Ariana’s POV

Dante walked out from behind the trees. He was wearing a simple, black, elegant outfit with his hands in his pockets.

His eyes were on me as he walked slowly.

Carefully.

Like he was approaching something fragile, something precious that he was afraid to lose.

He stopped a few feet away and looked at me.

"Ariana," he said, his voice was quiet. "I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for everything: the lies, the secrets, the pain. For the years I stole from you. For the son I took. For the memories I erased."

I shook my head. The tears kept falling. "Dante, what is this? What are you doing?"

He took a step closer. "I’m trying to win you back. I’m trying to remind you of what we had. What we lost. What we could have again."

"Dante—"

"Please," he interrupted, his voice cracked. "Please let me finish. I’ve been waiting two weeks to say this. Two weeks of sending flowers. Two weeks of writing notes. Two weeks of hoping you would give me a chance, and now, I need you to listen, just listen."

I didn’t say anything.

I just stood there in tears.

Dante took a deep breath and looked at the screens.

"I love you, Ariana. I have loved you since the moment I saw you."

More tears.

More sobs.

I covered my face with my hands.

"I was an idiot," he continued. "I should have never done what I did to you... No mother deserves that."

He stepped closer I could feel his warmth.

"But I never stopped loving you, even when I didn’t remember, even when Melissa was whispering lies in my ear, even when I was trapped in that chair, confused and broken. A part of me always knew. A part of me always felt. A part of me was always yours."

I looked up at him.

His face was wet too.

He was crying.

My Dante was crying.

"I’m sorry," he said with his voice barely a whisper. "I’m sorry for taking Alan. I’m sorry for letting you think he was dead. I’m sorry for every birthday you spent without him. I’m sorry for every moment I stole from you."

He reached out.

His hand touched my face.

His fingers were warm and gentle.

They wiped away my tears.

"I’m sorry for the accident. I’m sorry for leaving you alone. I’m sorry for not being there when you needed me. I’m sorry for the baby, our baby. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to hold you. To comfort you, to grieve with you."

I broke.

The sob tore out of me.

Loud.

Ugly.

Unstoppable.

I fell into his arms, burying my face in his chest as I held onto him like he was the only thing keeping me standing.

He held me tight with his arms wrapped around me.

His chin rested on top of my head.

His heart was beating against my ear.

"I’m sorry," he whispered again. "I’m so sorry, Ariana. I know, sorry isn’t enough. I know words can’t fix what I broke, but I need you to know and to understand that my life is meaningless without you. You are my home. You are my everything."

I looked up at him with eyes that were red.

"I was so angry at you," I said, my voice shaking. "I was so hurt, I wanted to hate you. I tried to hate you, but I couldn’t. Every time I saw your face, my heart remembered that I tried to push you away. I tried to pretend I didn’t care, but I was lying to myself and to everyone."

Dante’s hands cupped my face, his thumbs brushed away my tears. "I don’t deserve you. I never did, but I’m asking for a chance. A chance to prove myself. A chance to make things right. A chance to love you the way you’ve always deserved to be loved."

I looked into his eyes. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Could I forgive Dante for not being there? Could I forgive myself?

I didn’t have answers.

I didn’t have clarity.

I didn’t have anything but the feeling of his arms around me.

The sound of his heartbeat.

The warmth of his body.

"I don’t know if I can do this," I said. "I don’t know if I’m strong enough. I don’t know if I’m brave enough. I’m scared, Dante. I’m so scared of getting hurt again."

Dante pulled me closer, holding me tighter. "I’m scared too. I’m terrified, but I would rather be scared with you than safe without you. I would rather risk everything than live with nothing. You are my everything, Ariana. You always have been. You always will be."

"I love you," I said. The words came out before I could stop them. "I never stopped loving you. I love you, Dante. I love you so much it hurts."

His face lit up.

"I love you too," he said. "I love you more than words can say, more than actions can show, and more than time can prove. I love you, Ariana, and I will spend the rest of my life showing you."

He kissed me.

His lips were soft.

I kissed him back, my hands going to his face.

His stubble was rough against my palms.

He pulled me closer, his arms wrapped around my waist.

My body pressed against his.

After what seemed like forever, we pulled apart, gasping for air.

"I’m sorry," he said again. "I’m so sorry for everything."

I shook my head. "No more sorry."

He nodded. "Just us. Just now. Just the future."

We stood there for a long time.