𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐎𝐅 𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐂𝐄

Chapter Eighty-Eight

ADELINE
MARIANO

The day before Cassandra's arrival from London with her siblings, Luciano had surprised me with a special outing. I'd thought it would just be the two of us, but to my surprise, he'd invited a few more: Mia, who'd been uncharacteristically calm and oddly nice to everyone; Angelo, who was rarely ever seen at outings like this; and of course, Carlo and Damiano, who never turned down a chance to hang out.

As we walked toward the beach, I couldn't help but notice how strangely everyone was behaving. The usual banter and loud laughter were absent, replaced by a kind of quiet excitement that felt... unnatural.

"So, is everyone going to stay quiet?" I asked, giving them each a pointed look. "Why are you guys acting so strange today? And Mia, why are you not wearing pink?" I studied her outfit, a soft beige dress that was both modest and elegant, crowned with a delicate flower crown. She'd even convinced me to wear a white button-up dress with cream-colored heels. It wasn't exactly my usual style, but she'd insisted.

Mia rolled her eyes, pulling a picnic basket from the car. "It's just a regular beach day, Addie. Try to relax, will you?" She smirked, a rare twinkle in her eye. "And we even rented a little cabin nearby. We can sleep over tonight."

I smiled despite my suspicions. "That sounds nice." Leaning over, I gave Luciano a quick kiss on the cheek and settled down beside him.

"Today's a great day, guys," Carlo announced with a nervous chuckle. I shot him a look. Where was the loud, carefree Carlo I knew? This quiet, fidgety version was so unlike him. The whole group felt like they were all carrying some big secret.

"Who wants sandwiches?" Mia's voice brought me back to the moment. She held up a pack of sandwiches, her face beaming with pride. I immediately felt a twinge of sympathy. Mia was notorious for being a terrible cook, but seeing the effort she'd put into making something for everyone made me want to try her food, if only to show my support.

"She's going to poison us all," Luciano muttered under his breath with a grin.

Mia winked at Luciano. "Of course, I would."

Angelo laughed, grabbing a sandwich and taking a big bite. "If I'm going down, at least it'll be by a gorgeous blonde's cooking." He nudged Carlo. "Come on, man, don't let me suffer alone."

With a wary glance, Carlo took a small bite. "Only because Angelo's doing it," he muttered through a mouthful, causing everyone to laugh.

I leaned against Luciano, staying out of the mini chaos Mia and the others had stirred up. As usual, I was content to just be close to him, letting the rest of the world fade away. He leaned down, his lips close to my ear. "I love you, dolcezza," he murmured, his voice sending a familiar shiver down my spine.

"I love you more, Luciano. Forever," I whispered back, feeling my heart swell with warmth.

"Forever," he echoed softly, his lips brushing my earlobe in a way that left me breathless. He stood up, extending a hand to me. "Let's go for a walk?"

I took his hand and stood, brushing sand off my dress. "Why is everyone acting weird today?" I asked, still suspicious.

He just smiled, leading me towards the nearby cabin. As he unlocked the door and guided me inside, I gasped, stopping in my tracks. Yellow roses were scattered along the floor, their soft petals leading a path further inside.

"Oh my god," I whispered, my heart fluttering with surprise. "Yellow used to be my favorite color. You remembered?"

"Of course. I still have all those yellow scrunchies you left behind," he chuckled, squeezing my hand as he led me further into the cozy, warmly lit cabin. "I had hoped Valentina and Christian could have stayed longer to be here with your old friends, but they left." His voice softened, and I could see a touch of disappointment in his eyes, but he quickly shook it off, pulling me forward.

Candles lined the room, casting a gentle glow that made everything feel magical. I looked around, still taking it all in. "This is... beautiful. What's the occasion?"

He took my hands in his, drawing me close. His gaze was intense, filled with an emotion I couldn't quite name. "Adeline, I've spent my whole life being the monster everyone fears, doing things no one else could bear to. I've led, I've fought, and yes, I've ruined lives. But if I had to give all of it up to keep you by my side, I would." He took a shaky breath, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I know... I know you might not see yourself marrying someone like me. But if you'll let me, I want to spend my life proving that you don't have to be afraid to love me. I want you to be my family, to be the person I protect for the rest of my life. I'd die with a smile if it means being with you."

My vision blurred as tears spilled over, and I choked back a sob. "Luciano... you... you can't kneel. You told me when we first met that you'd never—"

"But I did, didn't I?" he murmured, a soft smile playing at his lips. "Remember? That night, I knelt just to tie your shoelaces. I'd break all the rules I made for myself if it meant I could keep you by my side." Slowly, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small black box.

I gasped, my hand flying to my mouth as he opened it. Inside was the most stunning ring I'd ever seen: a large diamond with a small, glistening pearl nestled in its center. He knew how much I loved pearls.

"Oh my god," I sobbed, overcome with emotion. "You're... you're asking me to marry you?"

"Yes, dolcezza. Will you?"

I laughed through my tears, barely able to speak as I held out my hand. "You don't even have to ask." He slipped the ring onto my finger, his hands steady even as I shook with happiness.

He pulled me close, his lips crashing against mine in a kiss that made me forget everything else. I clung to him, our love so fierce that it felt like the world around us had disappeared. We stayed that way, wrapped in each other, until a round of applause broke through the silence.

I pulled back, blushing, and turned to find Mia, Carlo, Angelo, and Damiano all gathered by the doorway, clapping and grinning. "They made me come," Damiano grumbled, crossing his arms with a reluctant smirk. "But I guess... congratulations, sister-in-law."

"Welcome to the family!" Angelo and Carlo shouted, both rushing forward to pull us into a group hug.

I laughed, overwhelmed but incredibly happy. Then Mia practically tackled me, squeezing me tight. "Finally! You got the monstrous mafia boss! Woohoo!" She grinned at Luciano, adding in a teasing whisper, "You'd better take care of my girl, Luciano. She deserves only the best."

Luciano chuckled, shaking his head. "I promise, Mia."

As I hugged Mia, I noticed Damiano giving Luciano a clap on the shoulder. He looked at me, a hint of a smile on his face. "Welcome to the family, Addie," he said, pulling me into a rare, quick hug. "Now, what do you think? Should I propose to Mia?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Maybe give it a bit more time. Make sure she's really yours before you go for the ring."

Mia, overhearing, grabbed my hand with a laugh. "Enough serious talk! Luciano has one more surprise for you." She practically dragged me outside, where a sleek helicopter waited nearby, its rotors already spinning. "You know I had to pretend to get along with him when we planned this. You better like it." she snarled.

I giggled at her ordering. I really like Mia.

"Déjà vu, Addie?" Luciano murmured in my ear as he led me toward it. He'd given me a helicopter ride on our first date, and I could hardly believe he'd remembered.

As I climbed in, surrounded by laughter, I felt a rush of joy so deep it brought fresh tears to my eyes. My life with Luciano would be anything but ordinary, but I knew, with everything in me, that I wouldn't have it any other way. Chaos and all, I was ready for every moment of it.