“Madeline.” His voice was hoarse. “This is our child.”
I smiled and nodded. “Ivan, if you hadn’t been able to marry me in this life, what would you have done?”
He was momentarily stunned. He then let out a soft chuckle. His gaze filled with boundless tenderness.
“Let me tell you a story,
“When i was twelve, a secret meeting among the mafia families took place. A group of mafia heirs gathered, arguing about whose father was the most powerful and who would one day rule this world. I had just lost my mother and was standing in the garden of the estate, staring at the flowers she had loved most. Then, a little girl’s voice interrupted me.
“She said ‘Hey, who are you?‘
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+15 BONUS
“I turned to see a girl in a pink dress. She was holding a freshly picked rose.
“She asked ‘Why are you hiding here?‘ before tilting her head.
“I said ‘That’s not a question you should be asking‘ and frowned. I was instinctively cautious.
“But the next second, she shoved the rose into my hands and grinned.
“She said “This is for you! When you become the boss, you have to look after me, okay?“”
By the time he finished, my eyes were already brimming with tears.
I buried my face in Ivan’s chest. He smiled and kissed away my tears.
Then, he gently caressed my stomach. His voice was deep and warm.
“So, about the question you just asked me.
“Madeline, I’ve already thought about this for a decade.”
He paused. His eyes were mesmerizing.
“If I couldn’t marry you in this life, then I would have prepared to be alone forever.
“But I would have made sure to pile as much resources and as much wealth as possible into the hands of the man who did marry you, so you would never have to suffer.
“That way, at least, I could watch from afar, knowing you were living a happy life.”
At that moment, I finally understood.
It was never about me being lucky or blessed. It was because, in every lifetime, Ivan had quietly done everything in his power to
protect me.
I suddenly looked up and wrapped my arms tightly around him.
Then, with a swift movement, I flipped him over on the bed, pinning him beneath me.
“Ivan.”
I narrowed my eyes slightly. My voice was laced with both challenge and seduction.
“I want to give you a lot more children.
“And when they grow up, we’ll design countless dresses and suits for them together. How does that sound?”
He chuckled. His gaze became filled with passion.
He pulled me into a heated kiss. His embrace seemed to burn as it consumed me whole.
