Page 233 of My Husband’s New Fiancée

Another.

“Because whatever happens, you're still the woman I love.”

Her gaze locks onto mine, that gaze that has always had the power to silence me.

“Yes. I’d love to marry you again. And make your life difficult until the end of our days.”

To my right, Andrea—who hasn’t missed a single second of this—pushes his chair back and loudly announces:

“She said yes!”

The room erupts.

Applause. Cheers. Raised glasses. My mother covers her mouth again. My father and Hugo’s father burst out laughing.

Valeria hides her face against my shoulder, half embarrassed, half delighted.

I kiss her forehead.

I have never been this happy in my life.

64. The Big Day

Valeria

Saturday, April 15

Today is the big day.

No veil. No wedding dress. No unnecessary spectacle. Just an ivory dress softly tracing the curve of my stomach.

Dante kneels in front of me and places both hands over my belly with an almost overwhelming reverence.

“Good morning, baby. Today’s the big day. The day I marry your mother again.”

I smile despite the emotion already tightening my throat.

Suddenly, I feel something beneath his hand.

A movement. Tiny.

Neither of us moves anymore. Dante’s eyes snap up to mine.

“The baby moved.”

The raw emotion in his voice steals my breath away.

*

Of course we arrive at city hall in the Lamborghini. Flamboyant. Almost indecent against the gray morning still damp from rain. The engine purrs with that restrained power that reminds me of Dante himself: controlled, but never far from violence.

“We’re going to have to change cars soon,” I tease.

He turns his head slightly toward me, perfectly serious.

“That’s already planned.”

“Excuse me?”