She pulls back. Wipes her eyes again.
"He's my brother. I would have kept coming forever."
Kristen approaches with Lily on her hip. The little girl is half-asleep, her head resting on her mother's shoulder.
"Lily wanted to say goodnight," Kristen says.
Lily lifts her head. Her eyes are heavy with exhaustion.
"Is there really a baby in your tummy?" she asks.
"Yes. A very small one."
"How small?"
I think about what the doctor said. "About the size of a blueberry right now."
Lily's nose wrinkles. "That's tiny."
"It'll get bigger."
"Will it be a boy or a girl?"
"We don't know yet."
"I hope it's a girl," Lily declares. "Boys are gross."
Kristen laughs. "On that note, we're going to bed. Congratulations, Antonella. Really."
I watch them leave. Kristen carrying her daughter, Nico following behind with his hand on the small of her back. A family. Complete and whole.
That will be us soon. Bruno and me and our baby.
I look around the room.
At Bruno.
He's watching me. His eyes track my movements across the room. Even surrounded by his family, even in the middle of celebration, his attention stays fixed on me.
I love being his wife.
The realisation settles into my chest like warmth. Like coming home after a long journey.
I love being Bruno Sartori's wife.
Not because of the money or the power or the protection. Not because of the compound or the staff or the designer clothes. Not even because of the family that has welcomed me with open arms.
I love being his wife because he sees me. And I see him. Because when I was taken, he stood up from his wheelchair and walked into a building full of armed men to bring me home.
Because he loves me.
I cross the room to him.
Bruno reaches for me as soon as I'm close enough. His hand finds my hip, pulling me against his side.
"You okay?" he asks quietly.
"Perfect."