Page 199 of The Art of Ruin

“Fair.”

She hands me a glass before leaning against the railing beside me. Down below, Adriano says something to Matteo without taking his eyes off me once.

“You know,” Isabella says casually, “Nico looked at me like that too before we got married.”

I glance sideways at her. “Used to?”

“Oh no, he still does.” She sighs dramatically. “It’s honestly exhausting being this adored.”

I laugh despite myself.

The sound must carry because Adriano’s mouth twitches slightly from below.

Even now, that tiny expression still affects me embarrassingly fast.

“You’re happy,” Isabella says quietly after a moment.

Not a question.

I look toward the sea for a second before answering honestly. “Yeah,” I admit softly. “I really am.”

And I am.

Not in the dramatic, all-consuming way I used to think love had to feel.

Just…steady.

Easy. Completely.

Like waking up every morning and knowing somebody is going to choose you gently.

The thought settles warmly in my chest as my fingers brush absently against the engagement ring on my left hand.

The diamond catches sunlight instantly.

I still haven’t fully adjusted to seeing it there.

Not because the proposal wasn’t perfect.

God, it was painfully perfect.

Adriano took me back to the bookstore from our first real date, waited until I was crying over a signed first edition like the emotionally unstable woman I apparently am, then got down on one knee between the history shelves while telling me he wanted to spend the rest of his life loving me loudly enough that I never questioned it again.

I cried so hard that Matteo called it “deeply concerning.”

Looking back, I probably should’ve been embarrassed.

Instead, I mostly just can’t wait to marry him.

The thought still feels surreal sometimes.

Me.

Marrying Adriano Mancini.

If someone had told me two years ago I’d end up engaged to a terrifyingly beautiful Italian billionaire with control issues and a praise kink, I probably would’ve called for a psych hold.

Now, I mostly just wonder how quickly I can get him upstairs before dinner.