Chapter 164 Epilogue: Isabella Cortez-Rossi
Chapter 164 Epilogue: Isabella Cortez-Rossi
The mirror in the bridal suite of the Mateo's mansion didn’t reflect a ghost anymore. The woman who stared back at me was no longer the lost and broken girl who had arrived more than a year ago, burdened by secrets and haunted by the past.
Eight months had passed since the chaos of childbirth, the harrowing experience that had brought my precious twins into the world, and as I stood in my silk-and-lace gown, the exquisite fabric shimmering in the soft light, I saw a woman who finally knew where she stood, a woman who had found her strength, her purpose, her place in the world.
"I look amazing" I almost giggled.
My hair was swept up in an elegant updo, held in place by a delicate diamond comb, its sparkling brilliance mirroring the joy in my eyes, and the pear-cut sapphire on my finger, casting a dazzling array of blue hues across the room.
"Girlll," Olga whispered, stepping up behind me, her voice filled with emotion, her eyes sparkling with tears. Her strawberry-blonde bob was perfectly styled, each strand meticulously in place, and her makeup was flawless.
She adjusted my veil with a sniffle, her hands trembling slightly with emotion. "Look at you, Isabella. From a messy apartment in Berlin, to a literal queen, about to marry your prince in a castle. It's like something out of a fairy tale. If you cry and ruin this makeup, after all the hours I've spent perfecting it, I will kill you myself, I swear." She was the one crying.
I laughed. "I’m not going to cry, Olga. I’m too happy to cry"
A soft knock on the door signaled the start of the ceremony, the moment I had been dreaming of. Mateo’s mother stepped in, her presence regal and commanding, her emerald dress shimmering with understated elegance, her demeanor radiating grace and poise.
Since my own biological parents were now nothing more than names on a legal document I’d tucked away, a painful reminder of a past I had chosen to leave behind, there was only one person I wanted by my side, the woman who had become my surrogate mother, my confidante, my friend. She offered her arm, her eyes shimmering with pride, her smile radiant with love.
"Are you ready, my daughter?" she asked.
"Ready," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly with emotion, my heart overflowing with joy.
Goodness! I wanted to scream. We both agreed on a private wedding. Just small gathering.
The ceremony in the garden was a sanctuary of white roses. I walked down the aisle on the arm of the Rossi matriarch. The Berlin group was in the front row—Ben in a lavender suit and Joshua standing like a stiff, proud soldier next to Jake.
At the end of the aisle stood Mateo. He wasn't the cold billionaire tonight.
He was a man whose eyes were locked onto mine as if I were his entire world. We exchanged our vows, but my gaze drifted to the lawn. There, on a blanket, was Lucian. He was busy playing a frantic game of peek-a-boo with Mateo Jr. and Sofia; my twins.
Seeing him so happy made the memory of the past months fade. Rafiq was gone—after his desperate attempt to hurt the boy, Mateo had used every ounce of his influence to ensure the man was locked away. Thirty months in a high-security cell was a small price to pay for the peace we now felt. Rafiq was restricted from ever coming near Lucian again, a legal wall built of iron until Lucian was old enough and want to see him again.
That i doubt.
Later, at the reception, one of the Rossi uncles presented us with a gift—a statue of a woman made of pure, solid gold.
"For Isabella," he announced.
Just that? I wonder if he really gives people a golden silhouette of themselves.
As the night deepened, I stepped onto the building. A figure moved in the shadows, and Mateo was instantly at my side. It was Lukas Berger. He looked peaceful. Mateo’s hand tightened on my waist, but I placed my hand over his, showing Lukas the sapphire ring.
"Congratulations, Isabella," Lukas said quietly. "I saw the news. I’m officially signing on as an investor for your Wellness Center. Consider it a tribute to the future you’re building."
He gave a polite nod and disappeared into the crowd. He was a closed chapter. I didn't care about where Valentina was, and I had long since cut off Nathan. They were no longer part of my story.
A soft thud on the grass made us turn. Mateo Jr. had managed to crawl his way across the terrace, grabbing for a table cloth.
"Look at this," Mateo grumbled, though his face melted into a smile as he scooped up the boy. "He’s a menace. A literal mini-me. Between this one and Lucian, I’m outnumbered. There is way too much 'Mateo' material in this house now."
I laughed, leaning my head on his shoulder. "You chose the name yourself, Rossi. And besides, Lucian loves it."
I looked toward the study, where a framed document sat on the desk.
Lucian Mateo Rossi. He wasn't a ward or a temporary guest anymore. He was our eldest son, the brother who would protect the two babies now giggling in the grass.
I looked across the lawn and saw Mateo’s mother sitting on a stone bench, baby Sofia cradled in her arms. "Sofia is carrying Sofia," I whispered.
The alleyway was a lifetime ago. I looked at my husband, my sons, and my daughter, and for the first time in twenty-five years, the world was quiet.
I was Isabella Cortez-Rossi. And I was finally, completely, home.
THE END.