Days moved on, and finally the day of Krish and Sofia's engagement arrived. With both families in full celebration mode, the function was set to take place right there at the Rajput haveli the courtyard already strung with marigold garlands and fairy lights by the time the sun started climbing, the whole house buzzing with the particular chaos that comes before any big family event.

Right now, everyone was busy getting ready. The women had claimed one wing of the haveli entirely, and the men had been herded into a large guest room on the other side, where Enzo and Donato had appointed themselves, entirely without being asked, as Krish's personal styling committee.

"No." Enzo stood back, arms crossed, studying Krish like a sculptor unhappy with his own work. "Take that off. That suit makes you look like you're attending your own funeral, not your engagement."

"It's gray and white Enzo, how does that look like a funeral outfit--

"It's the cut. It's too stiff. You need something that moves when you walk, something dramatic." Enzo gestured vaguely at the air, as if dramatic movement was a fabric property he could simply summon. "You're getting engaged, not being sentenced."

"Can I remind everyone," Krish said, holding both arms out while a tailor fussed with the sleeve length, "that I did not ask for a committee."

"You didn't have to ask," Donato said, flipping through a rack of options someone had wheeled in earlier that morning. "This is a service we provide. Free of charge. Consider it a gift."

"I'd like to return the gift."

"Non-refundable," Enzo said cheerfully.

Donato pulled a deep navy suit off the rack, holding it up for inspection. "This one."

Enzo tilted his head, considering. "Hm. Better. Still missing something."

"It's missing nothing, it's a suit, Enzo, not a science experiment."

"Everything's missing something until it's perfect," Enzo said solemnly, already digging through a small velvet box of accessories someone had left on the table. "A brooch. Krish needs a brooch."

"I do not need a brooch."

"You absolutely need a brooch." Enzo held one up triumphantly, a small emerald-studded pin catching the light. "This says 'I am marrying into wealth and I know it.'"

"I'm not marrying into anything, we're getting engaged, and also I already have money, Enzo bro, I don't need a pin to prove it--"

"The pin isn't for you," Donato cut in, deadpan. "It's for the aunties. They'll talk about it for weeks either way. Might as well control the narrative."

Krish stared between the two of them, betrayed. "Why are you both like this."

"We're like this," Enzo said, pinning the brooch onto the suit despite Krish's protests, "because five years ago, none of us thought we'd get to see a day like today. So forgive us for being insufferable about it."

That landed heavier than the joking tone around it suggested, and for a second the room went a little quieter. Krish's expression softened, some of his exasperation melting into something more genuine.

"Fine," he said. "Keep the brooch."

"Obviously I'm keeping the brooch, I already pinned it, that ship has sailed."

Donato held up the suit again, satisfied now that it had Enzo's blessing, and tossed it toward Krish. "Put it on. Let's see the full look before Sofi sends someone in here to hurry us up."

Krish disappeared behind the changing screen with a resigned sigh, and the second he was out of earshot, Enzo turned to Donato, grinning.

"You know," he said, lowering his voice conspiratorially, "I give it four minutes before he asks us how he looks like it actually matters what we think."

"Three," Donato said.

"Bet."

Right on cue, Krish's voice came from behind the screen. "Does this actually look good, or are you two just going to keep torturing me regardless of what I put on?"

Enzo checked an invisible watch on his wrist. "Two minutes forty. Damn it."

"I win," Donato said, smug.

"What do you win?" Krish called out, stepping out from behind the screen, fully dressed now, and it had to be said--the navy suit brooch and all, actually looked good on him, sharp and clean, exactly the kind of thing that photographed well for the next fifty years of family albums.

"Nothing," Enzo said, waving him off, already circling Krish to check the fit from every angle like a general inspecting troops. "Turn around. Let me see the back."

"I am not turning around like a mannequin--"

"Turn, Krish."

Krish sighed and turned, and Donato and Enzo exchanged a satisfied nod over his shoulder, both equally pleased with the results of their unrequested but clearly successful intervention, the room settling into a rare, easy quiet before the chaos of the actual ceremony came looking for all of them.

_______

On the other side of the haveli, the women's wing had descended into its own kind of beautiful chaos stylists moving between chairs with combs and pins clenched between their teeth, the sharp smell of hairspray cutting through the sweeter scent of jasmine garlands laid out for later, and at the center of it all, Sofia sat perfectly still while an artist worked delicate gold detailing along her hairline, looking equal parts nervous and radiant.

