Page 10

EPILOGUE

A year later, this was it. The last fight. The final match.

One more win for the Gold Medal.

The air in the arena was thick with tension, the kind that settled in Diamond’s bones and vibrated through her skin. The crowd was a living, breathing thing—thousands of voices merging into one deafening roar. The blue mat under the bright lights felt massive, larger than life, but she didn’t flinch. Not anymore.

She had bled for this.

She had sacrificed for this.

And now, she just needed one more win.

Her gloves tightened as she flexed her fingers, rolling her shoulders. Steady. Focused. The smell of sweat and adrenaline hung heavy in the air, but she tuned it all out.

Then she felt his eyes on her before she saw him.

Luca.

Front row. Standing tall, arms crossed, his dark eyes locked onto her with an intensity that made her pulse spike. He didn’t move, didn’t blink, just stared at her like she was the only thing that mattered in the entire damn arena.

"One more fight, Perez." His voice was drowned out by the crowd, but still readable.

She exhaled, her heart steadying at the certainty in his tone.

"You’ve got this." He shouted, high enough to reach her ears.

And for the first time in her life, she believed it.

The bell rang, and it began.

Her opponent was fast. Powerful. Unforgiving. A fighter who didn’t make mistakes, who forced Diamond to earn every single second she stayed standing. They traded blows, neither of them willing to give an inch. Every muscle in her body screamed, every hit rattled her bones, but she didn’t back down. She never did.

In the second round, the woman slammed her down so hard her vision flickered. The world tilted. The mat was suddenly beneath her, cool and unforgiving, and for a split second, doubt crept in.

She could stay down.

She could lose.

Then—his voice.

"Get up."

Two words. Low. Firm. Unshakable.

She didn’t think. She reacted.

Gritting her teeth, she pushed off the mat and got up.

The next few seconds were a blur—her body moved on instinct, every muscle knowing exactly what to do. And then—the final move, the perfect strike, the one she had trained for her entire life.

The referee lifted her hand.

She won.

She won the Gold Medal!!

She was the best in the world!!

The crowd erupted, but she didn’t hear them.

She only heard her heartbeat.

She did it.

It hit her all at once.

The years of work. The pain. The hunger. The loneliness. The winning.

She stepped off the mat, past the reporters, past the flashing cameras and screaming fans. She didn’t stop. She didn’t slow.

She walked straight into Luca’s arms.

He was already waiting, his coat open, ready to shield her. The moment he wrapped it around her, warm and solid, she broke.

Silent at first. A shudder. A breath.

Then—a full, body-shaking sob.

He didn’t say a word. He just held her, one hand in her hair, the other pressed firm against her back. Solid. Unmoving. Hers.

His lips brushed her temple, his voice a low whisper meant for her alone.

"Told you, Diamond. You were never meant to lose."

Luca's family, Lena, Vincent, several familiar, dangerous-looking Italian men, a few wrestlers from the gym, and the entire crowd erupted in cheers as she was awarded the gold medal, their applause echoing through the arena. Flashing cameras captured the moment, while chants of her name filled the air, marking the triumph of her relentless determination.

***

The celebration dinner was set in an upscale Italian restaurant, one that exuded warmth and old-world charm. The scent of garlic, basil, and slow-cooked marinara filled the air, mingling with the joyful chatter of Luca’s family and friends. Diamond sat at the center of it all, still clutching her gold medal, as laughter and clinking glasses echoed around her.

Lena and Vincent were engaged in a playful argument about who had cheered louder during her final match. The familiar, dangerous-looking Italian men, who usually carried an air of intimidation, were all grins and raised glasses. The wrestlers from the gym had settled into easy conversation, toasting to her victory.

Diamond, however, found herself sitting back and simply taking it all in. A deep emotion stirred inside her—something foreign, yet comforting. This wasn’t just a victory celebration. It was something more. A family that had chosen to celebrate her. A family that supported her.

Her fingers curled around her medal as she swallowed hard, pushing back the wave of emotions rising in her chest. She had spent years standing on her own, carrying her battles alone. Now, she wasn’t just surrounded by people—she was surrounded by them. A family that had become hers in ways she never expected.

Luca’s father, an imposing figure with a voice that commanded attention, raised his glass. "To Diamond," he said, his deep voice filled with pride. "You fought like hell for this moment. And you deserve every bit of it."

She nodded, offering a grateful smile, but before she could respond, he added, "I want you to know something, ragazza. Whether you realize it or not, this family is yours. And if you ever want to make it official, well…" He smirked, casting a knowing glance at Luca, who sat beside her.

