note: I'm getting a little emotional posting this last chapter. It's not the end yet! There's still the epilogue left. Enjoy the update and please feel free to comment your thoughts/feedback. Give the chapter a little vote if you enjoyed it <3 

Get ready for a cheesy, fluffy chapter! Happy reading xx

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Months had passed since London and Andrew had gotten back together. The start of their relationship had been a little rocky, both adjusting to the slight changes over the time they had spent apart, but once they overcame that, nothing could stop them.

"No way can anybody top this," Andrew beamed, his arm around London's shoulder as he looked around the living room at all the people who occupied it.

It was Aurora's ninth birthday and though the little girl wanted to just have a sleepover, this new power couple insisted that she have a sleepover and a grand ninth birthday party. It was London who proposed this idea and Andrew was quick to agree with anything that made his daughter happy. London felt terrible about missing Aurora's last birthday and she wanted to make it up to her this time.

Aurora wanted to invite her three best friends — Mariam, Carl and Sammy. Andrew wasn't pleased to hear that Aurora wanted to invite Carl over for the sleepover but London convinced him that they were just little kids and that there was no problem with girls and boys having sleepovers. For God's sake, they were nine!

Mariam, Carl, Sammy and a few other friends of Aurora's had come to the party. London also invited Gwen and her father. Gwen couldn't make it because she had an appointment with the wedding planner to check out venues, an appointment she absolutely couldn't miss. Gwen had officially entered the wedding craze. Her father managed to make it to Porte Orlands — he even talked about retiring here in this town, which made London extremely happy to hear.

Andrew's parents wouldn't miss their granddaughter's birthday so they were one of the first people she called. Talia and Simon were here, looking slightly worn out from the long commute from Ipswich to Porte Orlands. Aurora was extremely happy to see her mother. Talia barely ever came to visit so Andrew made the effort of picking random weekends to drop Aurora off at her mother's, despite the long travel hours. Making sure that his daughter got to spend time with both of her parents even though Talia refused to put in the effort Andrew had put in, made London love this man all the more. He was so selfless and she found it to be one hell of an attractive quality.

Though there weren't many people invited, the decorations and food were definitely over the top but London truly couldn't help herself.

"Time for the birthday girl to cut the cake," Andrew called out loudly.

After a few minutes, the adults and the children were gathered around the table. Aurora stood in front of her cake — a cake that London had taken quite a number of hours to craft to perfection — with her friends around her. The adults stood in front of the table, phones and cameras out to take pictures.

Hours later, with the party over, London found her father nursing a glass of Sprite in his hands, his forearms on the counter as he looked at the window above the kitchen sink with distant eyes.

"Everything okay, Dad?" she asked, coming up to stand next to him.

He nodded, looking away from the window and back at her, his eyes gaining a little life. "I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"Just about my daughters," he smiled, before taking a sip of his drink. "You look happy, London, and I'm proud of the woman you've become."

Though those were pleasing words, they worried her. "Where is this coming from?" she asked with furrowed eyebrows.

"It's just seeing all this made me nostalgic," he said, waving his hand, "Your mum and I used to throw you and Gwen birthdays like this, remember?"

She nodded. "I do. And I know it was Mum's idea for the parties. She was partly the inspiration for today's party."

He smiled, fixing his glasses. "It makes me happy to see you happy. And Aurora is such a sweetheart. A smart mouth but a sweetheart." They both laughed in agreement. "I hope that she becomes my step-granddaughter in the foreseeable future."

"Dad!"

"What?" her father said defensively. "You told me you didn't want to go slow with Andrew. It's been months. His ex is already married. Gwen is getting married soon. What more time does he need to pop the question?"

Before she could say anything, another voice cut in, saving her from entering a flustered state.

"Don't worry, I'm planning the grandest engagement ever," Andrew interjected reassuringly as he draped an arm over her shoulder, pecking a quick kiss to her cheek before beaming at her father.

"Good," her father replied, satisfied. "I expect to see a ring on her finger the next time I see her."

"Absolutely, sir."

London shook her head, slightly amused. "Hello, I am still here."

Her father turned to her, giving her a grin that matched the light in his eyes. He was doing so much better these days and London's heart would almost burst with happiness seeing how far her father's come, the amazing progress he's made in the last couple of months. It hadn't been smooth-sailing and he'd fallen a couple of times but these times he asked for help, be it from Gwen, London or even his colleagues. And he was sixty days sober. Pride filled her heart just looking at him now.

"I should get going," he started.

"Why don't you stay over, Dad? The guest bedroom—"

"I promised Gwen that I'd stay over there tonight. Plus, I need to have a little conversation with Inesh. That man always wiggles out of a conversation but not this time, not when we're staying under the same roof."

London laughed, offering her father a hug. "Give him some slack."

"Slack?" her father scoffed, hugging her back. "He should know that marrying a daughter of mine is serious and that if he breaks her heart, I'll break his goddamn life."

"Dad!"

