Chapter 9 - The Healing
The next six months were a process of unlearning fear.
For Elena, it meant learning how to walk down the street without looking over her shoulder. It meant accepting that the massive security detail following her was there to protect her, not imprison her.
For the girls, it was a complete transformation.
Mia channeled her protective bravery into horseback riding and martial arts lessons, which Dante gleefully encouraged.
Bella became a prodigy at the piano, filling the mansion with beautiful, chaotic music.
Lily, the quiet, soulful artist, got her own art studio. Dante bought her the finest canvases and paints from Paris. She painted the ocean, the trees, and most importantly, her family.
Dante changed, too.
The ruthless Mafia Boss still ran his empire with an iron fist, but his men noticed a shift. He stopped taking unnecessary risks. He delegated more. He made it home for dinner every single night at 6:00 PM, no exceptions.
One evening, Dante stood in the doorway of the playroom, watching Elena help the girls build a massive Lego castle.
Elena looked up, catching his eye. She smiled, a radiant, fully healed smile that made his heart skip a beat just like it had when he was twenty-two.
She stood up, walking over to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.
“What are you thinking about, Mr. Russo?” she teased.
Dante pulled a small, velvet box from his pocket.
Elena gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
He opened it, revealing a stunning, flawless emerald-cut diamond ring.
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“I’m thinking,” Dante said softly, “that we never got to finish our story. I want the wedding. I want the vows. I want the world to know that you are mine, and I am yours, forever.”
Tears spilled down Elena’s cheeks. “Yes,” she whispered fiercely. “Yes.”
