Chapter 8 - THE WEDDING THAT ALMOST NEVER HAPPENEDSix months later, Alessandro and Clara finally planned their wedding.
No mafia families.
No secret deals.
No armed guards in the ballroom.
Just friends.
Family.
And people they trusted.
Nadia designed the cake.
A massive white cake decorated with golden phoenixes.
Clara laughed when she saw it.
“Are you sure?”
Nadia grinned.
“Absolutely.”
Alessandro stared at the cake suspiciously.
Clara laughed.
“You're never going to trust cake again, are you?”
“Never.”
The wedding took place on a private coastal estate.
Victoria attended.
She walked slowly but proudly.
Alessandro hugged her.
“You came.”
“I wouldn't miss it.”
Their relationship wasn't perfect.
But forgiveness had begun.
Not because Alessandro forgot.
Because Victoria had accepted responsibility.
She spent the rest of her life helping rebuild the organization she had nearly destroyed.
She funded shelters.
Scholarships.
Women's support programs.
And one special project.
A restaurant where anyone without money could eat for free.
She named it:
The Phoenix Table.
Nadia became the head pastry chef.
Clara handled the charity foundation.
And Alessandro focused on legitimate business.
The Moretti empire became something different.
Something cleaner.
Something his mother would have been proud of.
At the wedding, Alessandro stood beside Clara.
His voice trembled.
“I spent years believing strength meant never trusting anyone.”
He looked at her.
“Then you came into my life.”
Clara smiled.
“You still don't trust cake.”
Everyone laughed.
Alessandro smiled.
“No.”
He took her hands.
“But I trust you.”
They exchanged rings.
Then kissed beneath the sunset.
The applause was loud.
But Alessandro heard only Clara's whisper.
“We made it.”
May you like
He kissed her again.
“Yes.”
