Chapter 1 : Forever After

“In the name of God, I, Alessandro Kennedy De Rossi, take you, Selena Salvatore to be my beloved wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.” 

Sandro took the sparkling, ring with 6 and ½ carats, pushing the tiny, shimmering, diamond, encrusted metal band into Selena’s finger. She could hardly see the ring with tears blurring her visions. Her soft veil brushing against her exposed back and her long, lace fitted sleeve that stretches up to her wrist gave a gorgeous overall alongside her wedding ring. 

No words could describe how ecstatic she was today. To finally marrying the man of her dream. The man who is basically, her everything and with all the journey they had gone through together, she can’t wait for more.

As long as Sandro is by her side, she knows that she could do everything. Never in her life would she ever thought that she would be married to the most handsome Italian specimen she has ever laid her eyes on. He could be a model with his black and thick wavy hair, straight nose, light beard around his cheek, and piercing blue eyes against his tan skin yet he chose to put his talent and book smart to good use like being the CEO of De Rossi Corporation. 

The finest real estate company that specializes in luxury houses, apartments, estates, and resorts all over the US. Dealing with the rich and famous, he was a self-made millionaire, after breaking off his relationship with his toxic father.

One of the reasons why it happens was due to his choice of marrying her, a 21-year-old only daughter of a teacher and a lecturer. A whole other league from what Sandro has spent his years growing up, yet the life of the rich and powerful he had gotten used to for the past 27 years didn’t affect his values. To this day, he was as kind, generous, hardworking, and loving as his mother, Elena, who too had broken off with his husband after caught him cheating with his young secretary turn mistress, Sonya.

Memories of him proposing to her after months of dating and getting to know each other would bring tears to her eyes. To marry a man who was also her best friend was the best thing she could ever ask for. 

Now, it was her turn to say her vow.

“In the name of God, I, Selena Salvatore, take you, Alessandro Kennedy De Rossi to be my beloved, husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until we are parted by death. This is my solemn vow.” 

She took his wedding ring and placed it on his ring finger. Ever so slowly, she takes pleasure in every second she could hold his hand and couldn’t help but giggled in joy. Just when she thought the whole ceremony was cute, she opens her mouth in surprise when she notices tears pooling in Alessandro’s eyes. 

He was smiling so widely yet tears drip down his cheek. He pulled her hand to his lips and shower it with so many kisses that the small crowd which has joined them started to laugh. He didn’t care until the priest next to them clear his throat and it made Sandro stops just so he would peek at the priest who had known him ever since he was a kid.

“I know you are very excited to spoil your, precious bride with kisses, my son but let us all finish with this ceremony and we can all go and celebrate on our way.”

The crows laugh alongside Selena and Sandro holds his chuckle from bursting out. He nodded and wink at Selena before proceed to stand still to finish everything up.

When Father Anton finally finishes the ceremony with “You may kiss the bride. I present to all of you, Mr. and Mrs. De Rossi.”

The old man couldn’t even finish his words when Sandro just snatches Selena's petite body and kiss her like there's no tomorrow. The crow erupted with cheers and applause from their loved ones. 

Sandro pulls away panting for a minute and whispered to her lips in a sultry voice.

“ I should’ve known kissing my wife’s lips is better than just kissing her hand. Both are sweet but your lips are sweeter.”

“God knows I feel the same way about you too, husband. Oh God, I’m so, so happy, Sandro. I love you so much.”

Sandro leans his forehead on hers and gently rubs their noses together. 

“And I love you, Tesoro mio.”

…

At the church backyards, the crowds were scattered everywhere with the kids running around in their mini suits and dresses. Both Selena and Sandro chose not to invite so many people and only those who are close with them were invited to come. 

Seeing the nature of his relationship with his father, there were a few relatives that chose not to come out of respect for their father who was the patriarch of the De Rossi clan.

Unlike Sandro, his dad was a billionaire. Old money that hails from Italy 45 years ago and has brought up his family to live only in comfort and luxury after years of successful investments and business deals. Even at 70 years of age, he was stubborn to retire and let his son take over him.

Not that Selena could say anything to that seeing any trust or relationship (Not that it was ever good) he had with Sandro went down the drain and their marriage was a nail to that coffin. She would blame herself for being the ultimate reason their family has broken up but both Sandor and his mother had calmly assured her that losing Giuseppe De Rossi from their life was a blessing in disguise.

“Congratulations, Lena!!” Her cousin aka her best friend in the world ran up to her and hugged her tightly. She was much taller than her and only at the age of 26, ha downed a successful Italian restaurant around the corner. She even catered her whole wedding reception for free seeing they were the only girls on her side of the family and adamant about making sure she could spoil her on her wedding day.

“Thank you, Rosa. Thank you also for the delicious food you have prepared. Everything from the lasagne to the cannoli, no wonder people need to do bookings to go to your restaurant.”

“Oh, stop it, amore. You’re just flattering me but again, we are that good so I'm happy if my dishes can make you happy. Now, where’s that hunk of your husband again…”

“Right here, Rosalinda.” Sandro came out from behind Selena and reach over to hug Rosa.

