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Smiling, I cut off a piece of my cheesecake and bring it to my lips.

Lev is watching me, his eyes fixed on my lips. I slide the cake into my mouth, savoring the delicious taste of blueberry and vanilla. That’s the other thing I’ll miss when we go home. The food here is just as divine as everything else. I set my fork down and look at him.

“You’re watching me again,” I say.

He smirks and cocks his head. “I’m always watching you, printsessa. You should know that by now.”

I laugh, loving his possessiveness over me.

“Come here.” He crooks his finger.

I push my chair back and rise. Then I drift toward him, and he pulls me onto his lap. His arm closes around my waist, and I immediately feel at home.

“I have something for you,” he says.

I give him a curious look. “What more could you possibly give me?”

“There’s a lot more I can give you, printsessa.” He reaches into his pocket and produces a small clear bag containing shredded paper.

I stare at it with narrowed eyes, confused. “What is this?”

“Our contract. It doesn’t exist anymore.”

I suck in a breath as the meaning settles in. This is the document that began our marriage, and he destroyed it.

“What happens now?” I think of everything that contract was supposed to mean. My father is dead, but everything is still held in Gabrielle’s name.

“It means everything belongs to you. Everything your father owned. I had my lawyers uncover proof of Corrado’s fraud. They’re restoring your identity legally and ensuring that everything your father placed under your sister’s name—including your great-aunt’s inheritance—passes to you.”

I look at him in utter disbelief. “I can’t believe you did this.”

“I never wanted the money, Allegra. It’s all yours. It belongs to you now. You deserve the freedom to decide what happens to it. I know it won’t erase what happened to you and your sister, but maybe you can use it to build something new. I also don’t want the future of our marriage governed by the contract we signed.”

I reach out and touch his cheek. “Thank you. That means a lot to me.”

He isn’t simply returning my inheritance. He’s giving me control over my life.

“That wasn’t the real present.” He chuckles.

Through my tears, I laugh, too. “What’s the real present, Lev? Don’t you think that was more than enough?”

“No, it wasn’t.” Now he pulls out an envelope. “Open it.”

Excitedly, I open the envelope. Inside is a letter bearing the New York University logo. I glance at him before pulling it out, my hands shaking as I read the first line.

“Oh my God. Lev, this is an acceptance letter.”

“You deserve to study art as you’ve always wanted. A little bird told me about your dream.”

I smile. Anushka. She really is the best friend I could ever hope for.

“I picked New York because it keeps you close, but you can study wherever you want.”

“I’ll go there. It keeps me close to you.” I throw my arms around him. “Thank you so much. Oh my God.”

He kisses my forehead, then trails his hand down my arm. His thumb gently brushes the contraceptive implant beneath my skin.

“When you’re ready, you can have this removed. Then we’ll start our family. I want our children to know how much their father loves their mother.”