Chapter 206 The End

Chapter 206 The End
Dante’s POV

Something about it didn’t sit right. It wasn't entirely wrong, but just too deliberate.

My gaze stayed on her long after the words settled.

I didn’t ask why yet, I was already thinking it through.. Turning it over. Weighing it. Stripping it down to every possibility.

She had shown up unarmed. Apologized. Gifted more than most people ever would just to make peace.

The penthouse alone—no, not just the penthouse. Everything behind it. The sacrifice. The weight behind the single act.

So why this?

My jaw tightened slightly and my shoulders followed at once.

Then I felt a gentle shift to my side, drawing my attention.

I turned just as Serena stepped closer behind me, just resting slightly on me. That snapped me back.

“Why do I have to come with you? Can't it be done here?” I asked.

Mrs. Romano’s eyes flickered briefly between us before settling back on me, calm as ever.

“If I intended to harm you,” she said evenly, “I wouldn’t have come like this.”

She wasn’t wrong. If she wanted me dead, she wouldn’t be standing here asking.

She wouldn’t have come at all.

“And besides, you both literally own everything now, if I as much as take a strand of hair from your head, I can count myself and my family dead,” she added and I nodded slowly as my gaze sharpened slightly.

I guess she did her homework.

Serena and I didn’t stand exposed anymore. We owned the board, every angle. Every outcome.

So no… this wasn’t a trap. But it was certainly something big.

And I needed to know what.

I exhaled slowly, then nodded once. “Fine.”

Serena’s hand brushed lightly against my arm before I moved.

“I’m coming with you,” she said.

My head turned slightly towards her. “No,” I replied more instinctively than anything.

Her brows pulled together just slightly. “Dante—”

“I don’t know what this is yet.”

“And I do,” she replied, just as steady.

That made me pause and look at her fully now.

There was no hesitation in her eyes. No fear.

“I’m not letting my husband go alone,” she added and that pulled a smile from me

A second passed. Then another.

I studied her for a moment longer… then gave in with a small nod.

She is my wife.

“Stay close then,” I muttered and she just smiled back.

As we made our way towards the car, some of our men stepped forward to join us, but I stretched out a hand, stopping them.

“Sit this one out,” I ordered. “Shawn,” I called and he stepped forward. “Ensure everything goes smoothly and the wedding wraps up smoothly, no fights, no scandals.”

He nodded and I made my way back to her car.

I opened the car door myself with my other hand still holding the suitcase, but regretted as the movement pulled slightly at my side.

A faint reminder of the hell I went through just over a week ago.

I clenched my jaw as I slid in beside Serena.

The bruising hadn’t fully faded. The damage Luca left behind, physically and mentally, hadn’t completely settled either. I still felt the pain of the disgrace.

The scars and burns still lingered in the way my body resisted certain movements… in the quiet ache that came and went without warning.

Not enough to slow me down. But enough to keep me reminded.

I settled in, reaching out and wrapping my hand around Serena's.

She turned and stared at me with a smile, then looked ahead as the car rolled out.

I gulped hard again as I knew how risky this was, but I wasn't in any way ready to sit it out.

Afterall, if anything goes wrong…

I reached for the gun I had strapped to the waist of my trousers, can't be too sure even in weddings.

…I can handle it.

And if I couldn’t—

I didn’t finish that thought, I just relaxed into the seat as the drive went by quietly.

I watched the road ahead with my mind working in the background, marking out the turns and recognizing the routes without consciously trying to.

Issabella sat by Serena's side but didn't say a word, she looked a ghost of herself since she arrived.

Then, as they took a turn, I recognized the familiar road ahead.

I narrowed my gaze slightly as they took another turn.

Then it clicked.

My hangar.

The realization settled slowly—but firmly.

Why here?

I didn’t speak. Didn’t ask. I just waited to watch it all unfold.

The car slowed down to a stop just at my hangar and we stepped out.

The air felt different here. Open. Wide. Familiar in a way that settled deeper than I expected.

She didn’t wait. Mrs. Romano simply turned and walked ahead, motioning for us to follow.

I did, so did Serena and Issabella who caught up with her mom. Serena stayed beside me this time.

She led us towards the back and I kept silent as she navigated my own property like it was her.

And just as we reached the corner—

“I had it delivered this morning,” she said and I squinted my eyes.

Then as we turned the corner, my eyes fell on it.

At first, it didn’t quite register. My eyes landed on the structure ahead—on the shape, the outline—and my mind refused to place it.

Because it didn’t make sense. It shouldn’t have been there.

But it was.

My steps slowed till they finally stopped completely.

No. That wasn’t—

My gaze sharpened, locking onto it fully now. Locking onto the aircraft that stood still, silent… whole.

My chest tightened. “That’s not possible,” I muttered under my breath.

It was the same. Every line. Every detail.

The same aircraft that had gone down in flames. The same one that had been bombed down from the sky with me in it, the same one I watched burn piece by piece.

And yet—

There it was.

Intact. Real.

My fingers curled slightly at my side.