Around her, the rest of the women were in various stages of their own preparation--Elana getting her eyeliner done, Kavya having her hair pinned into an elaborate braid threaded with fresh flowers, Riya arguing cheerfully with the makeup artist about how much blush was too much blush.

Kiara sat off to one side, letting a stylist work through her hair, half-listening to the overlapping chatter filling the room, the kind that always seemed to circle, eventually, back to husbands.

"Remember when Albert brother proposed to you, aunt?" Riya called out, grinning. "In the middle of a family meeting? He looked like a drowned cat."

"He looked dashing," Kavya said, unbothered, though she was fighting a smile. "You're just jealous nobody's proposed to you like that yet."

"I don't want a dramatic proposal, I want peacefully."

The room laughed, and Elana, catching her breath from that one, turned toward Kiara with a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Speaking of terrible timing," she said, "do you remember your and Donato's early dates?

Kiara raised an eyebrow, already sensing where this was headed. "Which disaster are you referring to, exactly. There were several."

"That's exactly my point." Elana grinned wider, turning to the rest of the room. "You would not believe this. Every single time these two tried to go on a date--every single time-- something went catastrophically wrong. Like, cinematically wrong."

"It wasn't every time," Kiara protested, though she was smiling now too.

"It was at least three or four times," Elana said. "I remember because Donato brother used to complain to me about it constantly. One time there was some kind of car trouble that turned out to be sabotage.

Another time a whole restaurant had to be evacuated because of a bomb threat that was, obviously, not actually random. And I distinctly remember one date ending with both of them running through a back alley in formal wear."

The room burst out laughing, Kavya nearly smudging her own eyeliner from laughing too hard, and even Sofia, still frozen in place for her hairstylist, was grinning.

"After the fourth one," Elana went on, delighted, "Kiara straight up refused to go on any more dates with him. Just flatly told him no more, she wasn't doing it anymore, he could court her from inside a locked room if he had to."

"That is not exactly how I phrased it," Kiara said, laughing despite herself, "but yes. Essentially." She let the room's laughter wash over her, and underneath it, her mind drifted back--not to the chaos of all four incidents blurred together, but specifically to the first one. The very first date.

They'd gone somewhere quiet, somewhere she'd thought at the time was almost too ordinary for a man like Donato Romano a small rooftop restaurant with string lights and a view of the city, nothing flashy, which she remembered appreciating even then.

Halfway through dinner, he'd gone quiet in a way that had worried her, turning his water glass in slow circles before finally telling her, plainly, exactly who he was. Not just his name, not just his family--what he actually did.

That he ran something far more complicated and far more dangerous than the business front everyone assumed. He'd told her about the enemies that came with that life. He'd told her about his stalker. He'd told her, specifically, about Tara, a name she hadn't thought much of at the time beyond noting the discomfort on his face when he said it.

She remembered thinking, even then, that most women would have gotten up and left the table right there. She remembered deciding, instead, that she didn't care.

And then, less than twenty minutes after that conversation, the first shots had rung out--Lucas's men, arriving with the kind of precision that made it clear this had never been a coincidence, that their very first date had been a target the entire time.

She remembered the chaos of it, Donato's arm hard around her, pulling her down behind an overturned table, the noise, the fear, and underneath all of it, the strange, absurd realization that she hadn't wanted to run from him even then.

If anything, that night had been the moment she'd understood exactly how deep she was already in, only twenty minutes into knowing the truth about him. She smiled faintly to herself, the memory settling warm in her chest despite everything violent tangled up inside it.

"What are you smiling about?" Elana asked, catching the look on her face.

"Nothing," Kiara said, still smiling. "Just remembering the first one properly. It wasn't the worst date of my life, actually. Terrifying, yes. But not the worst."

"You are the only woman alive," Kavya said, shaking her head, "who would call getting shot at on a first date a good sign."

"It told me everything I needed to know," Kiara said simply, and let the room's laughter carry her back into the present, back to the noise and the flowers and the day ahead of them.

_______

The chaotic getting-ready hours finally gave way to the engagement itself, carried out in traditional Indian style -- both families gathered, both sides bringing their soon-to-be-couple up to the decorated stage, ready to exchange rings under the watchful blessing of the elders.

Krish stood beaming, waiting for Sofia to be led up, and the moment she appeared--draped in soft gold and of white gown, hair still catching the last of the daylight from all that styling his grin only widened.

"Well," he said, low enough for just her to hear, leaning in as she took her place beside him, "look at you. The rebel child of the Romanos, finally settling down."

