Epilogue
Istand looking up at the Black Church that rises before us, its gothic architecture beautiful against the clear Romanian sky. I look over the building, taking in the intricate details of the stonework.
"You know," I say to Gabriel, who's beside me, his hand warm in mine, "for a church named 'Black,' it's not very, well, black."
I nod, still admiring the structure. It's beautiful in a haunting sort of way, much like the man beside me.
We've been in Bra?ov for a week now. Our European getaway was much needed from the chaos we left behind in Chicago. Here, in this quaint Romanian town, we're just Gabriel and Anna, two random tourists in love, trying to figure out their future. Not a mafia hitman and a former undercover FBI agent.
"Shall we?" Gabriel asks, gesturing towards the town square.
I nod, and we begin to walk, the rocks crunching beneath our feet as we leave the Black Church behind. The square opens up before us, and toward the center is a large fountain.
I stop, watching a group of young kids chasing each other around it. A little girl, no more than five, laughs in delight as she narrowly escapes being tagged by an older boy.
"I can picture our kid doing that," I say with a smile on my face.
Gabriel's arm wraps around my waist, pulling me close. "Ours will be the fastest," he says, his voice a mix of pride and wonder. "No one will be able to catch them."
I lean into him, allowing myself to bask in this moment of peace and hope. It's easy to forget, standing here in this picturesque town square, the complicated reality waiting for us back home.
"We should get going," Gabriel says after a few minutes. "We'll be late for dinner."
I nod, letting him lead me down the main street. The sun is starting to set, casting long shadows on the old colorful buildings in a warm, golden light.
We arrive at a small, unassuming building tucked away on a side street. Gabriel opens the door for me, and we descend a narrow staircase into what appears to be a cellar. But as we reach the bottom, I gasp.
The cellar has been transformed into a romantic haven. Candles flicker everywhere, their soft light reflecting off the stone walls. Roses in every shade of red and pink fill the room with their sweet scent. In the center stands a single table, set for two.
"Gabriel," I breathe, taking it all in. "This is beautiful."
He smiles and takes my hand. "Come," he says, leading me inside the room.
But instead of sitting down, Gabriel takes both of my hands in his and looks into my eyes.
"Anna," he begins, his voice low and intense. "When I first met you, I knew there was something special about you. And now, you've become my reason for everything. My world. My light."
He sinks down to one knee, never breaking eye contact. "Let's do this the right way," he says as he pulls a small velvet box from his pocket.
"I know our life together won't be easy, but I want to face every challenge with you by my side. So, Anna Bennett, will you marry me?"
He opens the box, revealing a stunning diamond ring. It's enormous, the central stone flanked by smaller diamonds that catch the candlelight.
Tears form in my eyes as I nod vigorously. "Yes," I manage to say aloud. "Yes, Gabriel. Of course, I'll marry you."
His face breaks into a radiant smile as he slips the ring onto my finger.
Gabriel stands and pulls me into a deep kiss. For a moment, the world falls away, and it's just us together in the cellar.
We finally break apart and sit down to our dinner. As we eat, we talk about everything and nothing—our time in Romania, our favorite moments from the trip, our plans for the future.
"I still can't believe how everything worked," I say, stabbing a cabbage roll with my fork. "When you told me he knew about Luca, I thought I was going to have a heart attack."
Gabriel's expression darkens slightly. "Luckily, Enzo had his own way of seeing things. In his mind, I did the family a service, but we're not out of the woods yet."
I nod, understanding what he meant. Enzo's 'forgiveness' came with a price—one that we've yet to pay.
"Have you spoken to Livia?" I ask cautiously.
Gabriel shakes his head. "Not yet. I... I don't know how to tell her, Anna. How do I tell my sister that she needs to marry a man 16 years older than her to keep us all safe?"
I reach across the table and take his hand. "Maybe just be honest and upfront with her. She's your sister, she knows your world. I don't know," I say, trailing off, "We'll figure it out, I guess."
He forces a smile, but I know it's fake. He's carrying the weight of this decision, and I wish I could shoulder some of it for him.
"Anyhow," he says and raises a glass of water, "Let's toast and focus on us tonight."
I grab my glass and cheers him. "You know you can have some wine, I won't be jealous."
He shakes his head. "No, you can't have it, I don't have it."
"Okay, and what about all the other stuff pregnant women are not supposed to have?" I ask with a smile.
"One step at a time, Bella, Jesus," he says, smiling.
We both laugh.
After dinner, we decide to take a walk. The night air is cool and crisp, and the main street is full of people and performers playing music. We stop for ice cream to cap off our celebratory evening.
As we walk back toward the town center, I can't help but feel a mix of emotions. Joy at our engagement, gratitude for this peaceful interlude, and a creeping dread about what awaits us back in Chicago and what Gabriel has to do.
"When do we have to go back?" I ask, even though I'm not sure I want to know the answer.
Gabriel is quiet for a moment, finishing his ice cream before he responds. "We should head back end of next week."
That's right. We need to be there when Livia plans on arriving. We need to prepare her for what's coming.
We stop by the fountain again, now lit up beautifully against the night sky. I look down at the ring on my finger, then up at Gabriel's face—the face of the man I love, the father of my child, my future husband.
"Whatever happens," I say firmly, "we're in this together. You, me, and this little one."
Gabriel pulls me close, kissing the top of my head. "Together," he agrees.
As we stand there, wrapped in each other's arms with the sound of the fountain in the background, I try to burn this moment into my memory. Because I know that all too soon, we'll be thrust back into a world of danger and difficult choices.
But for now, we have this.
We have love, we have hope, and we have each other. And somehow, I know that will be enough to face whatever comes next.