Luca chuckled, shaking his head. "No pressure at all, right?"

Diamond blinked, momentarily speechless. She had spent so much of her life proving she didn’t need anyone. That she was fine on her own. And yet, here was a man, Luca’s father, offering her something she had long since convinced herself was out of reach.

She glanced at Luca, whose gaze was already on her. His dark eyes held something she had never seen before—contentment. As if seeing her happy, truly happy, meant everything to him.

Vincent leaned towards Luca, his voice low but firm. "I’m glad she found you. Because if she hadn’t, she would have broken one of these days. She’s strong, but even strong people have limits."

Luca exhaled, running a hand through his hair. He knew that. He had seen it in the way she carried herself, in the way she fought, in the way she had built walls so high no one had dared to climb them—until now.

The ride home was a blur, but not for Luca. As he gripped the steering wheel, his gaze flicked toward Diamond, who sat beside him, still clutching her medal like it might vanish if she let go. His chest tightened.

She had fought for this moment, suffered for it, bled for it. And now that she had won, he wanted to give her something more—something she had never dared to dream of.

She deserved the world.

And if Luca Ferrara had anything to say about it, he was going to give it to her.

When the car finally stopped, she blinked, staring out the window. Her breath hitched.

Not a house. Not an apartment.

A mansion.

A freaking estate.

The kind with towering gates, sprawling acres, and a view straight out of a dream.

She gaped, her brain short-circuiting.

"Luca… what is this?"

He smirked. That annoying, cocky, devastatingly smug smirk that always made her want to punch him. Or kiss him. Or both.

"I bought it," he said, his voice unusually soft. "Because when I saw it, I wanted to live in it—with you."

Her breath caught, but before she could say anything, he turned to her, his expression unreadable.

"I want to marry you, Diamond."

No ring. No elaborate proposal. Just those words.

A raw confession from a man who never said anything he didn’t mean.

Her throat tightened. She shook her head, overwhelmed. "Luca, I—I don’t deserve you."

"Bullshit." The word snapped out of him before he could stop it, his grip tightening on her arms.

But as soon as he said it, something inside him twisted. Because that was not the truth. Wasn’t she the one who deserved better?

His jaw clenched, frustration warring with something deeper, something raw. "You think you don’t deserve me?" He let out a rough laugh, but there was no humor in it. "Diamond, I have blood on my hands. I’ve made choices I can’t take back. I don’t get to be the kind of man who wins a woman like you. But God help me, I can’t let you go. I don’t want to let you go." His voice dropped, hoarse with something dangerously close to vulnerability. "So maybe you don’t think you deserve me. But I know I don’t deserve…”

She cut him off, her hands fisting in his shirt as she surged forward. "I love you."

Luca froze.

Her heart pounded, but she didn’t stop. "I love you, you arrogant, impossible, overprotective idiot. I love you so much it scares me."

His breath came out shaky, his hands tightening on her waist. "Good," he muttered. "Because I love you, too."

The words settled between them, sinking deep.

"Now," he murmured, his forehead resting against hers, "I’m going to ask you one more time." He pulled back just enough to meet her eyes. "Marry me?"

Tears slipped free as she nodded, choking out a soft, "Yes."

He crushed her against him, holding her like he would never let go. And then—finally—he pulled out the ring.

It was massive. A stunning, sparkling rock that made her eyes widen.

"You were carrying that this whole time?" she whispered.

He smirked. "I was scared to take it out before knowing you wanted this."

She let out a breathless laugh. "You never give me a choice, do you?"

"Not when it comes to you," he admitted.

As they stood together, gazing at their new home, Luca smirked. "So, how many kids are we talking?"

Diamond barely hesitated. "Six."

He choked. Hard. His shock lasted all of two seconds before his dark eyes gleamed with something else—something carnal.

"Six, huh?" His voice dropped, heat creeping into it.

Before she could react, he swept her into his arms, smirking down at her.

"Then we’d better get started," he murmured, carrying her inside.

Luca carried her effortlessly, his grip firm yet reverent, like he was holding something priceless. Diamond curled her arms around his neck, her forehead resting against his, laughter slipping past her lips. She had fought for everything in her life—her strength, her success, her survival. But this? Being in his arms, being his?

It felt easy. It felt right.

As he stepped through the doors of their home, the weight of the past stayed behind. There was no more running, no more questioning. Just them, together, exactly where they were meant to be.

She had spent her whole life searching for a place to belong.

And Luca Ferrara had just carried her straight into it.

The End.