Chapter 200 Two Hundred
Chapter 200 Two Hundred
It’s been two weeks.
Two long, heavy weeks since that night.Since the blood.Since the fear. Since everything almost fell apart.
But somehow… they made it through.
Raven healed. Slowly, but she did.
Ganni stopped waking up screaming at night.
Matteo was recovering. Adrian was under watch, giving his statements.
And Elara… was locked away, exactly where she belonged.
Today… Raven was finally going home.
Giovanni stood beside her hospital bed, watching as she carefully adjusted her clothes.
“You ready?” he asked softly.
Raven looked at him and gave a small smile. “More than ready.Am so sick of this hospital.”
He nodded, stepping closer. “Careful,” he murmured, gently helping her off the bed.
She winced slightly as her feet touched the ground, but she stayed steady.
“I’ve got you,” Giovanni said, his arm wrapping around her waist to support her.
“Thank you,” she replied quietly.
They walked slowly out of the room together.
One last stop.
The doctor.
A few minutes later, they sat across from the doctor as he flipped through her file.
“You’ve healed well,” he said. “The wound is closing nicely. Just take it easy for a few more weeks. No stress, no heavy movement.”
Raven gave a small laugh. “I’ll try.”
Giovanni nodded. “She will.”
The doctor smiled faintly. “You’re free to go.”
Those words hit differently.
Raven let out a soft breath. “Finally…”
Giovanni squeezed her hand. “Let’s go home.”
The drive was quiet.
Peaceful.
Raven leaned her head lightly against the seat, watching the world pass by outside.
Giovanni kept one hand on the wheel… the other resting over hers.
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “Yeah… it just feels strange. Like everything happened so fast.”
He glanced at her. “It did.”
A small pause.
“But it’s over now,” he added.
Raven looked at him. “Is it?”
Giovanni didn’t answer immediately.
Then softly… “It will be.”
They pulled into the mansion driveway.
Raven frowned slightly. “Why does it look like… everyone’s home?”
Giovanni smirked a little. “Because they are.”
Before she could ask anything else…
The front doors opened.
“Surprise!”
Voices filled the air.
Raven froze.
Standing there was Alessandro Monti… his father. Isla Monti… his mother. Bianca… smiling brightly. Valeria Monti… waving excitedly.
And Gabriele… leaning casually but watching closely.
Raven blinked, completely caught off guard.
Giovanni helped her out of the car gently.
“You did this?” she asked softly.
He shrugged slightly. “You’ve been through a lot… figured you deserved something good.”
Raven’s eyes softened, emotion flickering through them.
Bianca rushed forward first. “Welcome home!”
Valeria followed right behind her. “We missed you!”
Isla stepped forward more calmly, her gaze warm. “It’s good to have you back, dear.”
Alessandro gave a small nod of approval. “You’re strong… I respect that.”
Raven didn’t know what to say.
For a second… she just stood there.
Then she smiled.
A real one.
“Thank you…” she said softly.
Ganni suddenly ran out of the house.
“Mummy!”
Raven’s face lit up instantly. “Hey, my baby…”
She bent slightly as he hugged her tightly, careful this time.
Giovanni watched them, his chest finally feeling light.
Gabriele stepped beside him, nudging him slightly. “Not bad, huh?”
Giovanni smirked faintly. “Yeah… not bad.”
As everyone gathered around Raven, laughter slowly filled the space…
It felt different.
War was behind them.
Family… was in front of them.
And for the first time in a long time.. The mansion truly felt like home.
The laughter slowly settled into something softer.
Warmer.
Real.
Raven stood in the middle of it all, Ganni still holding her, everyone around her… and for a moment, she just took it in.
This… was new.
This kind of peace.
Giovanni stepped closer, resting a hand gently on her back. “Let’s get you inside,” he said quietly.
She nodded. “Yeah… okay.”
Bianca and Valeria were already talking, arguing over who was going to bring food first.
“I made something!” Bianca said proudly.
“You always say that!” Valeria shot back.
“And it’s always good!”
Gabriele shook his head. “We’ll be the judges of that.”
A small laugh slipped from Raven’s lips.
Giovanni noticed… and smiled faintly.
He helped her sit down on the couch carefully. Ganni climbed right beside her, refusing to let go.
“I’m not leaving you, I hope you know that” he said seriously.
Raven brushed his hair back gently. “I never asked you to.”
Isla walked over, placing a tray on the table. “You need to eat something,” she said softly.
Raven looked up at her. “Thank you…”
There was a pause…
Then Isla reached out and squeezed her hand gently.
“You’re part of this family now, I'm so glad you survived everything” she said.
Raven’s eyes softened again. She nodded quietly.
Across the room, Alessandro stood with Giovanni, watching everything.
“You did well,” he said simply.
Giovanni glanced at him. “I almost lost everything.”
Alessandro nodded. “But you didn’t.”
A beat.
“That’s what matters.”
Giovanni looked back at Raven and Ganni.
Yeah…
That’s what mattered.
Later…
The house had calmed down a bit.
Everyone had eaten. The noise had faded.
Ganni had fallen asleep again, his head resting on Raven’s lap.
Raven leaned back into the couch, clearly tired.
Giovanni walked over and crouched beside her. “You should rest,” he said softly.
She nodded. “I will.”
He carefully lifted Ganni into his arms. The boy barely stirred.
“I’ll take him to his room,” Giovanni said.
Raven watched him for a second… then spoke quietly.
“Gio…”
He looked back at her. “Yeah?”
Her eyes held his.
“Thank you… for not giving up on us.”
Something in his expression shifted. Softer.
“Never,” he said simply.
Raven gave a small smile.
Giovanni carried Ganni upstairs, tucking him into bed gently. He stood there for a moment, watching his son sleep.
Then he turned and went back downstairs.
Raven was still there… waiting.
He walked over and sat beside her this time.
No distance.
No walls.
Just them.
Raven leaned her head lightly against his shoulder.
Giovanni didn’t move.
He just stayed there… letting the quiet settle around them.
Safe.
Together.
And finally…
At peace.