Epilogue Selene #2
Motherhood has been quite the journey. Sometimes it’s exhausting, but for the most part it’s beautiful. And Maria strives to make things easier for me.
Slowly, I pull my gaze towards Maria, who is still standing at the entrance, a gentle smile on her face as she watches the father-daughter interaction. She’s been more than we deserved. Even when I told her she was free from her debt, she chose to stay.
In her words, “You gave me a front row seat to watch love bloom where the ground seemed barren. And your beautiful daughter is proof. I’d like to keep that seat for as long as you’d have me.”
I made her Alessia’s nanny, and she’s shown unending love towards her. I’ll forever be grateful for her…and her daughter.
Aliyah comes to visit once in a while, but she’s barely around now. She’s finally chasing her dreams, learning to become a chef at one of the city’s best culinary institutes, which Cortez practically bulldozed doors for.
And Luca? My twin is now doing better than ever.
He’s out of therapy now and is actively working to rebuild the Vasquez mafia.
Although Cortez hasn’t said anything, I smell an alliance between the two.
They’ve been staying on calls longer than usual.
It’s been a dream come true to have him back and fully involved in our lives; Alessia loves her Uncle Luca dearly, and we love spending time with him.
But most importantly, Nana has her own place in our mansion now.
I couldn’t be happier. With the war over, it was easy to convince her to move to New York to live with us; now she can spend time with both her granddaughter and great-granddaughter.
I couldn’t imagine any of this without her.
Especially when it comes to Alessia, who didn't get the chance to know my mom.
But she loves Nana, and Nana keeps my mom's memory alive for the both of us.
Everything is perfect.
Security in the mansion is tighter. Sensors line the fence, and cameras litter every part of the mansion. There are guards at almost every corner of the house and even beyond. Cortez handpicked them all, and Alej closely monitors them.
Cortez doesn’t joke with protection. And neither do I.
That’s why I’ve decided to train. Every day, I put in the work not just to defend myself but to be strong for us—strong enough to help protect what we’ve built.
At first, Cortez had insisted that I didn’t need to. He said I was helping out just fine with the accounting aspect of business, but I stood my ground. On some days, I train with Alej, but most days I train with my husband.
I hold back a small chuckle when I recall how tough training had initially been. Cortez would tackle me to the ground, then tickle me until my breath almost seized from laughter. But I’m getting better, and in a few months, I know I’ll be in a much better place, combat-wise.
“Mwommy…”
I look down to see Alessia tugging at my knees. I understand what she’s trying to say. Instantly, I lower myself to scoop her up, tucking a loose curl behind her forehead. She tugs at my lips and my smile grows.
I rub my nose on her cute button nose.
She giggles, already bouncing in my hold.
My heart leaps as I see the raw glimmer of love in her eyes. Innocent, pure, and unfiltered. Nothing is sweeter than this.
I hold her tighter, gently resting my forehead against hers. The baby scent that lingers in her hair tickles my nose in a way I’ll never get tired of.
“Mommy loves you, baby.” My voice comes out in a light, feathery whisper.
Suddenly, a pair of strong arms wrap around me from behind, pulling me flush into a hard body. Heat seeps through my shirt as Cortez lightly places his chin in the crook of my neck, exhaling what I can only term a sigh of contentment.
“Leaving Daddy out of this moment?” His voice rumbles in my chest. Alessia shakes her head.
“Never,” I breathe, resting my head sideways against his.
We stay still like that for a while. The three of us, just basking in the silence as golden light and music fade softly in the background.
When I look in the space Maria once was, I don’t find her there.
She must have left to give us privacy, as usual.
Cortez kisses my shoulders, then the corner of my lips. Before I turn and our lips collide, Alessia raises her tiny hands to stop us.
“No,” she shakes her head, then puckers her lips for a kiss. Cortez and I chuckle as he places a light kiss on her lips. Alessia does this every time.
“You know I should give you a boy,” he whispers in my ear once he leans away from her. “Maybe he could be a mommy’s boy.”
“Not a bad idea.” I finally turn to him, eyes falling to his lips. He takes the opportunity and kisses me with an intensity that weakens my knees. My heart palpitates as our breaths mingle, stirring a whirl of emotions inside me.
When I pull back, he doesn’t say anything. He just looks at me, and somehow I can tell that he’s thinking the same thing as I am. I smile gently, exhaling a slow breath of satisfaction.
This is what forever feels like.
The End