Epilogue

Angel

Two weeks later.

The estate loomed in front of us as the car pulled up to the front gates, the iron bars gleaming in the late afternoon sun. My heart pounded as I glanced out the window, my fingers tightening slightly on the hem of my dress. I hadn't been back since the night I'd run, after Drago had told me to leave—to be free. But now, I wasn't coming back alone.

Beside me, my mother, who was now getting the treatment she needed, giving us a light at the end of the tunnel, sat quietly, her hands folded in her lap. Carla Rossi, the woman who had fought her own demons for as long as I could remember, had insisted on coming with me. There was a quiet strength in her now, a sense of peace that had been absent for most of my childhood. I didn't know how she would react to Drago, or to the life I had chosen for myself, but I knew she needed to meet him. To see what I had found in him.

As we approached the entrance to the estate, the guard waved us through, recognition flickering in his eyes as he glanced at me. The gates opened slowly, creaking slightly as they revealed the long, winding driveway that led to the mansion. My heart raced, and I swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat.

Would Drago be surprised to see us? Would he understand why I had brought my mother here?

The car came to a stop in front of the grand entrance, and I hesitated for a moment, my hand resting on the door handle. I glanced at my mother, who gave me a small, reassuring smile. "It'll be fine, Angel," she said softly. "He loves you. I already know that much."

I nodded, though my heart still pounded in my chest. Taking a deep breath, I stepped out of the car, my mother following closely behind. The front door opened before we could knock, and there, standing in the doorway, was Drago.

The look of surprise on his face was immediate. His dark eyes widened slightly as he took in the sight of me standing there, and then his gaze shifted to my mother. For a moment, he didn't move, as if he couldn't quite believe what he was seeing.

"Angel," he said, his voice a mixture of shock and relief. He took a step toward me, but

hesitated, his gaze locking onto my mother's. There was a tension in the air, as though he wasn't sure of his next move. It was in fact my mother who stepped forward and timidly extended her hand.

Drago's eyes dropped to it, and after a moment's pause, he took it firmly in his own.

"I wasn't sure what to think, not at first," my mother said, her voice calm but steady. "I wanted to hate you for taking my daughter from me. But I had only myself to blame. Angel tells me you were willing to give yourself for her sake, just as she was willing to do for your children."

Drago's expression softened. He nodded slowly, his voice low. "I was. I would have done anything to protect her."

My mother released his hand, but her eyes never left his. "Then we understand each other," she said simply. "If Angel can forgive you, then so can I."

For a moment, the air felt charged with emotion, the weight of everything unspoken lingering between us. Then, to my surprise, Drago smiled. It was a small, almost hesitant smile, but it was genuine. He turned to me, his eyes softening as he spoke. "You came back."

I nodded, my heart swelling with emotion. "I came back. And this time, I'm staying."

His smile widened, but his gaze shifted towards my mother again. "Ms. Rossi, my world was a cold and heartless one before your daughter came into it, and I'm afraid that won't change. But she has changed me, and maybe with her by my side, I can be something better than what I have been in the past."

My mother gave him a thoughtful look, as if weighing his words carefully, and then she nodded. "You have my blessing, Drago. If Angel sees something in you worth loving, then I trust her judgment. She's stronger than both of us realize, but even the strongest need someone to lean on."

I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me at her words. This was the woman who had faced her own demons, who had raised me in a world full of hardship, and now, she was standing here, offering her acceptance of the man I loved despite all his flaws and brokenness,

Drago's gaze shifted back to me, his expression suddenly more serious, more intent. He stepped closer, his hand reaching out to take mine. His touch was warm, grounding me in the moment.

"Angel," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "You have brought light into my life where there was only darkness. I want you by my side."

My breath caught in my throat, the gravity of his words settling over me. He'd meant what he'd said that night. He was asking me, truly asking me, to stay with him. To be more than just the woman he loved—he was asking me to be his equal in this world we now shared. We stood on the edge of something new, something vast and unknowable.

I watched as Drago slowly knelt before me and pressed his lips to the palm of my hand.

"Will you marry me?" he asked softly, "Will you be my queen? My other half?"

Tears welled in my eyes, and I nodded, unable to hold back the emotions that were threatening to spill over. "Yes," I whispered. "Yes, Drago. I'll marry you. We're two sides of the same coin, but together…together we can share one life. One human life. We'll face whatever comes together."

His face broke into a smile, and he pulled me into his arms, his embrace warm and solid, and in that moment, I knew that this was where I was meant to be.