A Flower Between the Thorns: A Mafia Romance [REWRITING]

Epilogue

Fleur's POV:

It had been a year since the last time I saw Alberto, and although I was still healing, life had been so much better. Leo and Nina were already married, holding their little baby girl at mine and Fillip's baby shower. Leo proposed a day after Nina told him she was pregnant, something about not wasting time, and I have never admired him more since.

Fillip did the same after learning I was pregnant as well. And here we were standing in our post-baby shower; little Nico was only two months old. Me and Fillip had to choose completely different names because of how Leo, Christian, and Luc kept fighting about who we were going to name our baby boy after. It's safe to say they were all quite angry with us.

Even Donatella, Mia's grandmother, was there. After congratulating the family with her husband and visiting her grandchild, they would be flying back to Italy. I cannot even begin to explain how much I appreciated that she actually responded to the invitation. It made me appreciate the noise around me, the laughs, and the smiles even more. How this was truly a family. And Although I didn't like how Luc was spending all his time with Emma, Filip would tell me to just leave them alone; they were figuring things out together, so I would leave them be. Not before glaring at Luc for hours; he would just ignore me.

"You know, I am really hurt that I didn't receive an invitation for such an event." Everyone went silent at the grand entrance that Stephan just made. "You did not even invite me to your wedding, Fillip... Neither did you, Leo." He pointed at both of them and held a box, which I assumed contained cake, in his hand. He set that down on the table that was in front of the pool, then turned around, smirking at Fillip. I am sure that Fillip just wants to yell at him right now, but I could not help but smile at him. Ever since Fillip told me what he did to help them that day, I couldn't help but feel that we may have misjudged him.

Stephan smiles back at me, taking my hand and bowing his head just a bit, saying, "Mia signora." I lower my head just a bit in greeting as well.

"She's not your lady, you fool." Fillip bit harshly next to me, and if he wasn't holding Nico, who was sleeping on his chest right now—my favourite spot as well—I am sure he would have grabbed him.

"Calm down, Fillip; just know that without me, that prince right there wouldn't even be here."

"You spoiled brat, they had a blood bank."

"Try telling me that in a year," he says, dismissing Fillip completely, then turning to look at me asks, "May I?"

"Of course." I turned to take Nico from Fillip's hand, but he held him tighter, glaring at me. It was only family, but everyone was watching. "Grow up for a bit," I sneered in a low voice at him. His glare only darkened, but for the sake of not making a scene, he lets go of Nico, putting him gently in my arm. I always admired how even softer he was with his baby boy. I would urge him to be just the same with Mia, just so she won't start to feel left out.

Stephan takes Nico into his arms attentively, swaying him back and forth slightly. A little smile forms on his lips, a genuine one, as he says, "Let's just hope he doesn't take his father's glare; it would be such a shame. He has your eyes; that scowl would ruin it." Stephan said, making everyone around us laugh.

"He wasn't even funny," Fillip huffed.

"How did you learn about this anyway?" I asked Stephan.

Taking every chance he could to rile up Fillip, he looks at him smiling, then answers, "Your second in command told me."

Fillip snapped his head in Christian's direction, who stopped drinking his champagne halfway through. "So what I have friends you don't know about Fillip."

"Friends?" Fillip asked, confused.

"I thought we agreed you wouldn't tell?" Christian then looked at Stephan, who only shrugged in response, shifting his attention back to Nico, who was still asleep in his arms.

Trying to make the situation better, I said, "We only invited family, as you see."

"Am I not family?" he asked, and I couldn't answer him; he felt like one.

"No, you are not." Fillip had no problem at all.

"You know we are bound by blood, you and I, Fleur."

"You are not bound by anything you dick. Utter any more of your bullshit, and I will take my son from your hands and punch you."

Stephan looked up around him, then at Leo, who also shared the same expression as Fillip's. "It looks like I am not welcomed here."

"It took you long enough."

Stephan glared at Fillip. "But I will be coming to visit all of you real soon."

"Please don't"

"That's enough, Fillip. He's leaving."

"Good." I only sighed, shaking my head at Fillip's childishness as I took Nico back into my arms.

Just before leaving, he walked up to Leo and Nina. "Do not worry, I would not kiss your hand; I know you would slap me," he assured Nina as he approached Leo, who was holding their daughter in his hands.

"It's good that you know."

"I have someone who I can do that with anyway." He said simply, but no one seemed to catch that except me. Maybe I should ask Christian about it later.

"I have experience with women; I know how to read them," he then continued. After what he just said, Leo hesitated to show him his daughter, and he took a step back. "Oh, come on, I am joking." Stephan told him. Leo reluctantly gives him Alessia in his arms, and Stephan's face bares the same genuine smile again. It's such a shame he doesn't show that side of him.

"What's her name?"

"Alessia," Leo answered proudly, the way he always sounded and looked when he talked about Nina or Alessia. It was magnificent, really, the way he talked about them. After Stephan gave Leo back Alessia, he and Christian left, going down the stairs that led to the garden.

"He. He is walking him outside?" Fillip was dumbfounded by Christian.

"Don't be jealous. Just leave them alone; they are friends." I try to make him understand that he does not need to be that controlling, but we are a long way from being there yet.

We will get there eventually.

********

A/N: And that's it. That's really the end.