Tyler and I were very young when I got pregnant, but that doesn't mean I didn't want you. I was underage and other people made decisions for me, baby. I didn't know you where you were..." I couldn't tell her the part where I'd spent years thinking she was dead, I caressed her cheek, "I felt so helpless when you were taken away from me. I spent years wanting you back. I loved you from the very first time they put you in my arms. That's why I named you Honor. If I had one chance to go back in time, sweetie, I would give anything for it. I'm sorry for the time you spent thinking your daddy and I abandoned you. We never would. He loves you as much as I do."

She smiled in understanding, hugging me tightly. "I know. I wish things were different too but I'm also glad I spent some time with Aly and Joe so stop feeling guilty."

I nodded. She was such a great kid. She was trying to think of how she could take things positively.

I placed the family frame on her bedside table along with another framed picture of Tyler, Honor, and me which we'd taken recently. It was cruel irony how for me to be truly happy, for us to be together, another family had to sacrifice their lives. I tried not to think this had something to do with the Lockhart's family curse.

"We could go visit their grave soon if you'd like," I suggested.

She nodded, "That would be lovely."

I put her to bed and kissed her forehead. "I love you so much, Honor."

She smiled a small smile, "Love you too, Mo..." she laughed and shyly asked, "Can I call you Mommy?"

My insides turned warm and fuzzy. "Of course sweetie, I'd love that."

"Love you too, Mommy."

There was so much joy that welled up in my heart.

"I'd like to be called Daddy too." Another voice chimed in.

We turned around to find Tyler standing there, leaning against the doorway looking at us like we were some pieces of gemstones he'd collected.

"Love you too, Tyler." She teased him.

Ty pouted, "That's not fair Honor."

She giggled.

Amused, Tyler said, "well, let me just ask your uncle Phoenix to cancel that order for the Tibetan Mastiff that he was supposed to get from Nepal for your birthday."

"I love you more, Daddy." She said quickly.

I laughed.

That dog breed was rare and cost one and a half million dollars but money wasn't an issue for the Lockharts. And nothing was out of Tyler's hands. Honor just had to point at something, and it was hers. I couldn't blame him for spoiling her so much; I guess he just couldn't help it.

I still had ten birthday gifts that I'd collected for her over the years that I would give her next month when she turned ten. They weren't too expensive, but I hoped she'd love them too.

We had an entire wing of the Lockhart's mansion to ourselves, that way Tyler didn't have to see his dad and get into arguments. It suited him fine and honestly, I was okay with it too because after reading Ty's diary, I wasn't sure how much I wanted to interact with his father.

Honor's room was adjacent to Tyler and my bedroom. We had a connecting door from the inside, kind of like a suite so if she was scared of the thunders at night or having nightmares, she'd use the door to come into our bedroom. Sometimes we'd lock the door because Tyler had plans for me; those plans included making me scream his name. I just didn't feel comfortable being vocal with her sleeping on the other side of the wall.

After we put Honor to bed, Ty and I watched some movies while he worked on his laptop. An hour later when I changed into a nightgown, his heated gaze met mine and he was completely distracted as he shut the laptop and he pulled me into bed, the kiss was explosive.

Tyler's fingers played over the waistband of my panties, his mouth teasing my nipple. He was going on a business trip with his father for a week. He placed open-mouthed kisses all over my neck and down.

In a deep voice, he whispered, "Seven days is a long time, baby. You best believe I'm going to memorize every inch of this body before I leave for tomorrow morning." He nibbled my earlobe.

"Hmmm...promises...promises."

Ty was partially clothed, the fly of his pants was undone with no shirt on, and I was completely naked a few minutes later.

His fingers continued to trace my slick core, and I moaned softly as I kept sneaking glances at the door. Ty grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him, "She won't hear us, baby, I promise you. The walls are soundproof." He grinned.

I couldn't hold it in; my pitch became loudly, "What about the door?"

"The door is soundproof if it remains closed as well, and I locked it." He whispered against my ear in a sensuously low voice. He was so good-looking; it was almost inhuman for someone to be this gorgeous. I traced my fingers over his face, his cheekbones, and his gruff jawline and closed my eyes. He claimed my lips and kissed me deeply as I rode his fingers. We then made love, and it was slow and heart-melting.

When we were done, I kissed the tip of his nose and ran my fingers through his hair. "I want to tell you something that I don't think I've said to you before."

He listened to me as he played with my hair; his expressions were soft and content.

"I forgive you for what you did to me," I said.

Tyler's hand's stopped moving as he looked straight into my eyes, I continued, "I was mad and angry when I'd read your diary but I never regretted having our baby. I wanted you to know that regardless of how wrong it was at that time, I'm glad I have Honor and you in my life. And I'm not saying it because you brought her back to me..." I laughed, "Okay, maybe that's the biggest reason, but I never stopped loving you. I don't think that's ever going to change."

He tucked a lock of hair behind my ear, "I know I don't deserve you, even back that I knew I didn't and I tried my very best to make sure you never left me," he looked away for a second, "we both know how that went. I've spent years thinking of ways to have you back in my life. Years of feeling completely empty inside and confused. But now, I'm content in every way possible. If I don't possess the ability to love you, Vicky, what would you have me call this?"

I kissed his lips lightly. "I don't care. I'll take whatever it is," I said softly.

He chuckled, "Always so easy to please." He picked up my hand, the one that had a Diamond Solitaire ring on it, the same one that he'd given me all those years ago and I'd rejected. He'd been too angry and hurt and ended up asking Morgan to throw it away who had refused to be an obedient butler and kept it with himself for safekeeping throughout the years. Tyler kissed that hand, "are you truly happy, Victoria Lockhart?"

He drew circles over my back, and his blue eyes twinkled in the moonlight.

"Yes," I said without hesitation.

❤️

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