Final Author's Note

Dear Lasters,

From the deepest corners of my heart, thank you for joining me on this journey and for being with me every step of the way through At Last, Him. To know that you stayed until the very end, laughed, cried, and felt with me and these characters—it means the world.

Here's the truth about this story: it brought me to my knees. It had been so long since I last cried while writing a story, but this one broke through. The chapter that left me sobbing was CL's point of view in the delivery room. The moment Shan died after giving birth to their baby was a punch to my soul. It wasn't planned—her death was never part of my blueprint for this story. I wanted her to live, for her and CL to have their beautiful, deserved happy ending. But life, even in stories, isn't always kind.

I think what made it worse for me was CL's father. Seeing him walk into that room, not as a doctor but as a father to his grieving son, was so raw, so human, and it shattered me. That chapter—unexpected, heart-wrenching—was born on a sleepless night when I was sick and lost in thought.

You see, Shan's story carried a reflection of my own fears. I've always had this quiet fear about giving birth—that it would take so much from me that it might take everything. I imagined meeting the love of my life, being genuinely happy, and then...what if I couldn't stay to live that happiness? What if, in giving life, I lost my own? It's a fear that stayed buried until Shan's story gave it a voice.

Shan is me in so many ways. Like her, I've questioned my path. Like her, I've found myself burnt out, realizing that I wasn't doing what I truly loved anymore. That rooftop scene with Shan and her best friends hit so close to home. When Hil asked Shan if she was still writing, it was as though someone asked me the same question. Architecture had consumed so much of my time and energy that I stopped writing—the thing I loved most. I got used to just moving forward, to going with the flow. But like Shan, I learned that I'm the captain of my ship. I can change direction. I can choose a lighter, brighter path.

This story isn't just about finding "the one." For me, it's about the paths we take in life—how we lose and find ourselves along the way. It's about realizing that while progress is important, it's okay to rest, to stay where you feel safe, to let comfort nurture you.

Lasters, this story has a piece of my soul in every chapter, and it will always hold a special place in my heart. Thank you for smiling with me, crying with me, grieving with me. Not just for Shan and CL, but also for the versions of ourselves we let go of—the ones we leave behind, not because we failed them, but because we chose something different.

This isn't goodbye forever. Keep this story in your library—who knows? There may be special chapters ahead. But for now, At Last, Him is signing off.

Let's stay connected! You can reach me through:

Facebook: Tiana Vianne
                      Tiana Vianne Isidoro
Instagram & Threads: christianavianne
X & TikTok: tianavianne
FB Page: Tiana Vianne
FB Group: TianaVianne's Readers

With love and gratitude,
Tiana Vianne