Cara's POV
It had been several weeks since I woke up from a coma, and yet, sometimes, it felt like I was still dreaming. Not because of the pain-it had dulled to a faint ache that I could ignore most days-but because of the people surrounding me now.
Luca was here, as he always was, his protective presence as solid and unwavering as ever. Gina and Diana too, who had quickly become fast friends and made sure I was never alone. But now, alongside them, were the Mikhailovs-Alexei and Ronan-two people I had never imagined would be part of my life. And the entire Russian mafia.
The Salvatores and the Mikhailovs had spent years spilling each other's blood, their feud lasting for decades. Now, here they were, forced into uneasy proximity because of me.
At first, every interaction felt like a chess game, each word chosen carefully, every gesture scrutinized. Alexei's sharp tongue clashed with Luca's stubbornness more than once, but neither of them ever let it escalate in my presence.
I loved Luca more than words could express, but I couldn't deny that some part of me was grateful for the Mikhailovs' presence too and I understood how difficult it was for him to put aside his feelings and try to have peace, a decision that made me forever thankful for him.
Ronan, I wasn't yet used to calling him father, had become something of a pillar for me. He didn't demand anything, didn't push-he simply sat with me sometimes, sharing stories about my mother, Elena. They were stories I didn't know I needed until I heard them, each one painting a picture of a woman I would never meet but already missed.
Alexei, for all his flaws, had also become less hostile and more accommodating in a way that surprised everyone, including himself. He was overprotective, almost to the point of annoyance, and the way he and Luca glared at each other when they thought I wasn't looking was enough to make me roll my eyes.
And slowly, things began to change. The walls that had been built between the two families for so many years started to crumble-not completely, not yet, but enough to let something new take root.
One morning, Luca arrived at the house with a leather folder tucked under his arm. He looked smug, which immediately made me suspicious.
"What's that?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him as he handed it to me.
"Open it and see," he said, his tone teasing but his gaze soft.
I flipped open the folder, my brows furrowing as I scanned the documents inside. It took me a moment to process what I was looking at.
"Rico's?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "Didn't you buy this long ago?" I asked, referencing when he'd still been a thorn in my side and bought the bar where I worked at.
Luca shrugged, his smirk widening. "Well, yeah. The only difference is that it's now in your name. For you to do whatever you see fit. Once you're fully recovered, of course."
For a moment, I was speechless. A part of me had always dreamed of turning the bar around, of making it into something more. But I'd never thought it was possible.
"Luca…" I started, but he cut me off, leaning down to press a soft kiss on my mouth.
"You deserve it, Cara," he said, his voice low. "You've always deserved it."
Tears threatened to fall from my eyes, but I managed to hold them back, throwing my arms around him instead.
Not everything was so serious, though. There were moments of levity, like watching Dominic and Diana tiptoe around each other.
They had disliked each other from the moment they met, their sharp words and icy glares a constant source of amusement for me. But somewhere along the line, something had shifted. Now, when Dominic walked into the room, Diana's cheeks turned pink, and when Diana laughed at one of his sarcastic remarks, and Dominic looked like he didn't know whether to be annoyed or delighted.
It was hilarious to watch, and I made no secret of my enjoyment.
"You're enjoying this too much," Diana muttered one evening when I caught her sneaking a glance at Dominic.
"Who, me?" I asked innocently, biting back a grin.
She shot me a withering look, but the blush creeping up her neck betrayed her.
Moments like this reminded me of how life had slowly returned to normal-or as normal as it could get, given everything that had happened. And with each passing day, I realized just how lucky I was to still have this life, these people, and the love that surrounded me.
But there was one moment that would change everything, that would mark the beginning of a new chapter for all of us.
The wedding.
Luca had proposed to me the night I regained consciousness, his eyes red and voice shaky but filled with relief as he held my hand. I'd said yes without hesitation, because how could I not? He was my everything.
The ceremony was small but beautiful, held in the garden of the Salvatore estate. It felt almost like a miracle to see Italians and Russians seated side by side, their differences set aside, if only for one day.
I wore a simple but stunning gown that Gina had helped me pick out, and when I walked down the aisle, the look on Luca's face made my heart skip a beat. He looked at me like I was the only thing in the world that mattered, and I knew it was true, because I felt the same way.
But it was later that night, while the guests continued their merriment downstairs, that he truly took my breath away.
I was sitting in my room, brushing out my hair after changing into a smaller cute dress for the after party, when the door creaked open.
"Luca," I said, smiling as he stepped inside. "You're supposed to be downstairs with everyone else."
He didn't say anything at first, just crossed the room and knelt in front of me, taking my hands in his.
"I couldn't wait," he said softly, his eyes searching mine.
"For what?" I asked, my brow furrowing in confusion.
"For this," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small piece of paper.
He unfolded it carefully, clearing his throat before he began to read.
"I, Luca Salvatore, take you, Cara Torello-or should I say, Katya Mikhailov-to be my wife. My partner. My equal. From this day forward, I promise to protect you, to cherish you, to fight for you, and to love you with everything I have."
His voice wavered slightly, and I felt my own eyes well up with tears.
"You've given me more than I ever thought I deserved, Cara. You've shown me what it means to truly live, and for that, I'll spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret choosing me."
By the time he finished, I was crying openly, unable to hold back the flood of emotion.
"You didn't say all of that during the ceremony," I whispered, my voice trembling.
He smiled, leaning in to press his forehead against mine. "Well, the part we recited at the altar was for everyone else. This? This is for you."
I closed the distance between us, my lips meeting his in a kiss that was slow and deep and full of every thing I hoped to say to him every day for the rest of our lives.
In that moment, surrounded by the love of my life, our families and the promise of a future that was finally ours, I knew one thing for certain; we had faced hell together and come out the other side. And no matter what the future held, as long as we had each other, we could face anything.