Inaya's POV

I set down the last bit of cupcakes on the table.

"I can't believe you've been married to him for a year. How did you survive?" Caterina says as she attaches the last bit of balloons to the wall.

"I almost didn't." I wink and then, I burst out laughing.

"Don't say that! It makes me feel guilty." Mehar frowns.

Dominic had handed over Mehar's father and his own father over to the authorities after discussing with the rest of the Cosa Nostra that would be correct move. This way the law enforcement wins in the eyes of the public and the Cosa Nostra keeps out the traitors.

Plus, according to Caterina's parents, even if either of the men start saying anything, the authorities have agreed to look the other way in order to keep everyone else safe. They have no plans of messing with the Family... yet. Apparently, the law enforcement knows better.

I give her a firm hug. "None of that was your fault. I wouldn't have survived after my parents' death, let alone this, if it weren't for you guys."

"You're always being so sweet. I hate you." Mehar teases.

"I'm sure Dominic loves that you're so sweet." Caterina smirks.

"She really doesn't pass a chance to crack a nasty joke, does she?" Mehar giggles.

"No, she doesn't." I smile.

"One year, huh? That's amazing. You two still look like you've just recently fallen in love." Mehar grins. "I want something like that."

"Insha'Allah, your day will surely come. I'm sure He has something planned for you." I pat her back.

After finishing up decorating the home and setting up the food, I finally sit down to get ready. Mehar and Caterina has gone back home to get ready.

It's a small anniversary party. Dominic wanted something big and lavish but I said we could do that later on. We invited Cat, Nick, Mehar, Haraz, Benny, Lenny and Angela. I wanted this one to be just with the people we love and care about.

"Especially, because I have a surprise for everyone today." I say out loud while staring at the little bags I have prepared for everyone.

I have all my jewelry on except for the necklace, which I'm struggling to clasp on.

Suddenly, a pair of hands take the necklace from behind me.

"Dominic." I smile.

"Let me." He says as he places the necklace over my neck and clasps it.

His fingers slowly trace down my neckline until his hand wrap around my waist. "You look beautiful."

"Thank you." I blush.

It's been a year and I still can't take compliments from him without feeling the intense butterflies in my stomach.

He places his lips softly on my nape of my neck, making his way down to my shoulder blades. "You look so fucking gorgeous." He mumbles against my skin.

I automatically stretch out my neck to give him more space and place my hand on his cheek. He presses against my back and I can feel his hardness against me.

I turn around and start to giggle. "If only you showed up before I got ready."

"I could get you unready."

"You could..." I hover my lips over his. "But I won't let you."

"Fuck, you're such a tease." I smirks.

"I learned from the best." I wink.

"We could cancel today's party." He aggressively pulls me against his chest, placing his knee in between my legs.

"Mr. Dominic Belcastro, if you don't get ready, I'm going to get upset." I frown, trying not to let his games get to me because if I give in, I might actually end up cancelling the party.

"Mrs. Inaya Belcastro, I want to fuck you right now." His thumb trailing over my lips.

"After the party." I say.

"That's too far away." He pours.

"I'll make it harder for you if you don't start getting ready." I warn him.

I'm this close to giving in to his wishes.

He sighs. "Fine. But tonight, I'll fuck you until you can't feel your knees." He winks.

"Don't you always?" I smirk.

Living him made some his of characteristics grow on me. Before, these comments would freeze me on spot and I'd melt away. But now, I can hold my ground... at least it looks like it from the outside. Because on the inside, my hormones are screaming for me to take him to bed.

• • •

"Happy one year anniversary to the most wonderful and strongest couple I know. Thank you for being the best people you can be and thank you for showing me what love is supposed look like." Nick finishes his toast to us.

Everyone claps and cheers.

"Are we not going to hear anything from the husband?" Angela pokes fun at Dominic.

"Dominic does not do sweet and sappy stuff." Nick laughs.

"I'll go after him." I smile.

He looks at me, begging me not to make him say anything. But I only look at his, raising my brows to tell him to go for it.

He sighs. "Uh... I'm really fucking terrible at this."

"We know." Cat agrees, only to get a look from Dominic.

He turns to look at me, with the softest look in his eyes. "In a way, when I'm alone, I think of so many things I can tell you, so many things I can say to you. But when I get the chance, I'm completely speechless. I don't know where I'd be if you didn't walk into my life... or, more like if I didn't force you into my life." The last bit gets everyone laughing. "It's been one whole year, maybe even more if you count before marriage, but I still can't control myself whenever I see you; it's as if I'm seeing you for the first time, every time."

My heart feels so warm and fuzzy. All I want to do it grab him and kiss him until my lips go numb. The tears in my eyes start free falling because I feel so full of love.

"I fell for you and to be real fucking honest, I think I'm still falling. What I want to say is that to be with you forever, is all I want. Happy anniversary, Inaya." He places a kiss on my forehead.

Literally all seven people in the room said 'awe' so loud that it sounded like a stadium full of people said it.

"I stand corrected." Cat puts up her hands in defeat. "I don't know how you're going to beat that one, Inaya."

"I don't know either. I don't think I can." I laugh.

I feel the knots in my stomach tightening from nerves. But I let out a big breath and begin.

"I honestly didn't know I'd find my soulmate. I always thought, at the back of my mind, that maybe there isn't anyone for me. But I did, and I found him in the strangest way... or maybe I should say in the scariest way." This gets everyone laughing softly.

