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Epilogue
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2025-12-31 21:31:32
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The Mafia Devil’s Wrong Bride Epilogue
Annalissa HaleThe sun pours over the garden across the lawn where Kian and Hania chase each other around the small fountain. Dante sits on the porch, a few steps away from me, leaning back with one elbow on the railing, eyes trained on the twins. He hasn’t moved closer than that, hasn’t intruded or forced a single conversation. Even after all the upheaval, he’s patient, respectful of the boundaries I’ve drawn. I don’t know if I’m more afraid of him overstepping or of letting myself care again.Three months. Three months of cautious introductions, quiet afternoons, and carefully measured interactions. The twins have accepted that Dante is their father, though not without questions and stubborn resistance at first. I’ve spent long nights preparing how to guide them through it, shielding them while allowing the connection to grow naturally. And now, seeing him sit there, hands loosely clasped, silent, observing, waiting for them to invite him, there’s a tentative peace I didn’t think
The Mafia Devil’s Wrong Bride 202
Annalissa HaleSunlight spills across the garden. The soft murmur of guests mingling floats through the air. I stand by the window of the dressing room, adjusting the hem of my dress for the fifth time. The past few days has been a whirlwind. Dante’s revelation, the confrontation, the lingering tension with Ivan, and the constant balancing act of keeping the twins’ existence secret.I take a deep breath, letting the perfume of fresh flowers in the room mingle with the faint scent of my own nervousness. This day isn’t about the past, I remind myself. It’s about my sister, and keeping some semblance of normalcy for the twins. But even as I tell myself that, I can’t ignore the flutter of guilt that stabs at my ribs. The thought of Dante, how I hurt him, how he hurt me? sits heavy, unwelcome, yet persistent.The twins burst into the room like a pair of wild hurricanes, Kian tugging at my sleeve, Hania examining her bow tie in the mirror.“Mummy, do I look okay?” Kian asks, spinning in pla
The Mafia Devil’s Wrong Bride 201
Dante RomanoThe lodge is quiet except for the faint hum of the fireplace. Shadows stretch across the walls. I sit in the worn leather armchair, glass of whiskey in hand, staring into the amber liquid as if it holds the answers I’m too stubborn to find elsewhere. Across from me, Mackenzie sits, posture impeccable, notebook closed on her lap. She doesn’t speak immediately, letting me stew in silence.At this point, she’s life of my therapist than my assistant.“I’ll ask again,” she says finally. “Do you really think leaving Issa alone all these years was an act of betrayal? Or do you think it might have been an act of survival?”I snort, the bitter whiskey burning down my throat. “Survival? She abandoned me. She walked away. My children… gone, and she just left.”Mackenzie tilts her head, eyes sharp. “You’re framing it as abandonment because that’s the pain you know. But consider this, what if she left because she needed to protect them? Protect herself? Protect you from… from the wron
The Mafia Devil’s Wrong Bride 200
Dante RomanoThe MuseCo building is quiet this afternoon, the usual hum of corporate activity muted in the hallways. I sit at the sleek conference table in Mackenzie’s office, fingers drumming against the polished wood. She places a folder in front of me.“These are the files you asked about,” Mackenzie says. “All the school info they compiled on the twins, student records, parent contacts, enrollment details.”I open the folder carefully, flipping through the papers. Enrollment forms. Evaluation reports. Notes on classroom performance. And then… my breath catches. Two names jump out at me: Kian and Hania. Their last name? Hale.It can’t be.The dates of births, the same ones as the day we lost the twins. The guardian name, Annalisa Hale. The parent contact info, it all aligns. My hands tighten around the folder, knuckles whitening.“They’re issa’s,” I mutter, voice barely audible. “Both of them.”Mackenzie raises an eyebrow. “What?”I lean back, trying to process. Six years of grief.
The Mafia Devil’s Wrong Bride 199
Annalissa HaleThe scent of roses and lilies fills the air as I move between flower stands with the twins trailing closely behind, tugging at my hand and pointing at swatches they like. Clarissa’s wedding is less than a few weeks away, and we’re finally tackling the floral arrangements for the ceremony. I force a smile as I hold up a blush-toned peony, twisting it between my fingers.“Is this the one, mummy?” Hania asks, eyes wide and hopeful.I nod absently, my attention partly on the phone buzzing in my bag. Again. I try not to check it, it’s probably just work, but the buzzing doesn’t stop. “Or maybe this one?” Kian waves a bright yellow lily in front of me.I glance down at him and can’t help but smile genuinely. Their enthusiasm is infectious, and for a moment, I’m grounded in something real. I let the twins wander for a moment as I check the latest flower swatches on my phone. Clarissa’s texts are nonstop, suggestions, reminders, excitement, and I respond in short bursts, tryi
The Mafia Devil’s Wrong Bride 198
Dante RomanoI sit in the sleek black leather of my car, engine off, hands loosely gripping the wheel. Across the street, the playground of Leclair Academy is alive with noise: children running, laughing, shouting. My eyes narrow, scanning the small figures moving among the swings and jungle gyms. Something about the way Issa reacted when I mentioned the school won’t leave me alone. I can’t place it yet, but it’s nagging at the edges of my mind, persistent and insistent.I promised myself I wouldn’t dig into her life, that I wouldn’t cross lines I swore never to cross again. But the flicker of unease, the sense that she knows more than she should, pulls at me. Mackenzie’s voice comes back to me: “You’re still affected by her, whether you admit it or not. Maybe seeing things from her point of view would help you move on.”I start the engine, ignoring the honks from the impatient parents. I don’t need closure; I need answers. I call Mackenzie on the secure line. “Mack, check the school,
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