“He’s been wanting the truth out for years.”

“I know. But still, don’t fight with him today. Let him die in peace. Not just for him, but also for you.”

I sighed. Giulia was the forgiving soul. I was more of a vengeful being. I nodded anyway.

Ilaria waited with Mother in the corridor. Both of them were crying and clinging to each other. Mother immediately hurried my way and hugged me tightly. I patted her back. “What happened?”

Mother couldn’t answer. She only shook her head and kept crying.

I raised my eyebrows at Ilaria. “Father insisted on taking calls from Luca and Felix today. You know how he is. He can’t let business rest, even if you’re in charge. After that, he was upset and it led to another small heart attack. His body is too weak.”

I nodded. “He’s talking to Mia now?”

“Yes,” Ilaria said. “He wanted a word with each of us alone.”

The door swung open and Mia stepped out, her face tear-stained. When she spotted me, she looked relieved. “You’re here. Father worried you wouldn’t come.”

“I’m here,” I said simply. Giulia squeezed my hand. I headed into the hospital room, trying to stifle my anger toward Father. The moment I spotted him lying in the bed, looking breakable and like the shadow of the man I’d known all my life, it slipped away. Giulia was right. Today wasn’t about dishing out accusations. It was about saying goodbye. That was one of the things Giulia had taught me: to allow kindness when I could afford it, which wasn’t often.

Father’s eyes followed me as I walked up to him. He looked terrified. I’d never seen him like that. He was a brave man, one of the strongest men I knew. Now he looked like a word from me could break him.

“Father,” I said quietly.

I touched his thin hand resting limply on the covers. His expression softened, and he slowly turned his hand so he could wrap his fingers around mine, squeezing weakly.

“Cassio.” The word was a croaky whisper. I bent over him to hear him better. “I only… only wanted what I thought was the best.”

“I know.” He’d been wrong, but I, too, was guilty of wrong decisions in my past.

“I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”

Forgiveness wasn’t my forte. I wasn’t sure if I could really give it to my father so shortly after the events, but he didn’t have much time left. “I do.” It wasn’t a lie. I’d eventually forgive him. Not today, but in a few months or years. He closed his eyes briefly and a tear slid out. I’d never seen my father cry. I leaned forward and hugged him carefully. He squeezed my hand again, even weaker than before. “Can you… get…?”

I nodded and asked my sisters and Mother to enter. Father died two hours later surrounded by his family. Giulia had been right. Making peace with Father hadn’t just set him free but also me.

“How’s our boy?” I asked like I did every evening when I came home. Tonight, I hadn’t made it for dinner—a rare occasion. Giulia’s due date was in a few days. After Father’s funeral and Luca’s warning to Felix, things had settled down. Now we could look forward to the future.

“Good,” she said softly, touching her belly. “But I’m always hungry, and I have a terrible craving for something sweet.”

I nuzzled her ear. “Just like me.”

Giulia huffed. “Not that kind of craving. Though I wouldn’t mind that either.” She gave me a coy smile that went right down to my dick. Lucky for me, Giulia’s sexual appetite hadn’t diminished one bit during pregnancy. If possible, it had gotten even more insatiable. Daniele and Simona sat beside each other on the sofa, watching one of their favorite YouTube channels on TV. Loulou was curled up beside them.

“Daniele, Simona, you can watch another video after that one. Your mother and I have something to discuss upstairs.”

Daniele’s face scrunched up, making it clear he detected the lie. He wasn’t a child anymore. At least, that meant he and Simona wouldn’t disturb us. Wrapping my arm more tightly around Giulia, I led her upstairs.

“You’re eager,” she said with a small laugh.

“I told you, I crave something sweet, and we both know you’re a sweet temptation I can’t resist.”

Giulia rolled her eyes as she unbuttoned her dress and dropped it on the bedroom floor. “That was corny.”

“Kneel on the bed.”

“You realize I have about twenty pounds attached to my front, right?” Despite her words, she did as I asked. It was my favorite position to eat her out and hers too.

She groaned before I even touched her and not in pleasure. “I think we have to cancel sex.”

I helped her back to her feet, and Giulia’s face contorted.

I froze. “The baby?” I asked, my voice calm, even if I didn’t feel it. Everything inside of me twisted and turned.

“Yeah.”

I wrapped an arm around Giulia, steadying her. I was so nervous, for once in my life, my hands weren’t steady. After helping Giulia get dressed, calling Elia, and telling Daniele to take care of Simona, I drove us to the hospital, all the while whispering words of comfort. I wasn’t even sure what exactly I said, hardly noticed the street ahead of us, but I got us there safely.

I’d never been present during a birth. Gaia hadn’t allowed me to witness this moment of a baby being born. I hadn’t insisted because I wanted her and our baby to be safe during labor. I didn’t want her arguing with me.

This time was different. In every regard. Giulia wanted me at her side, needed me. I held her hand through every new wave of pain, felt her body convulse under the force of it, marveled at her strength and her ability to gift me with her beautiful smile whenever she got a respite. Seeing her in agony was the worst thing I could imagine, but I was grateful that she allowed me to witness this.

“One more push,” the doula encouraged after almost five hours of labor.

Giulia clutched my hand, her face scrunching up. She was tired and sweaty. The floor was covered in fluid, my clothes were drenched with sweat and her blood. It was a mess, and yet the most beautiful moment in my life.

And then a cry rang out. I tensed, holding my breath at the same time as Giulia went slack with relief. I stared at Giulia’s red, sweaty face, contorted in pain only moments ago, now filled with a bliss I could hardly comprehend. Her eyes were frozen on the bundle the doula held up, but I could not tear my eyes from my wife, from the woman who’d saved me and my children from a dark path. Giulia slanted me a stunned look and finally, I dragged my gaze away from her to see the little baby that had caused her such bliss.

He was wrinkly and smeared with blood, and it clicked. That bliss on Giulia’s face… it crowded my chest, made me feel almost lightheaded with its force. The doula came over to us and put our son in Giulia’s arms. Gabriel was beautiful. I wrapped my arm around Giulia’s shoulders, kissing her temple, filled with more gratefulness than I ever considered myself capable of. Her smile was pure love, unrestrained joy.

I would have been happy with only two kids, but now that Gabriel lay in Giulia’s arms, now that I’d witnessed his birth, I knew this would make our life even more perfect.