In the epilogue, Katarina arrives at the rink before sunrise and overhears two young skaters gossiping about the documentary about her past. Their fascination with the old scandal shows that her story is still public entertainment, but Katarina now has enough distance from it to interrupt them dryly and send them onto the ice as their coach.

Katarina reflects that Bella insisted on bringing her onto the staff at Bella's new skating school, even when some parents objected to Katarina's reputation. To avoid becoming a distraction, Katarina stays away from competitions, and she has discovered that she prefers a stable life close to home. Madison Castro arrives to help coach the younger teams, and Katarina and Bella watch practice in the renovated North Shore rink, which Bella has transformed from the shabby place where Katarina and Heath first trained.

Bella and Katarina joke about the documentary, and Katarina notes that Garrett unexpectedly agreed to appear in it because he wanted people to see the humanity behind the scandal and the pressure placed on elite athletes. Katarina also observes Bella's current romantic arrangement with a Chicago restaurateur, which suits Bella's need for both companionship and independence.

Heath then arrives holding Bella and his daughter Mei's hand. Mei rushes onto the ice and shows off an impressive spin, and Katarina notices both Mei's talent and Heath's gentler, happier nature as a father. At the same time, Heath still has lasting physical weakness and cannot skate for long, a reminder of what Sochi cost him.

The chapter ends with Katarina reflecting on the years since the Olympics. She resumed wearing Heath's engagement ring after Sochi, but they never married; instead, their bond has remained durable through years of being on and off. Standing in the golden morning light with Bella, Heath, and Mei, Katarina realizes that although she lost the Olympic gold medal, she has built something she values more: a life filled with the people she loves and the work that still gives her joy.