Total pages in book: 37
Estimated words: 36268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 36268 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 181(@200wpm)___ 145(@250wpm)___ 121(@300wpm)
The wait is over.
I slowly raise my head, and my heart that’s already bruised and bleeding...just breaks all over again when my gaze finally collides with his, and I see Aivan—
A man who’s always appeared so fearless and strong and proud—
His hair is wild, his clothes wrinkled like he’s slept in them. But it’s his gaze that makes me cry in earnest. Because in those dark eyes, I see the same despair and hopelessness that I’ve been struggling not to drown in, ever since we were apart.
His gaze drifts to somewhere behind me, and when I follow his line of sight—
Toby.
I look back at Aivan, and he doesn’t even try hiding what he’s feeling. It’s all in his eyes, his heart on the altar for me to either stab or heal. Aivan is completely defenseless and distraught, and this also shows in his voice, when he finally speaks.
“You’re leaving me?”
Oh, Aivan.
That he’s asking this tells me everything, his question answering what I asked Toby earlier, and though a part of me wonders if perhaps I could’ve saved myself from heartbreak, if I’ve just let Toby explain fully—
There’s a time for everything.
But for now, it’s the man in front of me who matters most, and oh God...
Aivan is now on his knees.
“I know I don’t deserve you. I know I’ve been the worst husband, the most selfish man. I know I destroyed everything good between us with my coldness and my pride and my stupid, stupid fear of feeling anything real.”
A sob spirals out of my throat at the rawness of his voice, and I’m not the only one affected by the way everyone around us is either sniffing or acting like they have something in their eyes.
“I had to lose you to realize what you truly meant to me. How selfish I’ve become. How arrogant. It took losing you to make me get down on my knees and pray...that you’ll forgive me.”
I want to tell him this is all...unnecessary, but all I can do is cry harder as Aivan slowly reaches for my hands.
“I know Myca made it seem like something happened between us. But it wasn’t...I wasn’t...I never cheated on you.”
I barely manage a nod. This, I’ve always known, but to hear him say this...
It hits different.
“I love you, Sienah.”
Just like how hearing him finally, oh finally, say those three words...
“Ti amu assai. Ti vogghiu beni.”
It hits different, too.
“I know it’s ten years too late—”
And that’s why...
He stops mid-speech when I start tugging at his hands for him to get up, and as soon as he rises to his full height—
Aivan expels his breath while the entire café literally releases a simultaneous ‘aww’ when I throw myself in his arms.
“You’re w-wrong.”
Because he’s neither too early nor too late.
“This is exactly the perfect time...”
Because it’s His timing at work.
And so...
Another heartfelt ‘aww’ sweeps over Flavier’s as they watch me cup my husband’s gorgeous face with shaking hands.
“I love you,” I whisper brokenly. “Ti amo anchi’o—”
I can’t say anything else, with my husband covering my mouth with his, and I end up clutching his broad shoulders as the kiss deepens, and the entire café erupts in applause and cheers. I think they also started chanting his name. Or maybe it’s our names? I’m not sure really, I’ll have to ask someone later on. Because right now, all I can hear is...
“I love you...”
This man who, not so long ago, would rather trample on my heart than even consider saying those words...
“I love you...”
It’s the same man who can’t seem to stop saying it this time.
“I love you...”
And I know it’s all because of Him.
Epilogue
LUIGI HAD MANAGED FORMULA One drivers for forty years.
He’d never seen anything like this.
Aivan Cannizzaro stood at the edge of the Siren’s Loop paddock, tablet in hand, reviewing data from Gabriel’s latest practice session. The track curved away from them in the afternoon heat, empty now except for mechanics rolling tires across hot asphalt. The scent of rubber and fuel hung in the air, familiar as breathing after four decades in this world.
But it wasn’t the same anymore.
Six months ago, this man had been chasing his fourth world championship. But now?
The man who was once so obsessed with racing that he wasn’t even aware of his wife flying out of the country...
The man who once told Luigi that emotions were “performance inhibitors”...
That same man was now watching his wife check tire pressures with Gabriel’s crew, and Luigi could practically see Aivan’s pulse jump every time she smiled at one of the younger mechanics.
Giustu, giustu.
God worked in mysterious ways truly.
“Boss?” Carlito, Luigi’s newest engineer, followed his stare. “Is he always like this?”
Six months ago, the answer to that would have been a regretful...no. His former star racer had acted like his marriage was the least of his priorities, and his wife, a part of his staff. But this time, ah...