Gasps rang out immediately. No one had expected that. Not at a sit-down in the Valente estate. Not from the woman whose name was carved into the foundation of this house.
"You're just going to give them up?" someone whispered, stunned. "After everything you've done for them?"
Tessa let out a laugh, bright and unapologetic. "That's exactly what I wanted," she said without hesitation. She flipped her hair over her right shoulder, already reaching for the documents.
Neither of them showed even the slightest bit of doubt.
They picked up the documents and signed their names quickly, without a second thought, as if eighteen years meant nothing at all. As if everything I had given them could be erased with a few strokes of a pen.
Then they walked over to Nico and Giada, their movements light, almost celebratory.
The four of them stood together, smiling at one another like they had just won the lottery. Like this was the ending they had always wanted. Finally, they didn't have to pretend anymore. No more sneaking around. No more lies. They could play happy family out in the open, right here, under the Valente roof, surrounded by men who had once kissed my father's ring.