Hey readers, just a little message from me.

With "For Something Better" soon approaching it's end - I've decided to release the last chapters in bulk sometime next week or sooner. As always thank you for your support and taking this journey with me and the characters ❤️.

- Italics indicate Rick speaking.

"We have all heard about the 'red string of fate' theory - how this unbreakable bond is somewhat predestined for us. At first it truly sounded ridiculous to me, until my path got woven with the women that stands before me today- Layton Cruz."

"You've strode through battles with grace and victory while still remaining unpretentious and I'm so proud of your strength and courage, I'm so proud of you."

"So may I ask everybody to raise a glass and toast- to Layton"

"To Layton" everybody cheers as champagne glasses clink midair.

Rick places a kiss on Layton's head. "Hey can we talk somewhere more private?"

She leads him to an unoccupied room below deck.

As the two enter, Layton makes her way towards a sofa and plops onto it, immediately bending down to remove her stilettos. As she looks up her eyes meet Rick's and time froze, there he kneeled asking her to be his wife.

"I just want to make you happy because you're the reason behind my countless smiles. I know for a fact you're the last women I'm ever going to love and honestly that's the best decision I've ever made well besides asking you to be my wife. So Layton Cruz, my beacon of light, would you do me the honor of spending the rest of our lives together?"

"Yes." She gets up and fumbles into his arms.

"God you've made me the happiest man on earth, I don't care how cliché that sounds." Rick says as he places the band on her finger.

"Are you kidding, I'm so thrilled that you asked. Mrs. Layton De la Rosa, has a nice ring to it."

"It's like it was made for you amor. Could we perhaps keep this quite for a while, I just want to enjoy been your fiancé without the whole world knowing."

"You make a fair point, although I do want to shout this from the roof tops."

"And you soon will."

Layton's p.o.v

Christmas had come and gone and soon the New Year had taken full effect over our lives. The holiday season and throughout February always brought out the psychos so Rick was busy as ever at the station- he had been losing weight and looking paler than usual but that was probably because of the work load right?

We hadn't exactly found the right time to tell people about our engagement- I know how bad that sounds but honestly I didn't care what others would think, we were doing this for us anyways.

Oh and Rick had adopted a dog, we had named him Astro and the two are as thick as thieves, I wanted a puppy but relationships are about compromise right and who could not love an adorable pooch?

I was about to start my first day of interning at Michael & Sons, quite a prestigious law firm and had decided to proudly wear my engagement ring. This was going to be the start of something great and I wanted to do things right.

End of p.o.v

Knock knock.

Before Layton could answer the door, Jamie uses his spare key and bursts in with a cup of coffee from Layton's favorite café down the street.

"Is there a better way to start your day?" he hands Layton the cup and immediately notices the ring on her finger

"What's this?" he asks in shock

"Rick popped the question and well I said yes."

Jamie could see the excitement in her eyes and knew that Rick still hadn't told her the truth.

He was caught in the most uncomfortable of places and knew nothing good was going to come from this, after all he was the one going with Rick for chemotherapy and covering for him all these months- guilty by association.

"I'm so happy for you." He gathered up all his courage to say.

"Where is the man of the hour anyway? I want to congratulate him."

"He actually should be getting back from his shift now, I thought I would see him but if I don't leave now I'll be late."

"Go I'll wait for him, all the best for today you're going to kill it."

Ricks p.o.v

You know how some days you just want to give up and let the universe take over your life, you want to relinquish control to something higher because you feel that there's no more fight left in you?- yeah well over these past few months I've been having more and more of those moments.

Then I roll over and look at the women sleeping peacefully beside me and come hell or high water I fight to stay alive another day. I'm been a jerk by lying to her, I somehow hope this is all a dream or that I can beat the cancer without her even knowing I had it in the first place.

Layton thinks I've been working extra shifts at work and that's why I'm tired or gone for long hours, truth is I'm getting my treatment and its draining. Things are beginning to get better, my cell count has been improving, I just hope this isn't the calm before the storm.

Did you guys know that some of the medication cancer patients are given are tested on dogs that also have the same diagnosis, if it wasn't for them we wouldn't be able to receive treatment. Now these animals are humanly treated but many of their owners abandon them at the laboratory- that broke my heart.

So I decided to go over and adopt one of them, someone well something that's sharing the same journey with me. Meet Astro.

End of p.o.v

"I'm so sorry I'm late, morning traffic is a nuisance." Rick enters the apartment hoping Layton would still be there, but to his surprise he finds Jamie.

"Hey man, what's up?"

"What's up, what's up? You asked Layton to marry you?" Jamie shoves Rick in a fit of anger

"What the hell were you thinking, oh wait I know- you weren't thinking at all dammit."

"I know how ridiculous this may seem but I want to die a happy man been married to the women I love."

"Why are you talking about dying, the doctor said that the treatment is helping. You have to tell her the truth and if you don't I'm sorry but I will. Did you not think how devastated she would be when you die, especially knowing she didn't treasure every moment because she didn't think it would be the last."

"You're right but I just wanted to be prepared. We spend years planning our lives then something out of the blue throws that all out the window, its hard Jamie."

"She won't love you any less, you have to keep that in mind and her prayers just might be the ones god listens to."

A few days later

Rick had mustered enough courage to tell Layton the truth just as he was about to, one look at her beaming face and his bravery faltered.

"Michael & Sons is hosting a gala this weekend for clients and we are invited. I can't wait to see you in a tux again." Layton claps her hands.

'I'll tell her after the gala otherwise Jamie will be on my ass like white on rice." Rick thought to himself

"Great el carino, I can't wait." He replied

The night of the gala

Prestigious rich folk, dressed in their best show stoppers then there's the 'working class' doing their best to fit in. Fairy lights and symphonic music setting the mood for a night of serene ambiance - but that's not the night Rick and Layton were going to have.

Layton's p.o.v

What if your red string of fate was divided? - going in two opposite directions daring to unravel you, tugging at your heart. Left, right, left right... left...right.

Or what if temptation wanted to make a fool out of you by having your past and future clash right in your present?

That's what ran through my head when I saw him- Kiandre Jacobsen, the first man I've ever loved looking like the product of an angel and demon.

Nope he means nothing to me, great now I'm about to spend my night trying to avoid someone I would've given all my time to. How soon is too soon to leave your first big work event? Help me.

End of p.o.v