“How?” The word came out nowhere near my normal tone.

Mrs. Romano stepped forward, stopping just ahead of us.

“Your dad must have told you how he got it,” she started and I didn't say a word, just stared ahead. “He must have also told you there were only two of its kind in the world.”

My gaze didn’t leave the aircraft for a second.

“I remember,” I muttered.

Then her voice continued. “Good, one belonged to him, then you.”

She paused, then continued. “The other… belonged to my husband.”

That made my eyes shift just slightly.

“You see,” she added, “while he was busy tearing yours apart… his own remained untouched.”

My jaw tightened.

“He stopped flying long before everything escalated,” she continued. “And after that… it just sat there.”

Her gaze moved briefly towards it. “Unused. Forgotten and pretty much collecting dust.”

Silence stretched.

“I had it cleaned up, painted with its original color and modified where needed,” she said. “Reconditioned too and brought back to full capacity.”

My chest rose slowly, falling harder.

“And now,” she finished up with her voice steady, “it’s yours.”

The words settled in layer by layer. Then my gaze returned to it.

To my aircraft. Not just metal. Not just a machine.

But a memory. A legacy.

My father’s voice echoed faintly in the back of my mind. The first time he walked me through it. The pride in his eyes. The weight of what it represented.

It had never just been about flying. It was… ours.

And when Luca destroyed it—

Something in me had gone with it. Something I hadn’t bothered to name.

Till now.

My throat tightened slightly.

Beside me, Serena shifted closer, not saying a word though, just hanging around.

Her presence steadied everything and I let out a slow breath.

Then nodded once. “Thank you.”

The words were simple. But they carried everything I couldn't possibly say.

Mrs. Romano inclined her head slightly. “I couldn’t undo what was done,” she replied. “But I could return what was taken.”

A small silence followed as I walked over and ran my hands over the body, just making sure it was real, it was there.

“Goodbye, Dante,” Mrs. Romano said, pulling me back.

I walked over to them, reaching Serena's side at once. “Where to now?” I asked and she shrugged.

“Anywhere I can enjoy the rest of my retirement. I'm done with the mafia life, I just want to enjoy the rest of my days with nature and family,” she added, pulling Issabella close.

I nodded slowly, then glanced towards Isabella.

She held my gaze for a brief second before offering a faint, restrained smile.

“I guess this is goodbye,” she said quietly.

“We’ve had our moments,” she added. “Some good. Some not so much.”

Then took a deep breath.

“But you’re happy now,” she added, and my hand found Serena’s without thinking.

“I’ve never been happier,” I whispered and she just smiled.

That was the truth. No complications, just the truth. With Serena, I've never been happier.

Knowing I'll have her by my side for the rest of my years does more to me than I could ever say.

Mrs. Romano coughed slightly then pulled Issabella as they walked away.

I took one last glance back at the plane before wrapping my hands around Serena and following them.

And as we got to their car, Mrs. Romano looked between us one last time before nodding.

“Take care of each other,” she said and I smiled.

“I intend to,” I replied.

She nodded once and stepped in after Issabella.

And as the car rolled out, her glass came down and she looked out.

“Goodbye, Mr. And Mrs. Darena,” she called out, and with that, the car zoomed off.

I watched the car disappear before turning slightly towards Serena.

“Do you want to go back to the ceremony?” I asked.

Her brows lifted faintly. “Do we have to?”

A small smile pulled at my lips and I got a crazy idea. “No, we don't.”

I took her hand. “Come on,” I said and led her to the garage of the Hangar, picking one of the cars there and hopping in.

“You keep cars here too?” She asked and I shrugged.

“Easy get away,” I smirked and hit drive.

I followed the instructions inside the suitcase, and in a short while, we pulled up at what I'm meant to take as my penthouse now.

The figure stood wider and much bigger than the one I had.

It looked different too with more structures around and even a gate now.

I stepped out and quickly shuffled through the case before finding the key labeled with ‘Gate’ and unlocked it.

The gate swung open on its own and we drove in.

Everything looked stunning with the materials around looking nothing short of breathtaking.

I parked just by the door and stepped out with Serena, having to search through the case to get the key for the door, also labeled.

We walked inside and everything in it was untouched and looking all brand new.

Doors after that opened on their own with a lock system by their side, something we would set when we're ready.

We made our way through every room around without as much as saying a word, just taking it in.

Then as we went up the stairs, Serena muttered, “this is beautiful…”

I didn't say anything, but I couldn't agree any better.

We made our way up till we ended up on the veranda.

The city stretched out in front of us as the sun had begun dimming down now, settling for the day.

Serena stepped forward slightly, resting her arms on the rail as she leaned forward.

I followed after a while, stopping behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her to myself.

She smiled and turned to face me, placing her hand on her belly, on our future.

My hand slid down gently too… resting over her hand on her tummy.

Then I lowered my head slightly. “Still my piccola?”

She didn’t waste a second. “Always.”

I smiled then reached lower and kissed her.

And for the first time in a long time—

Everything felt complete.