Chapter 169

Chapter 169

Dante’s POV

The morning began quietly. For once, it wasn’t Bella’s excited voice that woke me. It was the steady rhythm of Elena’s breathing beside me.

I opened my eyes slowly, turning my head just enough to look at her. Sunlight slipped through the curtains, spilling across the bed in soft golden stripes that danced over her face. A few strands of hair had escaped during the night, resting against her cheek.

She looked peaceful. A smile found its way onto my lips before I could stop it.

There had been a time when I wondered if I’d ever wake up beside her again.

Now she was here.

My wife.

As though sensing my gaze, her eyelashes fluttered open.

“Good morning,” she murmured, her voice still thick with sleep.

“Morning.”

She smiled lazily. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

“I was trying to decide whether to wake you.”

“And?”

“I lost the argument.”

A soft laugh escaped her as she stretched beneath the duvet. “I’m glad.”

Before I could answer, the bedroom door burst open. “Daddy!”

A tiny whirlwind launched herself onto the bed, landing somewhere between us with enough force to make Elena squeal.

“Bella!” Elena laughed.

“What have we said about knocking?”

“I knock.”

“You definitely didn’t.”

“I forget.”

She climbed onto my lap without the slightest apology, wrapping her arms around my neck.

“I hungry.”

I chuckled, kissing the top of her head. “I should’ve guessed.”

“You make pancakes?”

I looked at Elena. “What do you think?”

She grinned. “I think we should let Daddy try.”

Bella gasped dramatically. “No.”

I placed a hand over my chest in mock offence. “You don’t trust my pancakes?”

She leaned closer and whispered loudly enough for Elena to hear. “They funny.”

Elena burst into laughter. “I think that’s a no.”

I sighed dramatically. “My own daughter has no faith in me.”

Bella frowned. “I have faith.”

“You do?”

“Mhm. But Grandma Peters make better pancakes.”

I laughed, unable to argue with her logic.

“Fair enough.”

After breakfast, Bella disappeared upstairs to brush her teeth while Elena carried the empty mugs into the kitchen.

I followed her, leaning casually against the counter.

“What are your plans today?” she asked.

“I was hoping the three of us could go out.”

She looked over her shoulder. “Just because?”

“Do I need a reason?”

Her eyes narrowed playfully. “You’ve got that look.”

“What look?”

“The one that says you’re planning something.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

She folded her arms. “Dante Moretti.”

I raised both hands in surrender. “I simply thought my girls deserved a day out.”

“My girls?”

“The two most important people in my life.”

The teasing smile on her face softened. “That sounds suspiciously sweet.”

“I’ve been told therapy improved my communication.”

She laughed, shaking her head. “I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

For a moment, neither of us spoke, then she stepped closer and slipped her fingers through mine.

“Alright,” she said softly. “You’ve convinced me.”

Just then, Bella came running back downstairs with Teddy tucked beneath one arm and a tiny backpack hanging from her shoulders.

“I ready!”

Elena blinked. “Ready for what?”

Bella smiled proudly. “I don’t know.”

“But Daddy say we go adventure.”

I looked at my daughter and smiled. “That’s exactly what we’re going to do.”

The botanical garden was even more beautiful than I’d remembered.

Bella darted from one flower bed to another, stopping every few seconds to point at something that had somehow become the most exciting discovery of her life.

“Mama! Look! A butterfly!”

Before either of us could answer, she was already chasing it, her laughter floating through the warm afternoon air.

Elena slipped her hand into mine. “You’ve been smiling all day.”

“Have I?”

“Mhm.” She nudged me lightly with her shoulder. “It’s nice.”

I smiled but said nothing. A few minutes later, we reached the small lake at the heart of the gardens.

Ducks drifted lazily across the water while children gathered along the wooden railing with little paper bags of feed.

Bella’s eyes widened. “Daddy!”

“Can I feed them?”

I laughed. “I thought you were going to ask anyway.”

She nodded unapologetically. “I was.”

Mrs. Peters chuckled. “I’ll go with her.”

Bella grabbed the paper bag from the attendant before taking Mrs. Peters’ hand.

“Come on, Grandma Peters! They waiting!”

As they wandered toward the water, I watched Bella skip happily beside her, completely unaware that today would become one of the most important days of our lives.

Elena leaned against the railing beside me. “You planned this, didn’t you?”

I turned to her, the breeze stirring the leaves above us. “I did.”

She searched my face for a long moment. “What are you up to, Dante?”

I looked past her to where Bella was laughing at a duck that refused to share its food.

My smile deepened.

“Something I’ve wanted to do for a very long time.”

Bella came running back a few minutes later, her cheeks flushed pink with excitement.

