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When she hits a final ace to clinch the title, Luca looks up at her box. There is more than one person sitting there. It was always something people commented on or sneered about if they disliked her. But now, sitting next to Vladimir, is her rival.

And the love of her life.

Juliette Ricci.

And, of course, the slew of Ricci sisters, Leo Mantovani, and her best friend, Nicky. And even though Luca once thought that her friends and family would bring unnecessary pressure to her shoulders, her whole body is as light as a feather as she goes to shake Remi’s hand and pull her in for a hug.

And as she holds the trophy in her hands, standing as a GrandSlam champion again, she only has eyes for her soulmate. Juliette’s smile is so bright, it’s as if she’s swallowed the sun.

At the trophy ceremony at the Australian Open, Luca had felt an intense draw to Juliette that she had to fight. Now, there is no tugging sensation, nothing threatening to drag them together, nothing intensifying when they part. The line pulled taut between them has slackened, at ease with the fact that they have finally accepted the love destined for them.

Now that their love has been lifted to the surface, shimmering and radiant in the daylight, it is hard to imagine they ever hated each other. Luca doubts they ever did.

Love is a tricky mistress, often looking like hate when twisted in a certain direction. They believed that it was the ugliness of hate and jealousy and obsession and anger tangling them in cruel knots. And, of course, there will always be struggles, snags. They’ve torn each other apart, but they’ve sewn each other back together, mixing in ways that truly make them halves of a whole.

Their love is one of imperfections. Of hope. Of forgiveness. Of understanding.

And no matter what anyone says or writes or speculates, that fact will always be true to Luca. To Juliette.

So, unlike most things that start vile and cruel, their ending is sweet and satisfying.

Even though Luca doesn’t sayI love youat the end of her US Open speech, she knows Juliette hears it loud and clear in every word.

And that night, Luca draws Juliette into her with ease. It is nearly autumn in New York, and the end of their cruel summer is sealed with a kiss.