“Selena was right. That cannoli was to die for. I ate like six of that cheesy, chocolate chip goodness. I’m trying so hard to keep my abs intact but you’re making it tough not to.”

Both Selena and Rosa laughed. “Well, we don’t want that now, do we? Don’t want to make our Selena here sad seeing her husband went from Stallone to Devito before the wedding night?”

“Oh stop it, Rosa. I love Sandro just the way he is. Even if he becomes fat or skinny as a twig, he’s Sandro. He’s perfect.”

Sandro laughed and pulls Selena closer to his side. He kisses her head and replies.

“My wife speaks fact. No wonder I love her so much.”

“Alessandro!” A deep voice yelled for Sandro near the entrance to the backyard. Selena’s gaze falls on the older man with thinning hair and she knows the guy. It was Sandro’s uncle, uncle Felix. She turns to Sandro to see him displaying an annoyed expression at his uncle and he turns his gaze back to Selena. Putting on a smile, he held both of her shoulders and says to her. 

“I’ll be back, Tesoro Mio. Go ahead and have fun, alright? Love you.” 

He kisses her lips and walks towards uncle Felix. Selena just stares at them feeling slightly bothered by Sandro’s expression before being pulled by Selena to meet the rest of the family.

…

Getting in the limo, she waved to her family and friends goodbye, followed by Sandro behind her. The car drove away and she turns back to face Sandro who was smiling the whole time. He runs his hands down her arm and even pulls her closer so he could kiss her lips to her cheek and down her neck. She giggled at the ticklish sensation and he pulls back for a second, looking deeply into her green eyes with so much intensity. 

His blue eyes always seem to capture her every second. Just the lightness of it with flecks of the darker shade of blue made him so captivating.

“Why do you look at me like that, my love?” She asked him, gently running her thumb down his lips that was stain by her red lipstick. Something she has been doing since this morning seeing he can’t keep his hands off her.

A sudden vibration from the limo made both of them shake a little and Selena didn’t think much of it. It was probably a bump on the road but Sandro was looking behind the car and she too followed him. She notices a black Ranch Rover was behind them and nothing looks suspicious until she turns back to face Sandro.

Sandro felt a tug on his chest. A sudden sense of nausea and bitterness can be felt from the bottom of his throat. He had noticed the car since this morning near the church and now that it has been following them from every turns the limo made, he felt uneasy.

He turns back to face Selena's beautiful face and cup her cheek.

“Do you love me, Selena?’

Selen frowned at first then burst into a fit of laughter. She was so worried about Sandor at the moment and when he asks her this question, sounding like a little kid, she can’t help but find him adorable and oh so innocent.  

“I wouldn’t be your wife today if I didn’t love you, Sandro.” She replied to him.

Sandro releases a long sigh of relief yet the concern tugging from his chest was still present, only barely. 

“I just wanted to make sure, Tesoro Mio.”

“Why? Was it necessary? I’ve told you so many times about how much I love you. I would’ve thought you would get sick of it by now.” 

“I know but… I just... I just want to hear it again. It calms me.”

Selena smiled and cup his cheek. Liking his warm skin against hers and she could almost feel him purring at her touch.

“If you could feel what I am feeling right now, you would know how much I love you, Selena. How much I adore you, God… You, my love, are a dream come true. We are soulmates, Tesoro Mio. I won’t ever let you go. I love you so much…”

Tears prick her eyelids and she nodded at him. “Me too. I don’t ever want to let you go, my love. Amore Mio, my heart. My life…” 

Their moment was cut short when the only voice that could be heard as the limo turn over in a loud slam was Selena’s scream. She hears Sandro yelled for her but they weren’t able to reach out to each other as the rolling of the car made their body slammed against the seat, the ceiling, and the floor of the limo. Pain erupts through her body and she can feel her ribs snaps inside of her. She screams from the shock and blood blinds her left eye as she tried to look for Sandro.

The crash takes about 3 minutes until it stops and finally laying still on the road. Selena can feel her consciousness slowly leaving her but the need to find her husband made her push through her hazy vision.

She can feel the window of the car beneath her and blood flows down her face like an open tap. She was having the worst headache she had ever gone through and that’s when she knows that her head had made an impact on the car window. Causing the glass to break with her skull and left the tiny fragment of the window stuck on her flesh.

She slowly pushes her broken body to turn around and tears roll down her cheek, mixing with her blood to see Sandro lying on the floor unconscious. He too bleeds from his head with cuts and bruises marred his handsome face. Blood pools beneath his lips with the smell of gas and oil hurting her nose. 

Crowds were gathering around the limo, some trying to get to her while removing the debris but Selena kept her gaze towards her newlywed husband.

“Sandro…oh God, please... Sandro…”

She could not fight her unconsciousness any longer so slowly, she closes her eyes, and the last words he had spoken to her echoed in her ear, erasing this bad dream with the hopes of a more beautiful one to unfold…

…I won’t ever let you go. I love you so much…