Updated Nov 23, 2025 • ~7 min read
Note: The DNA results were already revealed in Chapter 14. This chapter focuses on the official court documentation closing Evan’s case and moving forward.
The final court documents arrived on a Tuesday.
Tyler brought them himself, spreading the papers across Damon’s desk while we both read through the legalese.
“It’s official,” Tyler said. “Evan Gibbons’s petition has been dismissed with prejudice. The court recognizes Damon as Lily’s legal and biological father. No further challenges can be filed.”
“And the guardianship?” I asked, my heart in my throat.
“Remains intact per Ophelia’s will. Keira retains legal guardian status with full parental rights. Both of you are now Lily’s legal parents in every sense.”
I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding.
“What about adoption?” Damon asked, glancing at me. “We discussed making Keira’s role official beyond the guardianship. Can we do that?”
Tyler considered. “Normally, a second-parent adoption would be standard for domestic partners raising a child together. Given that you’re not married yet—” He paused meaningfully. “—we’d need to establish a few things first. But yes, it’s possible.”
“Yet,” I repeated, my cheeks warming.
Tyler smiled. “I’ve been a lawyer long enough to recognize a promise ring when I see one, Miss Sterling. Congratulations, by the way.”
I touched the sapphire self-consciously. “Thank you.”
“So what do we need to do?” Damon pressed. “For the adoption.”
“File a petition with family court, undergo a home study—which you’ll pass easily given the resources and stability you can provide—and finalize in front of a judge. Three months, maybe four, and Keira will be Lily’s legal mother by adoption in addition to guardianship.”
Three months. Less than a year ago, I’d been alone in New York, convinced I’d never have this.
Now I was four months away from being Lily’s legal mother.
“Do it,” I said. “File the paperwork.”
Damon squeezed my hand. “You’re sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
Tyler made notes on his tablet. “I’ll start the process this week. In the meantime, congratulations. You’re officially a family in every legal sense.”
After he left, Damon pulled me into his arms.
“A family,” he murmured. “Officially.”
“We were already a family,” I pointed out. “This just makes it legal.”
“Legal is good. Legal means no one can question your rights to Lily. Legal means—” He paused. “—legal means when I eventually make you my wife, there won’t be any complications with the adoption.”
“Eventually.” I looked up at him. “How eventual are we talking?”
“How eventual do you want?”
I thought about it honestly. Six months ago, the idea of marrying Damon would have seemed impossible, a fantasy I’d given up on. Now?
“Not too eventual,” I admitted. “Maybe… a year? Give people time to adjust, let the scandal die down, make sure we’re solid?”
“We’re already solid.”
“I know. But a year feels right. Gives us time to just… be. Without jumping into another major life event.”
He nodded slowly. “A year. I can work with that.” His smile turned mischievous. “That gives me a year to plan the perfect proposal.”
“You already gave me a ring.”
“A promise ring. The actual proposal will be different. Bigger. More romantic.”
“It doesn’t need to be big. Just us is enough.”
“Oh, I know. But I’m still going to make it special.” He kissed me softly. “Because you deserve special. You deserve everything.”
Lily’s babbling interrupted us, her voice carrying through the monitor.
“Speaking of everything,” I said, “our daughter is awake and demanding attention.”
“Our daughter,” he repeated, the words still bringing that soft smile to his face. “I love how that sounds.”
We went to the nursery together, finding Lily standing in her crib, bouncing excitedly when she saw us.
“Mama!” she squealed.
We both froze.
“Did she just—” I couldn’t finish.
“She said Mama,” Damon breathed. “Her first word was Mama.”
Lily bounced more enthusiastically. “Mama mama mama!”
I rushed forward, scooping her up as tears flooded my eyes.
“Yes, baby girl. I’m Mama. I’m your Mama.”
She patted my wet cheeks, looking concerned at the tears, and I laughed through them.
“These are happy tears,” I assured her. “So happy.”
Damon wrapped his arms around both of us, and we stood there—our little family—while Lily chanted “Mama” over and over, clearly pleased with herself.
“Best first word ever,” Damon said, his own voice thick with emotion.
“Best first word,” I agreed.
Later, after Lily was down for her nap and the emotional high had settled, Damon and I found ourselves back in his study.
“I need to tell you something,” he said, his expression serious.
My stomach clenched. “Okay.”
“I’ve been going to therapy. Since about a week after Ophelia died. Working through the grief, the guilt, the complicated feelings about our marriage and her suicide.”
“That’s good,” I said carefully. “I’m glad you’re taking care of yourself.”
“I brought you up in my last session. Told my therapist about us, about the promise ring, about wanting to marry you eventually.”
“What did they say?”
“That I need to make sure I’m choosing you for the right reasons. That I’m not just trying to replace Ophelia or atone for choosing wrong the first time.” He took my hands. “And I’ve thought about it a lot. Examined my feelings from every angle. And Keira—I’m not replacing anyone. I’m finally being honest about who I’ve wanted all along.”
“I know that.”
“But do you? Really?” His eyes searched mine. “Because sometimes I worry you think this is just… convenient. That I’m with you because you’re here, because of Lily, because Ophelia’s gone.”
“Do you think that’s why I’m with you?” I challenged. “Because it’s convenient? Because I get to live in a mansion and raise a baby and have financial security?”
“No,” he said immediately. “I know you love me. I can see it every time you look at me.”
“Then believe I can see the same in you. Believe that I know the difference between someone who’s settling and someone who’s all in.” I cupped his face. “You’re all in, Damon. You have been since the day you gave me that promise ring. Maybe before that. And I trust it. I trust us.”
His shoulders relaxed. “Okay. Good. I just needed to hear you say it.”
“I’ll say it as many times as you need.” I kissed him softly. “I love you. I trust you. I believe in us. We’re going to make it.”
“We’re going to make it,” he echoed.
My phone buzzed. A text from Beatrice: Dinner this weekend? I want to meet this new version of you. The happy one.
I showed it to Damon, who smiled.
“The happy one. I like that.”
“Me too.” I typed back: Saturday? You can see Lily too. She’s talking now.
Beatrice’s response was immediate: TALKING?! What’s she saying?
I grinned as I replied: Mama. Her first word is Mama.
The phone rang seconds later, Beatrice’s excited voice filling the speaker.
“She said Mama? Oh sweetheart, that’s wonderful! You must be over the moon!”
“I am,” I admitted. “It’s been a good day. A really good day.”
“You deserve all the good days,” Beatrice said warmly. “Both of you do. I’ll see you Saturday. Tell Damon he’s buying dinner.”
She hung up before I could respond.
“You’re buying dinner apparently,” I told Damon.
“I gathered.” He pulled me into his lap. “Worth it to see you this happy.”
We sat like that for a while, content and quiet, while sunlight streamed through the windows and somewhere upstairs our daughter napped.
This was real.
This was ours.
And it was only going to get better.
Together.
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