Epilogue I

Aria – Two Weeks Later

Fairy tales are fiction, but if they were true, my life would be one. Since returning to Italy with Luca, happiness surrounds me. Not that there aren't moments of tension. Sometimes, Luca oversteps in his demands or tone. But I'm strong enough to stand up for myself instead of second guessing and running away.

And now… today… will be the happiest day of my life so far.

I take a deep breath as I stand in the little room in the cathedral, the same one where Luca"s parents were married years ago. The ornate, vaulted ceilings and stained-glass windows fill me with a sense of awe and reverence. This is the moment I"ve been dreaming of, marrying the man I love.

My heart flutters with excitement as I look around at the familiar faces gathered here today. Lucy, heavily pregnant, fusses over my dress, making sure every detail is perfect. Elena helps me with my makeup. Kate assists in putting on my headpiece and veil.

Roberta and Lia enter, juggling Elena and Kate's babies as they make their way toward us. Lia beams at me, her eyes shining with happiness. Roberta nods. She works for Luca, but her expression hints at the stronger bond she feels for him.

I feel so fortunate to have all my loved ones here to witness this momentous occasion. The last few months have been a whirlwind, filled with challenges and uncertainty. But standing here, surrounded by the people who mean the most to me, I know that I"m exactly where I"m supposed to be.

I glance over at Lucy as she sits and fans herself, the late summer heat clearly taking a toll on her.

She"s heavily pregnant, her belly protruding like a round ball. "Ugh, I don"t know how much longer I can last in this heat," she grumbles, wiping the perspiration from her brow. "If this baby decides to come early, I swear?—"

"Don't say such a thing," Elena interrupts. "Don't tempt fate."

I try to reassure myself that the doctor is on hand, just in case. But the thought of Lucy going into labor prematurely has my stomach in knots. She has eight weeks left, and her doctor okayed the trip as long as she took specific precautions.

Roberta hands Lucy a glass of water and speaks to her in Italian. Admittedly, I'm still a long way from fluent, so I'm not sure of the conversation. But I see a similar reverence in Roberta's eyes for Lucy that she has for Luca. I've learned that while Lucy can be a kickass woman, here, they love her for how well she took care of Luca's father.

I'm filled with giddy anticipation. In just a few moments, I"ll walk down the aisle to join my life with Luca's. The very thought of him has my heart racing with equal parts excitement and nervousness.

The door to the little room off the vestibule opens, and Niko strides in, a warm smile on his face. It's not something I've seen a lot in my life, but more so since we talked. In the last two weeks, we spoke more via video call, often reminiscing about our lives before we lost everyone but each other.

"You look beautiful, Aria."

"Thank you." I sniff as emotion wells in my chest.

"Are you ready?"

I take a deep breath and nod. "I am."

Elena gives me a hug. "Luca is going to weep with joy when he sees you."

Kate follows with another hug. "I'm so happy for you."

Finally, Lucy gives me a side hug. "Sorry I can't give you a full one, but this little person needs space." She kisses me on the cheek. "I know Luca's father would think the world of you and thank you personally for making his son happy."

Her words fill me with more emotion.

"Giuseppe always said that the right woman was the source of a man's power. Remember that." She winks, and I laugh, understanding that she's encouraging me to continue to be myself and make my own choices.

The ladies leave, followed by Roberta and Lia with the kids. I'm left with just Niko.

His expression softens as he reaches into his pocket, pulling out a rectangle box. "Before we go, I have something for you."

I watch, transfixed, as he opens the box to reveal a stunning pearl necklace and matching earrings. "These were Mother"s," he says, his voice thick with emotion. "I"ve been saving them for you."

Tears spring to my eyes as I gently trace the intricate design of the necklace. I'm scanning my memory with her wearing them. I remember once sneaking up late at night when my parents got home from some party. I saw them dancing, my father singing in Italian to my mother. That was the first time I saw true love. She wore these pieces then.

"I know she'd love if you wore them. Have a piece of her with you."

I sniff, unable to find words.

"And this." He tugs a blue handkerchief from his pocket. "It was Dad's. I know it's worn, but it's old and blue."

"And he can be here too." I wait, knowing there must be one more thing. He takes out a picture of Lorenzo. I kiss it and slip it in my dress's pocket along with the handkerchief.

"Now you're all here."

Niko hugs me. "I hope you're as happy as you look."

"I am," I assure him.

"Because if Luca?—"

I press my fingers over his lips. "You don't have to worry about me."

He smiles and nods.

I throw my arms around him, holding him tightly. Niko may not have always understood me, but he"s here now, supporting me on the most important day of my life.

Niko pulls back, his eyes glistening. "Shall we?" He offers me his arm.

I entwine my arm with his. "I"m ready."

With Niko by my side, I turn toward the ornate cathedral doors, my heart pounding in anticipation. They open. I'm vaguely aware of our friends and family in the small church. But all I really see is Luca, standing at the altar in his dark suit looking so handsome. He sees me, his breath hitching. He looks at me like I'm the center of his world. I hope I can keep him looking at me like that for the rest of our lives.