Sofia's face flushed instantly, a mix of embarrassment and something sharper flaring behind it. "Be careful, Mr. Krish Rajput Singh." She fixed him with a look, though the blush betrayed her completely. "This rebel Romano still has a name that can put stars in this chaotic Rajput's eyes in broad daylight, if she wants to."

The whole gathering burst out laughing at that, a few of the aunties fanning themselves with amusement, and Krish just grinned wider, clearly delighted rather than deterred.

With the blessings of the elders passed over them, the two exchanged rings, slipping them onto each other's fingers amid a fresh round of cheering and applause, and then pulled into a warm, unhurried hug that had half the courtyard reaching for tissues.

Off to the side, Aria and Elian watched the whole thing with matching expressions of wide-eyed fascination, tracking every part of it--the rings, the hug, the cheering.

Something clicked into place in Aria's mind. She'd noticed, these past weeks, that Sofi and Krish used to bicker constantly teasing, arguing, going back and forth the way she and Elian did most days. And now, suddenly, they'd put rings on each other's fingers and hugged, and everyone was cheering like something wonderful had happened.

Rings must mean you stop fighting and become best friends forever, her almost five-year-old logic concluded, instantly and with total confidence. The idea lit up in her head like a small firework, and without a word to anyone, she darted straight to her mother, grabbed Kiara's hand, and yanked one of the rings clean off her finger before Kiara had even registered what was happening.

Then, just as fast, she was off again--sprinting to Donato, plucking a ring off his hand too with the same quick, determined tug, and racing across the courtyard to where Elian stood between Krish and Sofia, still watching the ceremony with mild boredom.

Aria planted herself directly in front of him, grabbed his hand without ceremony, and shoved Donato's ring onto his finger - comically oversized, sliding almost immediately down toward his knuckle. Then she pressed Kiara's ring into his other hand.

"Put this one on Aria's finger," she instructed, entirely business-like.

Elian, thrilled at what he assumed was some new and exciting game, obliged immediately, sliding the ring onto her small finger with great concentration.

The moment it was on, Aria threw both arms around him in a tight hug and announced, at full volume, to the entire courtyard, "Now you're my fiancé! You'll never fight with me again!"

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd, every adult head snapping toward the two children at once.

Enzo, ever dramatic, threw both hands to his chest. "Oh my god. Donato. Your daughter just forced my son into marriage."

Donato smacked him lightly on the back of the head. "Shut up. They're not married yet, they just got engaged." The second the words left his mouth, he seemed to hear them himself, and everyone within earshot dissolved into laughter, several hands rising to cover there faces.

"Like kids, like father," Kiara said, shaking her head, though she was laughing too as she crouched down in front of both children. "Babies, listen--you two are too small to be doing this kind of thing. No engagements for you, okay?"

"But Mama." Aria's face fell into immediate protest. "Aria wants Elian to be her best friend forever. Now that I put the ring on him, we're best friends and he can't fight with me anymore."

Kiara softened instantly at that, brushing a hand over Aria's hair. "Yes, baby. You are best friends. You didn't need a ring for that, though."

"Aria wanted to be sure," Aria said solemnly, entirely satisfied with her own logic, while beside her, Elian admired the enormous ring sliding down his finger with the proud, oblivious delight of a toddler who had absolutely no idea what had just happened, only that he now had something shiny to show off.

________

After the engagement, the Rajputs threw their doors wide open to feed the gathered guests, and the whole haveli shifted into that particular kind of organized chaos that comes with a big Indian celebration--trays moving, plates being filled, everyone finding their place.

A separate table had been arranged forthe bride's side, the Romanos, all seated together while the Rajputs took on the role of hosts, serving them personally as tradition demanded. Kiara, being from the groom's side this time, threw herself into the serving alongside Kavya, Riya, Meera, Ayush, arav. and the rest of the family.

All of them were moving between tables with trays of food, laughing and calling out to each other over the noise. Aria, who up until now had been firmly attached to her mother's side, spotted her Aunt's, grandmother and her father settling in at the table to eat, and without a second thought abandoned her post beside Kiara, scrambling over to plant herself right next to Donato instead.

Kiara made her way around the tables serving everyone, and eventually reached Donato's spot, where he sat with an empty plate and a wide, unmistakable grin, staring at her the entire time she approached like she was the only person in the room.

Kiara sighed. "Close your mouth, Mr. Romano, or a fly's going to end up in there."

The table burst out laughing, and Donato snapped his mouth shut immediately, a sheepish smile spreading across his face despite the teasing. "Kiara." He caught her hand before she could move on. "Come sit here, eat with me."

