Page 87 of Beautiful Vows

“Rico…” Eduardo gasps out my father’s name. There’s a plea in his voice, but Dad is unmoved as he stands in front of the table where Eduardo is slumped. “You’re dead. You’re …”

“I’m obviously not dead.”

“I saw your body,” Eduardo states.

Dad shakes his head. “I did what I had to do. Because you and my father were the evil that ruined Aurora Moretti,” he states, standing beside me. “And I’m ashamed to say that my daughter killed my father because I was too much of a coward to do it myself.”

Eduardo narrows his eyes as he turns to me as the realization of what I’m capable of dawns on him.

“But your death belongs to me. I owe Aurora for the anguish you put her through before she left her daughters alone in this world. I owe her and her daughters for not keeping them safe, as I promised her.” Dad continues.

Eduardo’s eyes plead before he begs, “Please have mercy.”

But it’s futile. Rico’s resolve is unshakeable.

“We can talk about this,” Eduardo pleads once more.

He aims his gun at Eduardo’s torso, and says, “I owe you... nothing but…” His voice is cold and final. Much colder than I’ve ever heard, “also everything.”

A gunshot echoes through the room.

A dark stain spreads across Eduardo’s white shirt as his body sags. His lifeless eyes stare ahead for a moment before his face slams on the table in front of him.

As the echo of the shot fades, I stand there with a strange sense of emptiness engulfing me. The goal I’ve worked towards for so long has been achieved, but not by my hand.

“I need the cleaners to the Hotel Palace Versailles within the next twenty minutes,” Antonio says into his cell. “A body bag. And get Ivan to manipulate the footage. Delete anything with Eduardo Gallo.” He disconnects and says, “Let’s go. The party is next door.”

Dante wraps his arms around my shoulders. “It’s over now.”

I nod as I look at Rico, my dad, seeing him in a new light. He never wanted to be in this life. I get it now. I get how he hated these men.

As our eyes meet, I see a lifetime of regret. “Sorry,” I say. “I should’ve listened to you.”

He laughs. “You never listened to me. You’re just like your mother.”

“That’s nice.” Tears sting my eyes because that’s all I want. To be told I was half the woman I learned she was.

That’s enough to make me happy.

Chapter 29

Dante

I stand in the living room of our hillside home, the floor-to-ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of the city below. The early morning light bathes the room in a soft, golden glow, highlighting the modern, minimalist decor that Lia and I chose together.

It feels like a sanctuary, far removed from the chaos of the past few days. Because it's been two days since Helena's funeral and Eduardo's death. Two days since Eduardo tried to kill us with a car bomb.

But more than that, today is the day the Syndicate makes the biggest change in decades.

Lia’s soft footsteps approaching interrupt my thoughts. I turn, and my breath catches in my throat. She's radiant, her pregnancy giving her a glow unlike any other.

Her flowing sundress hugs her curves, accentuating her growing belly. I'm struck once again by how lucky I am, and how much I long to meet our children.

"Are you ready?" I ask, my voice husky with desire.

But I don't wait for her reply.

In two quick strides, I close the distance between us, pulling her into my arms. Our lips meet in a passionate kiss, and I savor the taste of her, and the softness of her skin under my hands.

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