I opened my eyes, and Brixton was beside me. I stared at Brixton while he looked up at the moon. The moon was so big, and the sky was like a blanket of stars. I loved this kind of view, and I smiled when I saw Brixton shifting his weight to reach for a grape near my hip.

"Sly..." I whispered when he softly caressed my hip before pulling his hand back and eating his grape. He just chuckled.

"Well, I try to not get caught, babe," he said and fed me the other grape that I gladly ate.

We laughed and teased each other while we were sitting on the blanket at the bench in the middle of the night. It was our third anniversary as a couple, and it has been three years since I was finally released from the curse.

"I can't believe that after all these years, you're still not allowed to go out with me without a chaperone," he wined when we heard laughter from the cottage in the distance.

"You know my sister and my cousins are old maids who have no plan on getting hitched or getting into a relationship. They're just dedicated to becoming single and focus on God, their career, and the future adopted kids," I explained again to him.

"Well," he sat straight as I began to lay down on the blanket, "they should just be old maids on their own beach. They should let me have you to myself," he explained and I just giggled as he bent down and gave me a deep and passionate kiss on the lips.

"I better cool myself down," he said and stood up to stretch his muscles. I laughed louder, "Hey, don't make fun of me. This isn't funny," he said as he tried to dip his feet in the ice cold water to calm his heated muscles, he called it his muscle.

"Brixton, Babe, it's funny," I said as I sat up and watched him waddle on the shore.

The two of us, along with my annoying little sister, Perry, Kathy, and Sweet, were having a picnic at one of the villas that Brixton owned. We were now both successful and finished our studies. I left law school and decided to focus on our business while I proceeded to become a motivational speaker and painter. My dad hated it, but I was able to convince him that I can make the name of the De Leon Family brighter if he just supported me. I guess my mom and brother had something to do with it.

As for Brixton, although a bit intimidated by my wealth and fame as well as my family's, he was still striving to do his best as my boyfriend. He owns his own company and used his degree as an architect to hire other architects and built from there. He was now studying to get a degree as an engineer as well. He loved what he did, and though we were always busy, it was never an excuse for either of us to get a few days off every month or so just to get dates like this. I was insecure of my past, but the both of us made the relationship work.

"Hey, babe," he called and gestured for me to walk with him.

I smiled and eagerly stood up and took his hand. He splashed me a little with the cold water, and I shrieked as I tried to do the same to him. He picked me up and kissed me passionately on the lips as I wrapped my hand around his neck.

"I am so blessed to have you," he said as he broke the kiss and rubbed the tips of our noses together, "I'm glad I actually made the right decision and made you my wife."

I just rolled my eyes. He always does this and it makes me feel giddy inside. We wanted to get married as soon as the curse broke, but we both agreed to just relax and enjoy life more as we tried to fix ourselves before getting into marriage.

I kissed him and he responded with the same eagerness that showed and felt. He chuckled when I bit his bottom lip, but he gladly returned the favor. We teased each other with kisses, but he respected me enough to always make sure nothing was too vulgar in our actions. We just kissed, and we never even did anything else aside from teasing during kisses, holding hands, hugging, and the occasional banter that we would end quickly. I loved how he's willing to wait for marriage.

I felt his hand hold my waist as the other held the nape of my neck to make the kiss deeper. I felt so happy, and we broke the kiss, he kneeled. My eyes widened when he kissed my hand and pulled a ring from his pocket.

"I've made the stupidest mistake of not making you my wife because I was insecure. I was too afraid that I wasn't worth your time nor your love. I was too afraid that you were too good for me," he said as he took a deep breath and looked deep in my eyes as he kneeled, "I was a coward, Shyne. But now, I'm not afraid. I decided to love an alpha female, a boss woman, and a woman who is owned by God and molded by God. That's intimidating at first, but I am glad that I've decided to be worth your love by proving my love for you every single day."

Tears were forming in my eyes, and I tried to wipe it with my other hand.

"Shyne, I have a lot to say, but all I want to hear from you is whether or not you want to be my wife," he said and smiled, "will you marry me?"

I kneeled and kissed him. He chuckled and let me go as he held my right cheek while he held the ring up with his left hand.

"I'd take that as a yes," he said with a chuckle and I nodded quickly with a wide smile on my face.

"Finally!" I looked to the side and saw my entire family looking at us. There were about fifty people including Brixton's family and our close friends and church family. I looked at Brixton with a playful smile on my lips as we started to stand up.

"Well, babe," he grinned, "I had to ask permission from everyone before I asked you. Even though I knew everyone would say yes. Especially you."

I laughed and kissed him again as we walked towards the swarm of people.

I refused to put on a veil as she walked down the aisle. Brixton stood there as he waited for me. Our loved ones were around us, and I couldn’t stop the tears from falling as we gave our vows.

"You may now kiss your bride," my mentor and pastor said, and we kissed.

The honeymoon was set in Maldives, since the two of us loved adventures and nature. Everything was great, and two years later, our twin sons were born.

"I knew you wanted twins, babe, but I would've never guessed we'd actually have them," Brixton said as he played with the other one while I changed the clothes of the one I was holding.

"Well, babe, I did obey God, and he said he'd give me what I want if I asked for it," I said and winked, "when they're big enough, I hope we make another one, but I want girls this time."

Brixton just laughed and stood up as he carried our son and kissed my lips. He picked them both up, and I giggled as I saw him carrying our three month old children on each arm. My heart swelled with love.

A week after our twin sons' first birthday, I visited Rian’s grave for the first time. Meanwhile, Brixton was beside me while he held the stroller where our kids were. I put down the flower and we stood there in silence.

"Who are you?" I turned, and I saw Rian’s mother.

The old woman's eyes grew wide as she looked at me. I spoke to her, we both had tears in our eyes. I told her my dream of Rian and our baby, but I decided to leave out the curse and the unpleasant things.

"I know he loved you, Shyne. He really did. But," she said as she wiped her eyes, "But what he did was his own decision. I don't blame you at all. I just know that you were destined to be where you are now. My son chose his own destiny and you chose yours. So, I hope you live a good life." We forgave each other, and I left with a kind of peace that I never knew I could achieve after talking to Rian's mom.

Another year later, our daughters were born, and Brixton and I bought a new house in Maldives. We took the kids there whenever we could, because as stressful as the business is, I couldn't let it go. I still had to work, and it was nice to work while I was surrounded by beautiful nature and I could see my kids grow up. Brixton already had his own company built here in Maldives as well.

I ruled as the head of the De Leon Clan. Upon my rule, I found the copy of the folder that nearly destroyed my reputation. I took the papers and burned them in the fireplace in my office as Brixton hugged me from behind.

"This has been a wild ride, huh, babe?" Brixton asked, "I can't believe we're both free, and now we have four little versions of us running around down stars." His voice was filled with wonder as to how our lives turned out after everything that happened.

"Well, my dearest husband," I said as I turned to hug him and face him, "we did say that we love adventure. I guess even in life, we're always at the exciting parts," he smirked.

The two of us kissed without regret and accepted each other's past. I was grateful for the trauma of my past that enabled me to become the empress I am now. I made mistakes in the past, but like a queen, I chose to take those mistakes and make them my stepping stones to this successful life.

"Veni, vidi, vici." I remembered an Italian saying, it means "I came, I saw, I conquered."
-end-