She smiled, gently. "Mr. Romano, I think you're forgetting something. Today I'm not Romano's daughter-in-law -- today I'm a Rajput's daughter. Which means, no, I can't sit and eat with you today."

He nodded, understanding, and let her go, and she loaded his plate generously, piling it high with rich, ghee-laden dishes before setting it in front of him.

Donato's eyes went wide at the sheer amount of food staring back at him. "Are you trying to make me unhealthy? Remember, sweetheart, you like your Donato fit and hot. If I eat this much ghee and masala today, I'll be rolling out of here."

Kiara let out a small laugh. "One day of eating won't ruin anything, Ro. Just eat it. You can hit the gym after." And with that, she moved on to the next table, already reaching for another tray.

Donato sat frozen for a second, the word landing warm in his chest. Ro. Second time since her memory came back. He smiled to himself and finally picked up his fork.

"Daddy." Aria tugged his sleeve. "Feed Aria too. Aria doesn't want to get her hands dirty--Aria loves the design Mama made on her hands." She held up both palms proudly, showing off the mehndi design curling delicately across her small hand.

Donato chuckled, took her hand gently, and pressed a kiss to it. "My baby's hands look so pretty with this design. Don't worry, princess, your daddy's here to serve you. I'll feed you with my own hand." True to his word, he alternated bites--one for himself, one for her-- settling into an easy rhythm while Aria happily accepted every offering without lifting a finger.

A few seats down, Enzo was doing the exact same thing for Elian, and further along, Albert was feeding Elora--the reason being identical in both cases. Both kids had gotten their hands decorated with mehndi too. Even little Elian, who had absolutely no interest in mehndi to begin with, had ended up with a design on his palm, entirely because of one person's insistence: Aria Romano.

Her logic had been airtight, in her own mind. If she and Elora were getting their hands decorated, then obviously Elian needed his done too, because they were friends, and friends did everything together--mehndi included, whether Elian had asked for it or not.

________

After the engagement, exhaustion had settled over everyone. The guests had begun heading home one by one, and at Dhani Rajput's insistence, the Romanos stayed the night at the haveli rather than making the drive back. It wasn't only about tiredness.

If the Romanos left, Kiara, Aria, Elora, and Kavya would technically have to leave too, and Dhani had no intention of letting her daughters walk out the door like visiting guests on a night like this.

Truthfully, she could have simply asked Kavya and Kiara to stay behind without the whole family-- but it would have meant separating them from their husbands again, even for one night, and Dhani understood exactly what that would cost, especially now.

Kavya had spent most of these five years here anyway, splitting her time between the Romano mansion and her own family whenever Albert traveled back to Italy. And Kiara--Kiara had only regained her memory two weeks ago.

She wasn't fully healed yet, wasn't done working through everything that still sat unresolved with Donato. If anything, Dhani wanted the two of them to have as much time together as possible right now, not less. So the solution had been simple: keep the Romanos here for the night.

Everyone retired early, the whole house settling into quiet in preparation for the morning temple visit planned for the newly engaged couple.

Donato had just gotten Aria to sleep when his phone rang-- a client, something that couldn't wait until morning. He stepped out to the garden to take the call, keeping his voice low so as not to wake anyone.

Once the call ended, he turned to head back inside, but something caught his eye--a figure seated alone on the garden bench. He frowned. Who's out here alone this late?

He walked closer, and the frown deepened into something else entirely when he realized exactly who it was. It's his wife. Kiara.

He approached slowly and settled onto the bench beside her without a word. She didn't need to turn to know who it was his presence, his scent, was enough to tell her.

"Couldn't sleep?" Donato asked.

Kiara let out a small sigh and glanced over at him, a faint smile tugging at her mouth. "What about you? Couldn't sleep either?"

"How could I," he said, smiling, "before making sure both my heartbeats were safe and sleeping."

"Two?" She raised an eyebrow. "Who's the second one, Mr. Romano?"

"It's my- he started.

"My-? She cut him off before he could finish, something sharp and playful flashing in her eyes. "It's your--don't tell me. In these five years I was gone, did you go get yourself a new girlfriend? Or worse, secretly got married?"

"It's not like--

"Then what?" She kept going, not letting him finish a single sentence. "How do I know what you got up to in five years. Who waits that long, really. Did you-- Her voice hitched with mock outrage. "Did you actually do something like that? Because if you did, i'll first kill that person then I'll divorce you right there, Donato Romano."

