Chapter 152

Chapter 152
Ava

The house in Axton City felt like a planning station these days, all thanks to Carlo and Mila's wedding. Lists were everywhere: flowers, food, music, the perfect spot for the ceremony. It was a happy mess, and I loved every minute of it. It felt good to focus on something so full of light, especially with the quiet shadow that still seemed to follow Dimitri.

He didn't say much, but I could feel the tension in him. He spent more time in his study, and his calls were always private, his voice low. Lena and his team seemed to be everywhere, their watchful eyes a constant reminder that even in times of peace, Dimitri's world never truly rested.
One afternoon, I was out with Mila, looking at fabrics for the wedding decorations. We were walking near the downtown area, close to where Dimitri's new city project was being built. Even from a distance, I could see a small group of people holding signs, protesting. They weren't loud or violent like the ones before, but they were there, making noise.

"Oh, another protest," Mila said softly, shaking her head. "It seems like there's always something. Just when you think things are calm."
I nodded, feeling a familiar worry creep into my heart. "Dimitri says they're just 'gnats.' Small things, annoying, but not dangerous." But his tired eyes and his short answers told me it was more than just gnats. It was something that dug at him, something stubborn.

Mila squeezed my arm. "Well, let's focus on happy things. This velvet for the chair ties... do you think the soft green or the dusty blue would look better with the flowers?"

Her simple focus on the wedding pulled me back. That was her strength. She found joy and purpose in small, good things. And Carlo, my brother-in-law, was finding it with her. It was a beautiful thing to see him so settled, so genuinely happy. He even seemed stronger, able to stand up for his choices against people like his old friend Marco. That made me incredibly happy for him.

Later that day, back in my studio, I started to paint. I had bought a huge canvas, one of the biggest I'd ever worked on. I wanted to capture this feeling of our lives right now. The bright, hopeful energy of the wedding, the new love blossoming between Carlo and Mila, and the calm that Liam brought to our days. But also, the darker, unseen worries that Dimitri carried, the constant fight against hidden enemies.

I used vibrant yellows and soft pinks for one side of the canvas, swirling them into shapes that felt like laughter and new beginnings. But then, I mixed deep grays and blues, dark, heavy colors, for the other side, letting them bleed into the brighter shades. It wasn't a pretty picture, not in the classic sense. It was messy, full of contrasts. But it felt real. It felt like our life.

As I painted, I thought about Dimitri. How he worked so hard to keep our world safe so I could focus on colors and wedding plans. He dealt with the ugliness so I didn't have to. It was a heavy burden, and sometimes I felt helpless, wishing I could do more.
But then I remembered his words about my art: "It makes me feel... calm." Maybe that was my part. To bring beauty, and calm, and light into his hard world. To remind him what he was fighting for.

That evening, Dimitri came into the studio. He looked tired, his shoulders a little slumped. He didn't say anything, just walked over and stood beside me, looking at the canvas.

"It's... busy," he murmured, his eyes tracing the lines, the way the bright colors fought with the dark ones.
"It's life," I said softly, looking at the painting. "The joy and the worry. The light and the shadow." I paused, then added, "It's all mixed together, isn't it?"
He nodded, a deep sigh leaving him. "Always." He reached out, his finger gently tracing a line of bright yellow that cut through a dark blue patch. "But the light always seems to break through."

"It does," I confirmed, leaning my head on his shoulder. "Because we make it. We choose it."
He didn't talk about his "gnats" or the protests. He didn't need to. I knew he was fighting them, quietly, in his own way. And my job was to keep our home filled with the light, with the joy, with the hope that moments like Carlo's wedding brought. It was a different kind of fight than Dimitri's, but it was just as important. It was about creating, about nurturing, about making sure that even in a world full of shadows, there was always a bright, shining space for happiness and love.
And right now, that space felt like a wedding being planned, a new life beginning, and a canvas full of messy, hopeful colors.

Carlo

Planning a wedding was a lot more work than I ever thought it would be. I used to think weddings just happened, like magic. But with Mila, every little detail mattered. Not because she wanted it to be fancy, but because she wanted it to be meaningful. And that made me want to get every detail right, too.

We spent hours at the library or at small coffee shops in Axton City looking at different ideas. Mila wanted a simple ceremony in a garden, with lots of natural light and green plants. She said it felt more real, more like us. And I agreed. My old life had been all about work and danger; this wedding was about us, truly.
Ava was a huge help. She was excited about everything, from the color of the flowers to the type of music. She seemed to know exactly what Mila wanted even before Mila said it. It was nice to see her so happy and focused, too.

"We need to book the garden space soon," Ava said one afternoon, holding up a list. "The good ones get taken quickly, especially this time of year."
Mila had found a beautiful private garden that could be rented for small events. It was perfect. It felt hidden, away from the city's noise, but still easy to get to. We called the owner, a nice older lady named Mrs. Hawthorn, and set up a time to visit.

When we arrived, Mrs. Hawthorn greeted us with a warm smile. The garden was even more beautiful than in the pictures, with winding paths and bright flowers everywhere. Mila's eyes lit up.
"It's perfect, Mrs. Hawthorn," Mila said, her voice full of joy. "Exactly what we hoped for."
Mrs. Hawthorn nodded, her smile fading just a little. "It is a lovely space. And I was so happy to hear from you, Carlo. Your family has always been good to us. But there's a small problem, dear."

My heart gave a little thump. "A problem?" I asked. I hoped it wasn't about money. I had plenty of that.