Epilogue

Epilogue
A heartfelt laughter tore out of their throat as they walked away from the glow of the wedding hall. Soft music slowly fading behind them.

Antonio and Eloise glanced at each other, grinning at how lovely Oliver and Laera's wedding had ended.

Overwhelmed with joy, they giggled as they headed to their car. On getting there, they paused for a moment and looked back.

Her smile was soft and dazed, as though some of the joy inside the hall had followed her out and settled beneath her skin.

She looked away with her smile and her gaze fell on Antonio, who had his eyes locked on her.

Staring at her the way he always did when she forgot the world was watching, like she was something rare, something he'd never grow tired of discovering.

His suit jacket hung loosely over his arm, his tie long forgotten.

Her lips parted.

Her heart races.

Her eyes stared longer than intended. Even with his hair a little bit messy, he always looks hotter than the previous day.

It made her remember, how they finally threw a wedding party a year ago, publicly announcing their union.

Tonight made her remember just how lovely and memorable that day was. A little drama had also occurred that day when Mary came to the gathering, begging to be re-employed, saying she never knew she was Antonio's wife all along, and the CEO of her own company.

But it was too late.

Antonio was never going to take her back.

Remembering all these now only made Eloise smile.

She glanced back at Antonio who gently opened the car door for her to get in.

" Thank you." She muttered.

" You're welcome, princess." He answered with a smile.

The drive home was quiet, the air filled with the ease that comes after a joyful moment celebrated.

When they arrive home. None of them stepped out of the car.

They glanced at each other before smiling again.

“ Laera looked so happy. I'm so happy for her.”

“ Same, I've never seen Oliver that happy. He wouldn't stop dancing.” He said and grinned, before looking back at her. “ You were glowing in there as well.” He said quietly.

She laughed, brushing her fingers against his. Letting them linger for a few seconds.

Just a touch, barely there, yet it sent a slow, knowing heat through his veins.

“ So were you,” she replied, eyes flicking up to his, playful but charged.

The longer he stares at her, the heavier the tension gets.

She could feel the heat coursing through her and heating up her cheeks.

Then she leaned closer, pretending to look out of the window, deliberately pressing her shoulder into his arm.

“ You barely kept your eyes on the road Mr. Antonio. You've been staring at me all night.” She murmured.

“Because you’ve been doing that thing,” he replied, voice rough.

“What thing?”

“Existing like you know exactly what you’re doing to me.”

Her laugh was low. Breathy. Dangerous.

The air between them felt swollen with everything unsaid.

His hand hasn't left the steering wheel, like it was the only thing grounding him.

She turned towards him fully now.

Her scent, the mixture of champagne and flowers, filled his nose and seeped into his senses.

Whatever she's doing to him, he wants to show her how well it's working.

She slid her fingers up his sleeve, slowly, enough to make him inhale sharply.

“ I have something for you.” She mumbled.

“ Not yet.” He shook his head, his voice, deep and hoarse.

He leaned closer, letting their foreheads touch.

Her lips hovered just slightly over his, close enough he could taste her breath, sweet and intoxicating. The pause stretched, delicious and cruel.

Until he couldn't wait any longer.

He pressed his lips against hers.

The kiss wasn't gentle. Like he's been starving, he claimed her lips like he hadn't had a taste for a long time, probably months.

She gasped into his mouth, fingers slipping into his hair, pulling him closer like she’d wanted to do this all day.

The kiss deepened, unhurried but intense, the kind that made time blur and thoughts dissolve.

His hand slid to her waist, firm and possessive, his thumb brushing bare skin beneath her dress.

She shivered.

“God,” she whispered against his lips, smiling like she knew exactly how undone he was.

He rested his forehead against hers again, breathing hard. “If we don’t go inside now,” he said, voice thick, “we’re not making it past that door.”

Her smile turned wicked. “Then stop talking.”

She opened the car door first.

Giggling, she locked fingers with him and pulled him along with her.

The moment they close the door behind them, all smiles disappear, all giggles turn into hot breath, and their lips crash against each other.

This time, the kiss was hot, rough, and needy.

Eloise pulled away, breathing heavily. “ I really have something for you.”

“ Now?”

“ Hmm.” She nodded.

He kissed her lips again, not wanting to stop, roaming his hand all over her body, but she forced herself to pull away again.

“ Antonio.”

“ It can't wait?”

“ No.”

He let out a grunt.

She chuckled.

Then she inhaled sharply before running upstairs and returning with something she seemed to be hiding behind her.

Her heart was racing. Her eyes fluttered as she looked at his curious eyes.

“ What's it?”

Slowly, she pulled it out and handed it over to him.

With a furrowed brow, Antonio opened the white sheet.

The more he read it, the more his facial expression changed.

Joy welled up in his chest, one he doesn't know how to contain. But the feeling of guilt wouldn't stop making his jaw and fist clenched.

Eloise’s face dropped upon seeing his expression.

“ I'm sorry.” He mumbled.

“ Wh..what are you sorry for?” Her heart starts beating faster, her palms getting sweaty.

He looked up at her with guilt. “ You said you don't want to have kids. And ever since, you never wanted to talk about it again because of how traumatizing it was for you. I thought maybe if you ever change your mind, you'd mention it again but...”

“ Antonio.”

“ I'm sorry I've been selfish.” His head dropped. “'Cause even right now, I know you don't want this, but I'm still happy. Joy is bubbling inside of me that you're carrying my child, that I'm going to be a father, that I'm going to have a child with you.

But I don't want to make you feel trapped. Like our companies forming a partnership for a project, like you getting pregnant…”

“ Hey, hey.” She giggled, tears of joy gathering in her eyes. She cupped his cheeks between her palms. “ It was my decision to join the project, and it's to get my company back on its feet. So don't even overthink that.

And in terms of having kids with you. I'm sorry I never discussed or made mention of it again. But I made up my mind a long time ago, that I want to have kids with you. Even before our wedding party.”

Antonio's eyes lit up immediately.

Smiling, she added. “ I've never been this happy in my life Antonio. My life finally feels complete. When I think of having kids with you, I have no fear or trauma like I thought I would, because I believe you'd never leave my side, you'd never let go of my hands.”

“ Never.”

“ So I want to make a new deal with the devil.”

He laughed. “ I'm the devil?”

“ Hm.” She nodded, beaming. “ My devil. I want to make a new deal, to be with you forever, to keep loving you, to keep making memories.”

“And to never let go of you.” He added before slamming his lips on hers. Diving his tongue right in when she gasped.

“ I love you, Eloise, I love you so much.” He murmured against her lips, their forehead touching. “ Not loving you is like not breathing.”

She grinned. “ I love you too, Antonio. More than I thought I could ever.”

He pecked her lips. “ Fuck!” He shouted happily and swept her feet off the floor, carrying her in her bridal style.

Eloise laughed.

“ We need to add one more baby to this.” He laughed and ran upstairs with her in his arms. The sound of her laughter echoed after them.

They filled the night with intense lovemaking, filling the house with joy, laughter, peace, and memories that lasted a lifetime.

" If being your devil means I get to keep you by my side, forever, then I’ll turn hell into heaven for you,” Antonio whispered, his vow dark and unbreakable.

" If makin
g deals with you means choosing you in every lifetime,” Eloise whispered back, meeting his gaze, “then I accept—no matter the cost.”

And they sealed the vow with a kiss.

Epilogue’s tag:

Nine months later, Eloise gave birth to a baby boy. Two years later, a baby girl followed.

Laera later welcomed triplets — two girls and a boy, proving chaos truly loved her.