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I threw myself into Matteo’s arms, the weight of months of grief and longing crashing over me. He held me tightly, his hand cradling the back of my head as I sobbed into his chest.
“I thought you were gone,” I choked out. “I thought I’d lost you.”
C
“I’m here,” he murmured, his voice thick with emotion. “I’m here, Aletta. And I’m not going anywhere.” He kissed the top of my head. “I love you, Amore.”
I sobbed, and he stayed hugging me so tightly. The world around us faded as we clung to each other, the chaos. of the night melting away in the warmth of his embrace.
“Stefania’s more dangerous than we know,” Matteo said, his voice grim. “Her network is larger than we thought, and she’s not finished. This attack was just the beginning. Even though she’s with the Emperio’s operatives now, I
sense purpose. Matteo was back and
together, we would rebuild what had been broken. But more than that, we would face the future as partners, ready fo whatever came next.
And when he started kissing me deeply, all I could say was, “Let’s go to our room. Our bed missed our lovemakings, Matteo. Once, you obliged me to pay you every night for you to protect me. Now, you need to pay me every night for those tears I cried for you.”
“If that’s the case, then…” Matteo grinned as he trailed off his words and stared at me with his gaze full of desire and promises. I kissed him open–mouthed. I kissed him and let him feel my warmth. He groaned. “You’re making me ache for you, Damsel.”
“As you do to me…”
Six months had passed since that fateful night in the vineyard. Life had shifted dramatically, and while the scars of the
past lingered, Sicily had become a haven. Our estate thrived under careful restoration, its vineyards lush and vibrant, a testament to the strength Matteo and I had fought so hard to preserve.
The evening sunlight bathed the terrace in warm hues as Matteo joined me, a quiet smile softening his features. I leaned against the railing, watching the workers bustle about below as the estate continued its transformation.
“You look deep in thought,” Matteo said, sliding an arm around my waist. “Everything alright?”
“Just thinking about how far we’ve come,” I said, turning to face him. “It still feels unreal sometimes. After everything… I didn’t think we’d get here.”
He took my hand, hrs touch grounding. “We fought for this, Amore. Together. And we’ll keep fighting, no matter what. This is our world, and even though we can’t get away from this; we just live with it”
I studied him for a moment, the faint scars on his face a reminder of the explosion that nearly took him from me. “You’ve never told me everything about how you survived,” I said softly. “I want to know”
Matteo exhaled, his gaze shifting to the horizon. “It wasn’t something I could talk about easily. When the building collapsed, I thought I was done for. The heat, the weight of the rubble–I blacked out, thinking that was the end.”
I placed a hand on his arm, urging him to continue. He smiled faintly and went on.
“Emperio operatives were nearby,” he explained. “They’d been monitoring Stefania. When the building went down, they acted fast. They pulled me out, but I was in bad shape. They hid me, Aletta. Kept me in a safe house while I recovered. It wasn’t just the injuries–it was the months of gathering strength, figuring out Stefania’s next moves, and planning how to return. And also Emperio’s way to know who wants to replace me.
“So…“I frowned. “All the election they were saying was part of your ploy?”
“Yes.”
“But-”
“I needed to move discreetly… I needed to move while letting those people who hated me believe I was dead.” *They should have told me…” I said, my voice cracking. “Why didn’t they? Why did you let me grieve for so
“They weren’t sure I’d make it, and I thought it would only hurt you more.”
“But Lorenzo, he-”
“Lorenzo made his way to help you, to secure my place in Emperio for you. When he knew I’m alive,” Matteo said. “I let him be part of Emperio so he wouldn’t tell you.”
“That’s when he told me there were rumors of you being seen with Emperio’s people…” I hushed as I
remembered the day I told Lorenzo to stop giving me false hope.
“Yes, that was it. And then I told him that if he truly wanted to help us, then he just needed to protect you by monitoring everything Stefania is working against you.”
I swallowed hard, my emotions swirling. “I can’t imagine what you went through, and still, you are doing
everything to make sure of my safety.”
“I’m just glad I made it back,” he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “You were what kept me going, Amore. Th
thought of you.”
“And now?” I asked, managing a faint smile. “What keeps you going now?”
*Still you, Damsel,” he said simply. “Always you.”
The room was bathed in moonlight, the soft glow accentuating the golden hues of Matteo’s skin as he lay besi me. My fingers traced the lines of his jaw, my heart swelling with the love and devotion I felt for this man who had been through so much to come back to me.
“Aletta?” he murmured, his voice low and thick with emotion. He propped himself up on one elbow, his gaze searching mine.
I tilted my head, a small smile playing on my lips. “Yep?”
He reached out, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “These past months have been about rebuilding, right? About finding our way back to each other. But I want more than that I want us to start anew–to create something beautiful and lasting together.”
My breath caught as he slid out of bed, reaching into the drawer of the nightstand. When he turned back, a smal velvet box rested in his palm. My heart pounded as he knelt before me, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Aletta Vitale–Santoro,” he began, his voice steady but filled with emotion. “We’ve faced danger, loss, and heartbreak together. But we’ve also found strength, love, and hope in each other. You are my everything, my light in the darkest moments. Marry me again, Amore. Let’s have the grand wedding we deserve, to celebrate our love and the life we’ve fought so hard to build.”
Tears streamed down my face as I nodded, my voice trembling with joy. “Yes, Matteo. A thousand times, yes.”
