Chapter 99 (Epilogue)
The warehouse buzzed with activity as Angelo inspected the latest shipment of goods.
His sharp eyes scanned the inventory, ensuring everything was accounted for.
Though his business dealings required constant attention, his thoughts often wandered to Elena, who was now eight months pregnant.
He had spent the past weeks ensuring everything was perfect for her and their baby.
As he signed off on the documents handed to him by one of his men, his phone rang. It was his trusted right-hand man, Marco.
“Boss,” Marco’s voice was urgent. “It’s Elena. She’s gone into labor. They’ve taken her to the hospital.”
Angelo froze for a moment, his pen slipping from his fingers. His heart pounded in his chest. “I’m on my way,” he said quickly, already moving toward his car.
The drive to the hospital felt like the longest journey of his life. Every red light and slow driver grated on his nerves. Angelo’s thoughts raced. He worried about Elena, about the baby, and whether he’d make it in time.
Finally, he arrived at the hospital. He rushed through the entrance, barking Elena’s name at the receptionist. A nurse guided him to the maternity ward, where he found himself pacing outside the operating room.
“She’s going to be fine,” Marco said, having arrived shortly after Angelo.
Angelo nodded but didn’t speak. His hands clenched into fists as he walked back and forth, his usually calm demeanor replaced by raw nerves.
Minutes felt like hours until the piercing cry of a baby echoed from the room. Angelo froze mid-step, his heart skipping a beat. A nurse emerged, her face lit with a warm smile.
“Congratulations, Mr. Fabian. You have a healthy baby girl. Both mother and baby are doing well,” she said.
Relief washed over Angelo like a wave. He exhaled deeply, the tension leaving his body. “Can I see them?”
The nurse nodded. “Give us a moment to settle them in, and you can go in.”
—
When Angelo entered the room, his heart swelled at the sight before him. Elena lay on the bed, looking exhausted but radiant. In her arms was a tiny bundle wrapped in a soft pink blanket.
He approached slowly, his footsteps hesitant as if he were afraid to disturb the peaceful scene. Elena’s tired eyes lit up when she saw him.
“Angelo,” she whispered, her voice filled with emotion.
He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “You did it,” he murmured, his voice thick with pride and awe. “You’re incredible, Elena.”
Tears welled in her eyes as she looked up at him. “We did it,” she corrected softly.
Angelo turned his attention to the baby in her arms. The tiny face peeking out from the blanket took his breath away. She was so small, so perfect.
“Do you want to hold her?” Elena asked, her voice trembling with emotion.
Angelo nodded, carefully taking the baby into his arms. She fit perfectly against his chest, her little fingers curling slightly as if reaching for him.
“She has your eyes,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked down at Elena, his expression filled with wonder. “And that’s perfect.”
Elena smiled, tears slipping down her cheeks. “She’s ours, Angelo. Can you believe it?”
He couldn’t speak for a moment, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of the moment. He had faced countless challenges in his life, built an empire, and fought battles both literal and figurative, but nothing had prepared him for this.
“I will protect you and your mother until my last breath,” he promised the baby, his voice steady and full of conviction.
—
As the evening settled, Angelo sat beside Elena’s bed, the baby cradled in his arms. They hadn’t yet decided on a name, though both had been tossing ideas back and forth for months.
“She looks like a little angel,” Elena said, her voice soft.
Angelo nodded, his gaze never leaving their daughter. “She does. What about Angelica?”
Elena tilted her head thoughtfully. “Angelica… I like it. It’s strong but sweet, just like her.”
“Angelica Fabian,” Angelo said, testing the name out loud. A small smile tugged at his lips. “It’s perfect.”
Elena laughed lightly. “You say that about everything when it comes to her.”
“And I mean it,” he replied.
They shared a quiet moment, gazing at their daughter. For Angelo, the world seemed to shrink until it consisted only of the two people before him.
—
Later, as Elena dozed off, Angelo remained in the chair beside her bed, still holding Angelica. The baby’s tiny chest rose and fell with each gentle breath, her innocence and fragility filling Angelo with a fierce sense of responsibility.
He thought back to his life before Elena. It had been filled with chaos and uncertainty, a constant battle for power and survival. But now, with his wife and daughter, Angelo felt something he hadn’t in years: peace.
“She’s everything I didn’t know I needed,” he thought to himself, looking down at the baby.
Marco knocked lightly on the door, stepping in when Angelo gestured for him to enter. “How’s everything?” Marco asked, keeping his voice low.
“Perfect,” Angelo said, his gaze still fixed on Angelica. “I never thought I’d have this, Marco. A family. Someone to come home to.”
Marco smiled. “You deserve it, boss. You’ve worked hard for this life.”
Angelo nodded, his mind already racing with plans for the future. He wanted to give Angelica the best of everything, to ensure she never knew a day of struggle or fear.
“You know,” he said after a moment, “I used to think power was the most important thing in the world. But now… it’s them. Elena and Angelica. They’re my world.”
Marco patted his shoulder. “Then you’ll make sure they’re always safe.”
Angelo’s jaw tightened, determination flashing in his eyes. “Always.”
—
As the night deepened, Angelo finally laid Angelica in the bassinet beside Elena’s bed. He leaned down to kiss his wife’s forehead, his hand lingering on her cheek.
“Thank you,” he whispered.
Elena stirred, her eyes fluttering open. “For what?”
“For giving me a reason to be better,” he said simply.
Elena smiled, her fingers brushing against his. “You’ve always been good, Angelo. You just needed someone to remind you of it.”
He sat beside her, taking her hand in his. “I love you,” he said, his voice low but filled with emotion.
“And I love you,” she replied, her eyes glistening.
Together, they watched their daughter sleep, the promise of a bright future stretching out before them.
—
Angelo’s thoughts drifted as he held Elena’s hand. He thought about the twists and turns that had brought them to this moment. His life had been unpredictable, filled with challenges that had shaped him into the man he was.
But now, as he sat beside his wife and daughter, Angelo felt that everything-every hardship, every choice-had been worth it.
This was his legacy, his purpose.
“Welcome to the world, Angelica Fabian,” he whispered, his voice full of love and promise.
And with that, Angelo allowed himself to simply be- a husband, a father, and a man deeply in love with the family he had built.
The End.