I grip Niko"s arm tightly as we make our way down the aisle, my gaze fixed on Luca. As Niko hands me off to Luca, I feel a sense of peace wash over me. I know in my heart that this is where I"m meant to be. Where I was always meant to be.

Luca"s strong hands envelop mine. "You're absolutely breathtaking. An angel come to save me."

"And you look incredibly handsome," I whisper back.

The priest begins the ceremony, but I can barely focus on the words. All I can see is Luca, his eyes shining with love and devotion. During the vows, we commit our lives to each other forever.

Tears glisten in Luca"s eyes as he slips the delicate gold band onto my finger. My vision is blurred from tears as well as I slide the gold band on his finger.

"Don't ever take this off," I add at the end, a little reminder about the discussion we had when he wasn't sure he wanted to wear a ring. All I had to say was "Electra" and he understood that it was important to me that other women could see he was taken. Sure, many women wouldn't care. Many men wouldn't honor the symbol. But Luca will. I know it as sure as I'm standing here committing my life to his.

He winks, letting me know he got the message.

The priest pronounces us husband and wife, and Luca pulls me close, his lips finding mine in a passionate, loving kiss. The world around us fades away, and in this moment, it"s just the two of us, finally united as one.

When we finally break apart, breathless and giddy, Luca grins down at me. "I'm yours now, Mio Angelo."

"That's Mio Angelo Conte to you."

He lets out a wonderful laugh and kisses me again. "Ready to make our grand exit, Mrs. Conte?"

"Ready when you are."

He surprises me by swooping me up in his arms and carrying me down the aisle. I see Donovan patting Niko on the back and giving Luca a thumbs up. Even serious Liam is smiling, his arm around Kate as she holds their daughter.

As we reach the car, Luca presses a fervent kiss to my lips. "I've been waiting for this day since I met you."

I wrap my arms around his neck. "And now we have forever."

With one last, lingering kiss, we tumble into the car, our hearts racing with excitement as we embark on the next chapter of our lives. I don't know what the future holds. I'm certain of happiness, but I'm not so na?ve to believe we won't face challenges. But I know for sure, the one constant will be our love. We'll get through whatever life throws at us together.

And I'm right. The next six months have been a whirlwind of wedded bliss. Luca and I have settled into a comfortable routine in our villa along the Italian coast. Each day, I find myself falling more deeply in love with my husband and the life we"ve built together.

My Italian has improved by leaps and bounds, thanks to the patient tutelage of Lia over the summer, and Bianca and the wives' help thereafter. Luca delights in hearing me converse with the staff and locals, his eyes shining with pride. Late at night, he often shares with me not safe for work conversations that involve our getting naked. I like those lessons the best, even if I can't use the words outside our bedroom.

We"ve had the chance to visit New York twice since our wedding. The first trip was to meet Lucia and Donovan"s newborn son, Giuseppe, after Luca's father. Luca was beyond touched by their choice.

During that trip, I doted on my niece and nephew, amazed at how fast they were growing. It wouldn't be long before I'd be able to take little Angelica shopping. I'll bring Kate and Liam's daughter, Sophie, with me as well.

Niko seemed genuinely happy to see me, his gruff exterior softening as he watched me with Luca. It felt good to have my brother"s blessing, even if the road to get here was fraught with challenges.

Our second visit was for Christmas, and I was overjoyed to be surrounded by my loved ones once more. On that visit, it was decided that the Christmas tradition would be to spend it all together in Niko and Elena's Long Island compound.

Today, spring is working its way in and I sit on the villa terrace enjoying the warming weather and view of the ocean. I'm waiting for Luca to arrive home from his meeting with Bruno that will include Rocco. I'm curious to find out about Electra, who had her baby two months ago.

The door to the terrace opens, and I can't help but smile as happiness fills me.

"What's this?" Luca says, coming to sit next to me on the loveseat. He holds up an Italian language book with a note peeking out of the top. I'd left it for him on his desk.

"You should read it and find out."

He leans in and kisses me. Then he plucks the note out of the book and opens it. His gaze immediately swings to me. "Is this… does this…?"

I look at the paper. "Ciao, Papi."

"Aria." His breath hitches as he presses his palm to my cheek. "Dimmi." Tell me.

"It means ‘hello, Daddy.'" My head bobs up and down to confirm it means what he thinks it does. "It means you're going to be a daddy."

"Oh, Dio." He tugs me in, holding me so tightly I don't think he'll ever let go. That's fine with me. In Luca's arms is the only place I want to be.

His hand slides down over my belly. "It happened fast."

I laugh. It's true. We decided only a few weeks ago to start our family. "It's all that potent sperm you have."

His cheeks blush. "My fertile wife." He kisses me softly. "Mio Angelo." My angel. It's one of the many pet names he has for me. All of them tell me how much he loves and cherishes me. Sometimes, I'm surprised at how unsure I was when I first came to him. But now I understand that it was about me and needing to find my footing.

Now, I have no doubts. No matter the challenges, we are one heart. One soul. Forever and ever.