“Daddy!” she called, throwing herself into my arms. “One duck try take all the food.”

I laughed, steadying her against my hip. “Did he succeed?”

She shook her head proudly. “I tell him share.”

“I’m sure he appreciated the advice.”

She nodded as though that settled the matter.

I glanced at Mrs. Peters. “If you don’t mind… could you give Elena a minute? There’s something I’d like to ask Bella.”

A knowing smile crossed her face. “Of course.”

She gently touched Elena’s arm before leading her a few steps away, pretending to admire a bed of white roses nearby.

I crouched until I was eye level with Bella.

She tilted her head. “What we doing?”

“I wanted to ask you something, Princess.”

She waited patiently, hugging Teddy against her chest.

“You know how you’ve been calling me Daddy?”

A bright smile spread across her face. “Mhm.”

“I love it every single time you do.”

“I know.”

I chuckled.

“I was wondering… would you let me be your daddy forever?”

Bella blinked, her little forehead wrinkled in confusion.

“You already my daddy.”

The words hit me harder than I had expected. “I know,” I whispered, my voice suddenly thick. “But I’d like it to be forever.”

She stared at me for another second before breaking into the biggest smile.

“Forever very long.”

“It is.”

She nodded enthusiastically. “Okay.”

Then she wrapped her tiny arms around my neck. “You my daddy forever.”

I closed my eyes as I held her close, overwhelmed by the weight of a promise she had given so freely.

Behind us, I heard Elena’s quiet gasp.

I reluctantly loosened my embrace, smiling as Bella took my hand.

“Come on, Daddy.”

“Where are we going?”

She pointed toward a winding stone path lined with flowering trees.

“I don’t know.”

I laughed. “That’s very helpful.”

“It is.”

Mrs. Peters smiled knowingly before stepping forward.

“Bella, why don’t you show me those pink flowers you were talking about?”

Bella’s eyes lit up. “They so pretty!”

She tugged at Mrs. Peters’ hand, happily leading her away without another question.

I watched until they disappeared around the bend. Only then did I turn to Elena who hadn’t moved.

There were tears glistening in her eyes, but the smile on her face was unlike anything I’d ever seen.

“What?” I asked softly.

She shook her head. “I don’t think you understand what you just gave her.”

My throat tightened. “I think she gave me far more.”

Before Elena could answer, a young member of the garden staff approached us, pushing a small white cart decorated with ivory roses, wine-coloured ribbons and floating balloons.

He stopped beside us with a polite smile. “Mr. Moretti?”

I nodded.

“Everything’s ready, sir.”

Elena looked at me, then at the cart, confusion slowly giving way to realization.

The staff member carefully lifted the silver cover resting over a beautifully decorated cake.

Written across the top in elegant chocolate lettering were the words…This time… for love?

Elena’s hand flew to her mouth. She looked back at me, her eyes already filling with fresh tears.

“Dante…”

I reached into my jacket pocket, my fingers closing around the small velvet box I’d carried with me all morning.

My heart pounded harder than it had the day I’d stood before armed men.

Slowly, I lowered myself onto one knee.

Elena’s eyes widened. “Dante…”

“The first time I asked you to marry me,” I began, my voice quiet but steady, “I wasn’t offering you my heart.” I swallowed. “I was asking for your name.”

A tear slipped down her cheek.

“I gave you a ring that carried revenge instead of love. I gave you vows I never intended to honour.”

I opened the box. Inside rested a simple diamond ring that caught the afternoon sun.

“I can’t change how our story began.” I looked up at her. “But if you’ll let me… I’ll spend the rest of my life making sure you never doubt how it ends.”

Her lips trembled.

“You once became my wife because you thought it was an escape.” A faint smile touched my face.

“Today, I’m asking because I don’t want to spend another day of my life without choosing you.”

I held out the ring.

“Elena Carter…” My voice broke for the first time. “Will you marry me again?”

For a long moment, she simply stared at me through her tears. Then she laughed softly, wiping at her cheeks.

“I think…” she whispered, “…I’ve been waiting for you to ask me that since the day I fell in love with you.”

She nodded again, unable to stop smiling. “Yes.”

The single word wrapped itself around my heart.

“Yes, I’ll marry you again.”

Before I could stand, she closed the distance between us, throwing her arms around my neck as laughter and tears became one.

From somewhere behind us came Bella’s excited voice.

“Mama said yes!”

I looked up to see Bella clapping happily beside Mrs. Peters, completely unaware of why everyone else was crying.

I laughed, holding my girls close.

This time…I wasn’t marrying Elena because fate had trapped us together.

I was marrying her because, every single day, I would choose her all over again.