Page 121 of His Son's Ex

“Eva, from the moment you came into my life—brilliant, fearless, and impossible—I knew you’d be the one to undo me. And I knew I’d let you.”

A hush falls over the crowd. He continues, steady and slow.

“You made me feel things I’d never felt. You saw through walls I spent decades building. You challenged me. You called me out. You stood toe to toe with a man most people fear, yet you were never scared. That terrified me at first. But then it saved me.”

He pauses, breath catching a little.

“I won’t promise perfection. I won’t promise I’ll never screw up. I’ll carry the scars of my past until my last breath. But I do promise this: my hands will never harm you. My loyalty will never waver. And no matter what difficulties or enemies come into our lives, I will burn the world to keep you and our child safe.”

My throat tightens.

“You are my home, Eva,” he says, his voice thick with emotion. “And I vow to be yours, until the very end.”

There’s a second of calm. The kind that makes your heart stand still for a moment, like it’s listening in. I hear a few sniffles from the crowd. Even the most hardened among our guests have been moved.

I let out a weak laugh, blinking hard against the tears threatening behind my eyes. “Damn it, Dante,” I say, my voiceshaking just enough to betray how hard he’s hit me. “How am I supposed to top that?”

Dante smirks. “You already do, every day,” he says, brushing his thumb over my knuckles.

A tear trickles down my cheek.

The officiant continues with the ceremony, and by the time I slip the ring on his finger, I’m trembling with emotion.

The kiss is on another level and applause erupts as cameras flash. My heart bursts with joy.

We’re married.

Dante tucks me under his arm, pressing a kiss to my temple. “I love you, Mrs. Bellacino.”

After the ceremony, the reception bustles with clinking champagne glasses, trays of hors d’oeuvres, and an undercurrent of guarded conversation about which alliances were sealed. The mood is thick with respect for Dante, cautious curiosity toward me.

Looks like I’m the new star on the grand mafia stage.

I’m greeting a group of older men—longtime Bellacino allies, apparently—when a hush falls over the courtyard. I turn, spotting a group of elegantly dressed Russians stepping in. The Abramovic crew, plus a few other big names I recognize from Halsey’s gossip update. They approach me with carefully schooled expressions.

A tall man in a charcoal suit nods politely. “You must be Eva Petrova.” He says it in Russian, the rolling accent thick on his tongue.

I offer a slight smile, switching to Russian smoothly. “Actually, it’s Eva Bellacino now.”

His eyes flick to my belly—rather impossible to miss at seven months pregnant—and a faint smile cracks his stoic features. “Quite the alliance. The entire Bratva is intrigued.”

I arch a brow. “I bet they are.”

He hesitates, then extends a hand. “We came to see you officially, to shake your hand on behalf of the Russian families. It’s customary to offer you a seat at our table, if you choose to represent Petrov interests in future business negotiations.”

I feel the tension radiating off of Dante, standing beside me, arms folded. He’s not interfering—he’s letting me handle it.

Good. That’s exactly what I want.

I square my shoulders, offering my hand in a quick but firm shake. “I appreciate the gesture, truly. But I’m a Bellacino now. I’m not looking to sit at the Bratva table. That said—” I lean in with a hint of a sly grin “—I am quite skilled in cybersecurity, hacking, and data forensics. If your people need that kind of specialized help, I might be available. For an appropriate fee, of course.”

He blinks, a ripple of surprise crossing his companions’ faces. Dante smirks, and I can sense the pride rolling off him. He knows enough Russian from his business dealings over the years to follow the conversation.

The man in the charcoal suit nods slowly, a faint smile playing at his lips. “I see. Business-minded indeed.”

I grin. “Someone’s got to keep the lights on around here. And babies aren’t cheap. We’ve got a college education to pay for.”

He chuckles, taking a step back. “We’ll keep that in mind. Congratulations on your marriage, Mrs. Bellacino. And the child to come.”