She kept talking, rapid-fire, clearly enjoying herself now, working herself up into a full performance of jealous outrage--and Donato, unable to get a word in edgewise, did the only thing he knew that had ever worked to stop her mid-rant. He kissed her.

He leaned in and closed the distance between them entirely, one hand coming up gently to cup her jaw, and kissed her deep and unhurried, like he'd been waiting five years to do exactly this.

Kiara's eyes went wide with surprise, her whole body going still for a heartbeat--and then something in her simply let go. She didn't pull away. Didn't push him back. Every argument she'd been holding onto, every careful wall she'd been maintaining for weeks, seemed to dissolve entirely under the warmth of his mouth against hers.

She told herself, somewhere distant and rational, that she was still angry with him, that forgiveness wasn't something she'd fully worked her way to yet--but her body had never once needed convincing the way her mind had. Love had always lived in a different room than anger, and right now, love was the only thing answering.

She closed her eyes and kissed him back--fully, deeply, her hand curling into the front of his shirt to pull him closer, five years and all the pain sitting between them momentarily quieted, if only for as long as this kiss lasted.

After the kiss finally broke, neither of them moved for a moment. Donato just looked at her--really looked, breathing heavy, still holding some of the closeness the kiss had left behind. Kiara looked back at him the same way, her own breath uneven.

"Le-let me speak first," Donato said, voice a little rough.

Kiara didn't say anything, just nodded, waiting.

"I wanted to say--my first heartbeat is my wife. And the second one is my daughter. The two of you together. That's what I meant earlier."

Kiara let out a soft laugh despite herself and gave his chest a light smack. "Then say that from the start."

"Are you little jealous just now, Mrs. Romano?" He raised an eyebrow, teasing.

"Wh-what? Why would I be jealous?" Her voice came out a touch too quick, and the flush already creeping up her cheeks betrayed her completely.

"Sure looks like it," he said, grinning now, clearly enjoying himself.

"There's nothing like that Mr. Delusional." She tried to pull back, straightening. "Let me go check on Aria, see if she's actually sleeping or not."

He didn't let go of her hand. Instead he pulled her a little closer, keeping her seated beside him. "Don't worry. Our little product is already asleep, I made sure of it before I came out here. Stay. Sit with me a while longer."

She looked at him for a beat, then nodded and settled back onto the bench, the quiet stretching comfortably between them for a moment before Donato broke it.

"Kiara."

"Hmm?" She glanced over.

"Do you remember our first anniversary?"

She let out a small, wry laugh. "How could I forget that day? That's the day everything went wrong."

"Yeah. Everything did go wrong." He nodded slowly, something more thoughtful settling over his face. "But before that happened I'd planned something. That day."

"What?" She turned toward him properly now, curious.

"I was going to propose to you. I mean. Not for marriage--we were already married. I wanted to tell you, properly, in words, exactly how much I loved you. I had it all planned out."

Kiara went still. She hadn't known that. "You loved me that time.?

"I fell in love with you the moment I actually let myself notice you," he said quietly. "It happened long before that day. That day I just wanted you to hear it properly, out loud, the way you deserved to."

"And now?" she asked, voice softer now, something vulnerable slipping through. "Do you still love me?"

"More than I did then," he said, without a second's hesitation.

Kiara didn't say anything back. She just looked at him, searching his face for something--sincerity, maybe, or the courage to believe him fully and for once, she didn't have a clever, guarded response ready. She just sat there, quiet, letting the weight of what he'd said settle over her, unsure, for the first time in weeks, of exactly what she wanted to say back.

________

Morning arrived early and chaotic. It was barely six, and already the kids were running loose through the haveli while the adults scrambled to get ready for the puja. Kiara and Kavya helped Sofia into a beautiful golden silk saree, careful with the pleats, while Elana got herself dressed in her own--the whole household of women in sarees today, matched by the men in crisp kurtas.

Once everyone was ready, they gathered for a quick breakfast, and one by one, the family started piling into their cars. Sofia, Kiara, Donato, Krish, and Aria took one car. Kavya, Elana, Enzo, Albert, little Elian, and Elora took another. The rest of the extended family followed in cars behind.

Donato settled into the driver's seat and reached over to open the passenger door, expecting Kiara to slide in right beside him. Instead, she walked straight past it toward the back door.

His smile faltered slightly, but before he could say anything, Krish beat him to the door handle.

"What are you doing, Dii?" He grinned, holding the door open for her. "Go sit up front with your own husband and let me sit with my wife."