"In this little over one year, you've taught me something I've been desperately searching for my entire life: self love. You've taught me to love myself and I couldn't thank you enough. There's been a lot going on in your mind about us but I want you to know that no matter what has happened, no matter what you've done, no matter what you will do, I will always love you." I place a small kiss on the back of his hand as I let my tears fall down.

Again, everyone claps and cheers.

"You guys really have me in tears, ruining my makeup. That's rude." Mehar says through her own tears.

"Right!" Caterina says wiping away a teardrop.

Dominic softly wipes my tears away and for a moment, I forgot there's people in the room; for a moment, I only look at Dominic in the eyes and thought of how Allah had everything planned for me. If I didn't wait, if I didn't have patience, I would've lost it all.

He brings me into his arms, "Shh... it's alright." He says in the most soothing voice, making me want to cry harder because I love this man so much.

I finally get myself together and stop crying.

"I have one more surprise." I walk towards the table with everyone's "party-favour" bags.

"We'll look at them after." Caterina says as she eyes the cupcakes, which makes me giggle.

"It's an... fun surprise." I say as I hand Dominic the first bag. "Don't open them until I say."

Everyone grabs that bag and tries to take a peak out of curiosity.

"Wait, Dominic opens his first." I already set up a camera to film this. "Okay, one... two... three!"

Dominic takes out a baby's t-shirt that says "I love my dad."

"You're joking. You're fucking with me. We're going to be parents?" His eyes full of joy.

I could only manage to nod enthusiastically without starting to sob again.

He picks me up and twirls me around. "That's amazing! We're going to be parents!"

"We're going to be parents." I whisper, only because my voice is trembling.

We've been trying for so long to get pregnant and it's finally our time. We've finally been blessed and we couldn't be happier. God's timing is everything.

Everyone was still trying to process until Mehar starts crying really loudly and Cat runs up to give me a hug.

"I'm going to be an aunt!" Caterina bursts into tears.

I could see from the corner of my eyes Lenny and Benny looking so proud. I turn to look at them, "From today, I announce that Lenny, Benny and Angela are to be official uncles and aunt to the baby."

This makes Angela sob and she gives me a hug.

I just couldn't be any happier today—or just in general. I've never been happier.

• • •

Dominic lays on my lap as I caress through his hair.

"We're going to be parents."

"We are." I smile.

"I... I should tell you."

"About?"

"My mother. I never mentioned her." He says quietly.

"You don't have to, if you're not ready. I can wait." I stroke his cheek.

He sits up to face me. "I think I'm ready."

I hold both his hands in mine and nod.

"My mother and father were in love. They married out of love. I grew up watching them love each other to the fullest until one day—one day, it wasn't the same. I was about 9 years old when my mother just got up and left. Or so I thought." He sighs.

His grasp on my hand tightens slightly as if the memory aches his soul. "She said the man she fell in love with wasn't the same man anymore. She said my father... he changed. He was too unforgiving, too harsh. I didn't understand, I didn't fucking understand why she couldn't love him anyways. I couldn't fucking understand why she didn't take Nicholas and I with her."

"She was such a loving and caring person. She was the one who kept everyone humble, in a way. She made sure no went overboard but I guess, in a sense, she was going overboard trying to make sure everyone else stayed sane. That picture you saw in my study... it was taken days before my mother left us."

"Later, Angela told me mother wanted to take us with her but my father threatened to kill us. I still hated her, hated her for not fighting to keep us but I didn't understand that she did it to protect us."

"After she left, I fell down a dark hole of insanity. I didn't have the same support system anymore. I didn't have anyone who would show me how to be human so... I snapped. I killed a man at only 11 years old. All the anger I had built up mixed with how my father was raising me, I couldn't handle it. My father got worst, even worst than before because he had lost the one person he loved the most. My mission was to become the monster my father wanted me to be so I could protect Nicholas from the same fate."

"I started to hate my mother. I couldn't understand why she didn't take Nicholas with her at least. I started to think that every woman who was sweet or nice in any way were evil. That's why..." He places his hand on my cheek and I slightly tilt my head to rest my cheek on his palm. "That's why when I saw you... every bone in my body reminded me of my mother. I wanted to ruin you, I wanted to hurt you like my mother hurt me. I wanted you–I wanted you dead." He whispers the last part, his tone full of hurt.

"But now... I understand, I understand why she did what she did. She was carrying the world on her shoulders and she broke. She deserves happiness and from what Angela told me, she's doing well."

My bottom lips trembles from the aching feeling in my chest. I throw my arms around him, holding him close.

"I'm so sorry. You've held up for so long with all that pain in your heart."

He holds me tighter. "I'm glad you didn't give up on me. I don't know where I'd fucking be if you left."

I kiss him, I kiss him until my lips go numb. Suddenly, I taste salt in my mouth, and I realize my tears have been streaming down my face.

"Even after so long, kissing you feels brand-fucking-new." Dominic mumbles against my lips. "I'm really in love with you, you know that?"

I only laugh as I cuddle up against his chest: my favourite place in the whole world.

"Say... I always wanted to ask... those guys that used to make fun of me at school in 6th or 7th grade. Cat said you did something to them that literally had them pee their pants. They even ended up protecting me in a sense up until end of high school? What did you do?"

He only smirks. "That's one secret I'll never tell."

I raise a brow and burst into laughter. "Xoxo, Gossip Girl?"

"Caterina used to walk around our home saying that one line over and over again whenever she did something she wasn't supposed to." He chuckles.

"I guess our lives were intertwined long before we even knew it." I say softly.

He only caresses my hair quietly, as if to think about how odd that is; how we were connected even before everything.

Soulmates.

Simple as that.

- - -

A/N: I hope you enjoyed the epilogue!