His emotional spiral eventually strains his relationship with Ember Williams, and the two break up.

Ember decides to pursue her bachelor’s degree, enrolling in university alongside Zach’s younger sister, Heather. Longtime friends, the two become even closer as college roommates.

Meanwhile, Elise and Zach begin to pick up the pieces of their broken lives. They return to work at Arendelle PR Corp., the family company Elise is set to inherit. As they support each other through grief, their bond quietly deepens.

Back at university, a drunken party ends with Ember, who is pansexual, kissing Heather, leaving her confused and shaken. Heather pulls away and gives Ember the silent treatment. Soon after, she enters a relationship with a classmate, Landon Davis.

Heather eventually opens up to her mother, Vanessa, about her sexuality and comes to realize she is bisexual. She breaks up with Landon, who supports her coming out, and they part as friends.

Heather and Ember reconcile and begin a romantic relationship. Heather worries about dating her brother’s ex, but Zach is fully supportive of their happiness.

Meanwhile, Zach begins to fall for Elise but struggles with guilt, feeling as though he’s betraying his late brother. 

It’s revealed that Zach had a childhood crush on Elise but stepped aside when he realized Ben and Elise liked each other.

Zach’s feelings intensify when Yohan Park, a charming CEO and client of Arendelle Corp., starts to court Elise. Zach denies being jealous, but his heart says otherwise.

Meanwhile, Poppy and Flynn are facing difficulty conceiving. Poppy suffers from multiple reproductive health issues, and to de-stress, the couple joins Zach and Elise on a camping trip.

During the trip, Zach and Elise share a kiss. Overwhelmed by guilt and confusion, Elise walks away—torn between her growing feelings for Zach and her lingering grief over Ben.

After the trip, Elise gently turns down Yohan. In an unexpected turn, Yohan offers her advice, sharing that he too has witnessed the pain of grief through his own father, who lost his wife.

Eventually, after days of distance, Elise and Zach open up to one another. They become a couple and later marry. 

Elise gives birth to twins: Dean and Ariadne. Around the same time, Poppy and Flynn welcome a son named Hunter. Yohan marries Lauren Taylor, and they have a baby boy named Liam.

Years later, Lauren abandons Yohan and Liam after pressure from Yohan’s father, who disapproves of their interracial marriage. 

Seeking stability, Yohan turns to his brother Ewan and sister-in-law Hana. Liam, now a shy toddler, becomes fast friends with Ari and Dean at preschool.

During school pickup one day, Yohan opens up to Zach, and a close friendship blossoms between the two men.

Eventually, Yohan relocates to Korea with Liam, Ewan, and Hana. Just before they leave, little Liam breaks out of his shell to hug Ari and whisper that he’ll miss her.

Years pass. Heather and Ember, now married, decide to adopt. They temporarily foster a troubled girl named Inez Alonzo, who bonds deeply with the quiet, stuttering Dean.

It’s revealed that Inez’s father is abusive, addicted to drugs, and responsible for her mother’s death. 

Ultimately, Inez is adopted by her maternal uncle and relocates to the Philippines, cutting ties with her foster family—including Dean.

Months later, Heather and Ember adopt a newborn baby boy named Cole.

As the children grow into teens, time brings more change. Olaf and Vanessa pass away, while Anna, Kristoff, and Sven are still alive. Tina dies mid-generation after a battle with cancer.

Yohan remarries a Korean woman named Aera Seo, and they have a son named Jason (Jae). Liam, now older, is revealed to be a gifted but introverted genius.

Hunter grows into a kind, handsome, and popular athlete. Dean remains shy, with a persistent stutter, but is bright and thoughtful. Ari, in contrast, becomes a bold, ambitious class president—smart, headstrong, and admired by many.