Kiara raised an eyebrow. "Wife? Beta, she's not your wife yet. She is just your fiancée." She reached over and gave his ear a light twist for good measure, and from inside the car, Sofia and Aria both burst into giggles.

"Ah, Dii, come on." Krish clutched his ear dramatically. "You're insulting me in front of my wife."

"Wife?" Kiara raised an eyebrow further, unimpressed.

"Fine, fine--half wife. That works." He rubbed at his ear, unbothered, grinning through it.

Kiara laughed and shook her head, giving up, and finally moved to the front seat beside Donato, who lit up the second she settled in beside him. Krish slid into the back with Sofia, immediately falling into some quiet, teasing conversation with her, while Aria pressed her face to the window, waving enthusiastically every time she spotted another family car pulling out behind them, delighted by the whole procession.

Half an hour later, they arrived at the temple. Krish and Sofia were seated at the front for the ceremony, and the puja proceeded properly, both of them receiving blessings from the elders one after another. Once it wrapped up, the family scattered a little, drawn by the row of small shops lining the temple street.

The women drifting toward a jewelry and bangle stall almost immediately, deep in conversation about colors and matching sets, while the men took on unofficial responsibility for the kids, keeping an eye on them as they wandered, snacking on whatever caught their attention along the way.

Donato walked with Aria's small hand in his, a laddoo clutched in her other fist, happily eating and chattering about something entirely unrelated, when his phone rang. He glanced at the screen--an unknown number-- and answered, but the noise of the street made it impossible to hear anything clearly.

He crouched slightly and passed Aria's hand over to Krish. "Here, watch her for a minute, I need to take this call somewhere quieter."

Krish scooped her up easily onto his hip. "Come on, let's go find your Sofi aunty." He nodded toward Donato. "Go, i've got her."

Donato gave a quick, grateful nod and stepped away from the crowd, heading toward a quieter stretch of the street to actually hear whoever was calling.

_______

When Donato reached a quieter spot, the call had already disconnected. He frowned, glancing at his phone, and was about to turn back toward the shops when his eyes landed on someone standing directly in front of him.

Rose.

His brow furrowed for a second, and then his expression shifted into something colder, more deliberate. "So you finally decided to show yourself, huh." A humorless smirk tugged at his mouth. "Took you long enough. Honestly, I figured you'd come find me the second you landed in India."

Rose's eyes widened. "You know I'm here? In India?"

"Of course I know." He crossed his arms. "The officer already told me you escaped and boarded a flight straight here. So yes, I know exactly where you are. The real question is why."

She swallowed hard. "Don. How are you?"

"Skip the formalities, Rose. Get to the point."

"I'm not being formal, Donato. We were best friends once." Her voice softened, pleading now. "I know what I did was wrong. I shouldn't have done what I did to Kiara. Please--please forgive me for that."

"There's no forgiveness for what you did." His voice went flat, cold. "Because of you, I lost five years with my wife. My daughter grew up without a father for five years. Kiara went through hell because of your selfishness."

"I-I know I did wrong, Donato, but what was I supposed to do?" Tears welled up in her eyes. "I loved you. I never wanted to do anything to hurt Kiara. But when I found out she was the one stalking you, that she killed Tara-- it made me hate her. Because of her, you suffered so much. I convinced myself she wasn't right for you."

"Who are you to decide who's right for me." His voice hardened further. "And remember this, Rose--there is no one better for Donato Romano than Kiara Romano. No one."

"No, no, Donato, you don't understand." Desperation crept into her voice now, her words tumbling faster. "You don't know who she really is. She's not the innocent woman she pretends to be. She killed Tara. It wasn't self-defense, Donato--it was murder. She murdered her. I'm telling you the truth."

Donato's eyes hardened, his jaw tightening. He studied her for a long moment, and then, slowly, a smirk crossed his face.

"So?" he said simply.

"Huh?" Rose blinked, confused. "You don't care?" Her voice cracked with disbelief. "You just found out this huge truth-- that your wife isn't some ordinary woman, that she's a murderer, that she actually killed Tara--and you don't care?"

"Yeah, I know she killed Tara." His tone stayed casual, almost bored. "So what."

"Yo- you already knew?" Rose stared at him, stunned.

"Yes. I know Kiara really did kill Tara. And that it wasn't self-defense." He said it plainly, like he was confirming the weather.

Tell me your thoughts about this chapter. And yes, this is the second last chapter, one more chapter and the story ends. I might write an epilogue after that not sure. If I get time I'll write it.🫡
Thank you sweethearts. 🫠🫀