Epilogue

LUCA

The snow falls softly outside the window, dusting Winter Haven in the same blanket of white that greeted us last year. But this time, everything is different. This time it doesn't just look peaceful. It is.

I glance at Luca, who's in the driver's seat, one hand resting on the wheel, the other reaching back to gently adjust the tiny pink hat on our daughter's head. She's sound asleep in her car seat, her little chest rising and falling in perfect rhythm, completely unaware of the world around her.

A year ago, I was running from Luca, convinced he was enemy number one. Now, here we are, driving back to Winter Haven as a family of three. It's surreal.

"Can you believe we're doing this again?" I ask, my voice soft as I turn to Luca.

He smirks, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. "Only this time, no one's trying to kill you and you aren't running from me in five inch heels. "

"Always a plus," I say with a grin, leaning my head back against the seat. The snow continues to fall, transforming the world outside into a winter wonderland. But inside this car, everything feels warm and perfect.

I glance at our infant, Emilia, and a surge of love fills my chest. I never imagined this is where we'd be a year later—a solid family, stronger than ever. The chaos of last Christmas feels like a lifetime ago, but in some strange way, I'm thankful for it.

"Do you think she'll like it?" I ask, my eyes lingering on Emilia as she sleeps.

"Like what?" Luca asks.

"Christmas. I mean, she's too young to know what it is, but still. I want her to know the magic of this season, to never even think about what lurks in the shadows. I want her to be like all the people we saw celebrating and laughing as we drove out to Blackwood Forest."

Luca chuckles. "She's two months old, Fiamma. As long as she gets fed and changed, I think she'll be happy."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah, well, Christmas means something special to us now, doesn't it? It's the season that brought us together. And we can make sure she doesn't know about the evil lurking all around."

He looks over at me, his expression softening. "Yeah, it does. And we can absolutely shield her. Oblivion is nice."

It's hard to believe how far we've come since that chaotic time. I think about Arianna and Marco sometimes—not with sadness anymore, but with a sense of closure. It was their betrayal that tested us, pushed us to our limits. And it's what ultimately made us stronger .

"Remember last year, when I thought you were the worst possible person I could be stuck with?" I tease, nudging Luca's arm playfully.

He laughs, a deep, rich sound that warms me even more. "Oh, I remember. You were hellbent on getting away from me. You're still a hellcat, make no mistake. But at least we've learned how to channel that in a more productive way."

I shrug, grinning. "And you're still kind of a jerk, but it can prove useful at times."

"Now I'm your jerk," he says, reaching over to squeeze my hand.

I laugh, glancing back out the window as the lights of Winter Haven come into view. It's strange to feel a sense of comfort in this town after everything that happened here. But this time, it's different. This time, we're coming back for the holiday season without the looming threat of danger. This time, we're celebrating our first Christmas as a family, with the entire family.

"I've been thinking," I say, turning to him. "About how Christmas is kind of… our thing."

He raises an eyebrow. "Our thing?"

"Yeah. I mean, it's when everything happened. It's when we realized we were more than just a bodyguard and a brat."

He chuckles. "Yeah, I guess, it is our thing."

"Look at us. A year later, and we're a team. A real family."

Luca doesn't say anything for a moment, his eyes focused on the road ahead. But then he squeezes my hand a little tighter. "Yeah, we are. And I wouldn't change a thing."

I smile, feeling a wave of emotion wash over me. Last Christmas, I never would have imagined we'd be here—stronger than ever, with a baby girl and a future that feels solid and real.

Winter Haven looks beautiful as we pull into town, the electric candles twinkling in every window, snowflakes catching in the glow of the street lamps. It feels magical, like something out of a dream. A dream that, somehow, we've managed to build together.

"I was thinking…" I say, glancing back at Emilia. "Next year, she'll be big enough to open presents. I can't wait to see her little face when she tears into the wrapping paper."

Luca smiles, his eyes softening as he looks at our daughter. "She's going to be spoiled, you know that, right?"

"Obviously."

We pull up to the gate of the lodge, the place where it all began. Luca talks to the guard while I adjust Emilia's little blanket. When we pull up to the covered portico at the entrance and Luca turns off the car, a true peace covers me.

No more running, no more betrayals, no more rebelling for the sake of it.

The bellhop opens my door. Luca leans over, kissing the side of my head. "Let's go inside and get warm. It's Christmas Eve, after all."

I nod, my heart full. As we step out of the car, I get Emilia out of her car seat and hold her close to my chest. Luca joins me, his arm around my waist. The snow crunches under our feet as we make our way inside, the warmth of the lodge welcoming us.

This Christmas, we're not just surviving. We're living.

Everything is exactly how it's supposed to be.