The force of the wind that hits my hair is astonishing.

Tristan’s had it all arranged.

We’re leaving this place, and I can’t wait to be free.

The helicopter landed on top of his building, Montague headquarters, and I think I can safely say this is the last time I’ll ever be here.

He has promised me my great escape.

I spoke to him about wanting to be free during our first conversation, that fateful meeting in the darkened hallway when I was escaping from the Governor.

Little did I know then that sharing a bottle of champagne with this hot mystery stranger would lead me here.

Tristan Montague.

He swept into my life, and from the second he did, I knew I was in love with him. It’s a deep and intense kind of love, one that you can’t ever escape from but which keeps your heart firmly in the game of life.

It’s the kind of love that makes you want to hold on and to cherish every moment.

I cherish him; I really do.

“You ready to say goodbye, Isobel?” Tristan asks me as we climb into the sleek black aircraft.

“I am. I’m ready to be with you, Tristan and to never look back.”

He holds my hand and flashes me the smile that leaves me weak in the knees.

The helicopter rises in the air, and I wave goodbye to Merc and Benny who are meeting us later.

As we rise, I see the lights of the city, and they look stunning. They twinkle like stars against the black sky. We make our escape under the cover of night just in case there are people still looking for us.

I’d like to say I feel sad about leaving, but I don’t. I’ll gladly say goodbye to this place to be with Tristan.

I feel absolutely liberated leaving the city that’s been my prison for so long.

And I have Tristan to thank for taking me away.

The helicopter cuts through the sky, over the tall buildings, and I look out the window in astonishment that it can all be so big and magnificent.

From my vantage point in my father’s building, everything had seemed so small. My life was small, confined to the walls of the building and my apartment.

I never dreamed I could be up here, flying so high and riding away from everything that has kept me down.

Tristan holds my hand tightly as I look out at everything I’ve ever known. And inside, I’m saying goodbye.

I’m saying goodbye to the Capulet princess that I once was because, through Tristan, I have become an empowered warrior.

I still keep the dagger hidden in my thigh-high boots. And I probably will do so for all time.

I like knowing that I can protect myself. But I also like knowing that my man protects me.

Tristan will always keep me safe from the world because I’m his. And in tender moments when it’s just him and me, I know that this man will never allow me to get hurt.

My only downfall would be if I were to run away from him. But I’ve learned never to shut him out.

When I let him inside my heart, things had turned out a lot better for me. He wants to be there, and so I let him.

I had thought myself so vulnerable until I met Tristan. He made me find my inner strength. He helped me find myself.

In his presence, I feel like I can be my true self, and all those inauthentic layers crumble away. He’s made me strong, and he’s made me believe that life is worth living.

I’m special in his eyes, and that reassurance gives me a profound strength that I can’t quite describe.

“Are you sad to see it go?” he asks me.

I look at him and say honestly, “Not one bit. I couldn’t be happier, Tristan. I’m excited about where we’re going and excited about our new life.”

Goodbye, city.

Goodbye, captivity.

Goodbye, Capulets.

And goodbye to my past.

I am no longer the person I once was, and I refuse to look back on anything. Sure, Theo’s still there ever-present in my heart. But I know the costs of war between our feuding families were many.

Now I’m heading toward freedom. And safety.

I feel Tristan beside me, supporting me in every way, and I know it can’t get much better than this.

Sure, he’s promised me a mansion, a new life, and everything, but all I really want is him.

“Here we go, on our way to Vienna,” Tristan says. “Baby, I’m gonna show you the whole fucking world.”

I smile at him, and I know that he means it. Tristan probably will show me the entire world. I know he feels like we have a lifetime of memories to make.

And so, I relax into the leather seats, look out at the city that is soon becoming a distant memory, and I embrace the new me.

Maybe Fate had brought Tristan and me together to redefine enemy lines.

Or maybe it was an accident.

True love is hard to find, I’ve heard.

But I’ve always dreamed about it.

And I never stopped believing in him.

He’s that man that’s been in my heart for as long as I can remember.

And he burns there today as brightly as ever.

I just have to remember that I knew all along he would come find me. And I’ve finally found my escape in him.