A year had passed since the night I told Alexander I'd give him a second chance. It had been a long, challenging road, filled with ups and downs, but here we were, packing up our lives and preparing to move to another country to start fresh. I glanced around the apartment, the place that had been my refuge for so long. Now it was filled with boxes and the sound of Ember's giggles as Alexander played with her on the living room floor.
It felt surreal.
"Isabella," Alexander called out, interrupting my thoughts. "Do you want to keep this?" He held up an old vase I had almost forgotten about, its surface chipped from years of use.
I smiled faintly. "No, you can toss it. It's just clutter at this point."
He nodded and set it aside, giving Ember a quick kiss on the forehead before resuming his task. Watching him with her still made my heart flutter. Over the past year, he had proven himself in ways I never thought possible. He was attentive, patient, and completely devoted to Ember. More importantly, he was patient with me.
I crouched by one of the boxes, folding Ember's tiny clothes into neat piles. It was bittersweet, seeing how much she had grown. She was already walking and babbling, her big eyes filled with wonder at everything around her. She was my greatest joy—and Alexander's, too.
"Are you sure about this?" I asked, breaking the silence.
Alexander looked up from his box, his expression serious. "About what?"
"About moving," I said, gesturing around the room. "Leaving everything behind. Starting over."
He crossed the room and knelt beside me, taking my hands in his. "Isabella, I've never been more sure of anything. This is what we need—a fresh start, away from everything that happened here. Away from the past."
I studied his face, searching for any sign of doubt, but there was none. He meant every word.
"And besides," he added with a small smile, "I think it'll be good for Ember. A new environment, new opportunities... a chance to build something beautiful together."
I nodded, my throat tightening with emotion. "It just feels... scary. Leaving everything we know."
"It is scary," he admitted. "But we're not doing it alone. We have each other. And Ember. That's all that matters."
His words settled something in me, calming the doubts that had been swirling in my mind.
"Okay," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
He smiled and kissed my forehead before returning to his box.
As we packed, memories flooded back—some painful, some beautiful. The first time I held Ember in my arms, the sleepless nights, the laughter, the tears. And then there was Alexander's return, the slow process of rebuilding trust, and the moments when he showed me that he truly had changed.
"Remember this?" Alexander asked, holding up one of Ember's old rattles.
I laughed. "She used to shake that thing like it was a maraca."
He chuckled, shaking it playfully. Ember crawled over, her eyes lighting up as she reached for it.
"Here you go, princess," he said, handing it to her.
She clutched it tightly, giggling as she waved it around.
I watched them, my heart swelling with love. This was the family I had always dreamed of, the life I had fought so hard to create.
By late afternoon, most of the boxes were packed and labeled. The apartment looked bare, stripped of the little touches that had made it feel like home.
"Are you hungry?" Alexander asked, standing up and stretching.
"A little," I admitted.
"I'll order something," he said, grabbing his phone.
As he placed the order, I sat on the couch, cradling Ember in my arms. She was starting to drift off, her tiny hand clutching my shirt. I kissed her forehead, inhaling the sweet scent of baby lotion.
"You're going to love it there, sweetheart," I whispered. "It's a whole new adventure for us."
Alexander returned and sat beside me, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. "You're thinking again," he teased gently.
"I can't help it," I said with a smile. "There's so much to think about."
He leaned down and kissed Ember's cheek, his expression soft. "We're going to be okay, Isabella. I promise."
And for the first time in a long time, I believed him.
---
The next morning, the movers arrived to take the boxes to the shipping container. Alexander handled most of the logistics, allowing me to focus on Ember.
As I stood by the window, watching the truck pull away with our belongings, a sense of finality washed over me. This chapter of my life was closing, but a new one was about to begin.
"Ready?" Alexander asked, stepping beside me.
I turned to him, a small smile on my lips. "Ready."
He kissed my temple and took my hand, leading me to the door. Ember was in her stroller, babbling happily as we stepped out into the crisp morning air.
As we made our way to the airport, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions—nervousness, excitement, and a deep sense of gratitude. Life hadn't been easy, but it had brought me here, to this moment, with the two people I loved most in the world.
And for the first time in a long time, I felt hopeful.
This was our fresh start. Our new beginning. Our chance to build something beautiful, together.