Chapter Twenty-Eight: Dominic’s Decision

Dominic sat on the balcony of Camille's home, gazing out at the ocean as the waves crashed gently against the shore. The air was crisp, carrying the scent of salt and the distant aroma of fresh bread from The Blue Harbor Café. The sun had just begun its descent, casting the sky in hues of orange and pink, but Dominic barely noticed. His mind was elsewhere.

For the first time in years, he wasn't thinking about business meetings, real estate deals, or stock market fluctuations. He was thinking about Camille. About Liam. About what it meant to finally have them in his life—and what he was willing to do to keep them.

The decision had been weighing on him since the moment he woke up from surgery. Nathan had called, updating him on the company's status. His board members were growing restless, investors were worried, and rumors about his health had already started circulating. The world he had spent years building was waiting for him to return.

But for the first time, Dominic wasn't sure he wanted to.

The door creaked open behind him, and he didn't have to turn to know it was Camille. She stepped outside, wrapping a shawl around her shoulders as she came to stand beside him.

"Should you be out here?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

Dominic glanced up at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Fresh air is good for recovery, or so I've been told."

Camille sighed, sitting down in the chair beside him. "Nathan called."

Dominic exhaled slowly. "Let me guess—he's trying to drag me back?"

"He said the company needs you."

Dominic leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. "I built that company from the ground up. Every decision, every deal—I put everything I had into it." He paused, shaking his head. "And yet, when I was in that hospital bed, when I thought I might not wake up… it wasn't my company I was worried about. It was you. Liam."

Camille didn't say anything, but he felt her watching him, waiting.

"I've spent so much of my life chasing success, proving myself. But what does any of it mean if I don't have the people I love?" He turned to face her fully, his gaze steady. "I don't want to go back, Camille. I don't want to be the man who puts business before family anymore."

Her lips parted slightly in surprise. "You're saying…?"

"I'm stepping down," Dominic said firmly. "I've already spoken to Nathan about it. He can handle the company, and if he needs to, he can bring in someone to help. But I'm done."

Camille blinked, processing his words. "Just like that?"

He nodded. "Just like that."

For years, he had thought walking away from his empire would feel like failure. But now, as he looked at Camille—truly looked at her, at the woman who had once been his everything and who had somehow, despite all odds, found her way back into his life—he realized that this wasn't failure.

This was freedom.

Camille's expression was unreadable. "Dominic… are you sure? You built that company from nothing."

"And I will always be proud of that," he admitted. "But I don't want to spend the rest of my life in boardrooms and business meetings. I want to wake up to the sound of Liam laughing. I want to sit in your café and argue with you over who makes the better coffee. I want a life here, with you. If you'll have me."

Camille looked away, her fingers gripping the fabric of her shawl. "You say that now, but what if you regret it? What if, a few years from now, you realize you gave up everything?"

Dominic reached out, gently taking her hand in his. "I'm not giving up everything. I'm choosing what matters."

She swallowed hard, emotion flickering in her eyes. "You've never been the type to stay still, Dominic."

"I don't want to stay still," he said softly. "I just want to stay with you."

A silence stretched between them, filled only by the distant crash of the waves. Then, slowly, Camille squeezed his hand.

"Okay," she whispered.

A weight lifted from Dominic's chest, a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding escaping him. He brought her hand to his lips, pressing a gentle kiss against her knuckles.

But Camille wasn't done.

She took a deep breath, searching his face, and before she could overthink it, she leaned in. Dominic's eyes darkened just before she pressed her lips to his—soft and tentative at first, but when he cupped her cheek, the kiss deepened. It wasn't hurried or desperate. It was slow, deliberate—an unspoken promise of everything that was to come.

When they pulled apart, Camille let out a shaky exhale, her forehead resting against his.

"I'm scared," she admitted.

Dominic brushed a thumb over her cheek. "So am I. But this time, we do it together."

She nodded. "Together."

Dominic smiled, pressing another lingering kiss to her lips before pulling her into his arms.

And for the first time in his life, he knew exactly where he belonged.