He was satisfied. Everything he had worked and fought for, he, in the end, won. He even won Christine's love and respect. Yes, he was satisfied.
He had married his love, Christine, in what ended up being a private, small ceremony. They have lived in happiness for many years, and there was a peace in the household for many years that was not even disrupted by the arrival of their children. They had six, two boys and four girls. They are all gone off and married now, but they do come back for holidays and to visit now and then, but they have their own children now.
His lovely wife had passed away two years ago, and he now knew that his time was near. But before he could die, he had to visit her grave one last time.
As he brought his bouquet of flowers to her tombstone, he noticed two roses, one white and one black. Tying the two together was a red ribbon with a simple gold ring adorning the flowers.
The elderly man speaks aloud to an absent rival, "We'll never be free from you, will we?"
That night, Raoul de Chagny went and lay down to sleep for the last time in his long life. Outside, two yellow eyes shone in the oppressive darkness, and slowly closed. The shadow climbed down from the balcony, wishing to be reunited with his Christine again in death, but knowing he probably never will. For when he tried to woo Christine he was already in his late forties, and he hasn't died yet. Perhaps he never will.
With one last look back at the de Chagny estate, Erik slipped into the darkness, never to be seen again.