Chapter 8 - The Price of Peace
Enzo left the cabin before sunrise.
He didn't tell me where he was going, but I knew exactly what he was doing.
He was going to end the war.
I spent the entire day pacing the wooden floors of the cabin, feeling sick with anxiety.
Leo and I baked cookies in the massive kitchen, trying to distract ourselves from the dread hanging in the air.
"Is Papa fighting the bad men?" Leo asked innocently, eating a chocolate chip cookie.
"Yes, sweetie," I answered, stroking his dark hair.
"But he is going to win, and then we will be safe forever."
I had to believe that, or I was going to lose my mind.
The hours dragged on like molasses.
Every time a branch scraped against the window, I jumped in terror.
Finally, just as the sun dipped below the mountains, I heard the sound of tires on the gravel driveway.
I ran to the front door and threw it open.
Enzo’s sports car was parked outside, covered in dust and mud.
Enzo stepped out of the car, looking utterly exhausted.
His suit was ruined, and there was a dark bruise forming on his jawbone.
But his eyes were clear, and the heavy burden he had been carrying seemed completely gone.
I ran down the wooden steps and threw myself into his arms.
He caught me effortlessly, spinning me around in the cool mountain air.
"It is over," Enzo whispered in my ear.
"The Morettis surrendered?" I asked, pulling back to look at his face.
"The Moretti boss is no longer breathing," Enzo corrected calmly.
"His sons agreed to a permanent truce to save their own lives."
I didn't care about the brutality of his world in that moment.
I only cared that the man I loved had come back to me alive.
Leo ran out of the cabin, cheering loudly, and threw himself at Enzo’s legs.
Enzo scooped the little boy up with one arm, holding me tightly with the other.
"We are going home," Enzo smiled, kissing the top of Leo’s head.
"And we are never looking over our shoulders again."
The drive back to the city the next morning felt entirely different.
The air was lighter, the sky was bluer, and the constant fear had finally evaporated.
When we walked back into the Valenti estate, the entire staff clapped and cheered.
It was a celebration of victory, of survival, and of the new family we had created.
I walked into my massive bedroom to unpack my bags, feeling completely exhausted.
Enzo followed me inside, closing the heavy wooden door behind him.
He walked up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.
"I have something for you," he murmured, kissing the side of my neck.
May you like
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box.
My heart completely stopped.