"Same goes for you, young man," her father said, pointing at Andrew.

"I wouldn't dare hurt London ever again. Lesson learnt," Andrew replied, his hand finding hers and their fingers intertwined together with ease.

"Now, where is my soon-to-be granddaughter. I need to say goodbye," her father said and before London could reprimand him for the same casual comment, he was already making his way out of the kitchen.

"My dad is unbelievable," she exasperated, taking his unfinished glass of Sprite to the sink as she let go of Andrew's hand.

"Not really," Andrew said, coming around the counter. Hands on her hips, he turned her around away from the sink. "He just said what I've been thinking for quite some time now."

"What?" London breathed, unable to believe her ears. Of course, it was what she wanted to hear, but they'd never talked even about the prospect of marriage before, especially when they'd both become so comfortable living in this new routine. And she knew how much Andrew needed routine in his life.

"We haven't talked about marriage before, I know, and it's a huge step but I'm ready," he announced, a cheeky grin on those lips of his. "I want you, forever and always. I love you and I want to discover the rest of my life with you by my side. The fact that you'd be the best badarse step-mum there ever was in history makes me want to marry you even more."

London laughed, her eyes prickling with pure happiness. "Are you proposing to me now?"

"Oh no," Andrew shook his head quickly. "We're just talking about it now. When I propose you'll definitely know."

She smiled, taking his face into her hands and placing a gentle kiss on his lips. "Just so you know, I don't need a grand proposal."

"I know, but if I didn't say that, your dad would have my head," he said chuckling. His laugh dissolved in her kisses.

They pulled apart when another voice cut in. "I can't wait for you to be my step-mum!" came a squeal before London was attacked with a pair of small arms.

Laughing, she grinned, dropping down to her knees and taking Aurora's hands within hers. "Yeah?" she smiled.

"You'd be the best mum ever," Aurora effused, swinging her arms around London. "But calling you Mum would be weird because of, well, Mum."

London smiled, "Of course. Talia is Mum, it would be so weird if you called me that."

Aurora nodded. Eyes brightening, she proposed, "How about Mama? It's mum in mandarin! That's what Ba calls Nainai."

Both of them looked to Andrew whose hip was leaned back against the kitchen counter, observing his girlfriend's and his daughter's exchange with an amused smile. "Sounds perfect," he said, his eyes crinkling in the corners as he smiled. London loved seeing this smile — the content, happy, carefree one.

Aurora, pleased with this answer, let got of London. As London got up, Aurora said, "I'm going to go back to my sleepover. Can you make a few snacks?"

"Of course," London said, kissing Aurora's forehead before the little girl started towards the exit of the kitchen.

Nine years old. Not so little anymore.

"Have fun but no funny business," Andrew called out at Aurora's retreating figure which ran out of the kitchen.

London leaned back against Andrew, smiling at the kitchen exit which Aurora had just disappeared through. A happiness spread through her. Not that temporary sort of happiness that served as a distraction but genuine happiness. She'd been feeling it for a long while now and that happiness — that contentedness — didn't come easy. Life was still filled with ups and downs, but it was the bad times that made the good times all the more memorable and endearing. Life was strangely beautiful in that way.

"They grow up so fast," Andrew mumbled, his arms around her as his hands rested upon her stomach as he too looked at the kitchen exit.

"You did a great job," London told him, placing her hands on top of his.

"You mean, we are doing a great job," he corrected, stressing on the we.

She looked up at him, craning her neck to catch his eyes. He looked down at her, his lips pulled up into an enchanting smile. They remained like that for a few seconds, gazing at each other, hearts full.

"I love you, Andrew Cai," she whispered, with a half-dazed smile.

He leaned down, his nose brushing against hers before she felt the gentle caress of his lips against hers. "I love you, too," he echoed, kissing her deeper. His fingers traced her exposed neck, the gingerness of his touch sending pleasurable shivers down her spine, before his fingers splayed, his hand cupping the edge of her jaw, angling her head for a deeper kiss. She leaned back into him, already feeling his need press back urgently at her.

Giggling, she pulled back. "First, help me get some snacks ready for Aurora and her friends," she said and he reluctantly let go of her waist, grumbling in protest but doing as she told.

As London prepared snacks for Aurora, who would some day officially be her daughter, with Andrew, her boyfriend who would some day be her husband, realisation struck her.

It wasn't the place that made your house a home, but it was the people in it. She'd heard the cliched saying several of times but only now did the actuality of those words ring loud and clear in her mind. Porte Orlands was her home because of the people in it. Porte Orlands was Andrew's home because of the people in it.

London had felt hopeless ever since she lost her mother, spiralling down a road of self-doubt and feeling like she was incompetent — until she learnt of her self-worth. Andrew's life spiralled out of control when he got divorced — until he realised that to get his shit together he needed to be a man of actions and not a man of words, finally fighting for what he deserved.

London Liang and Andrew Cai didn't just find their way back to each other. The had found their way back home.