"It's just..." She began, her voice a little broken, causing Michel to turn her around in his arms so that she was facing him, looking at her with tears in her eyes.

"I miss him, Michel..." She sobbed as the first tears escaped her eyes. "I miss my dad..."


His face softened at her confession, he wrapped his arms around her tightly and let her shove her face into his chest as she cried, her hands gripping the fabric behind his jacket.

"Shh... it'll be fine, don't be sad..." He cupped her cheeks with both hands, lifting her face up so he could keep his eyes on her as he spoke his next words.

"He'll pay the price, Fanny..." He announced with determination.


"I will find him and I will make him pay for what he did to you and your father. His last hours on earth will be spent in agony."

Instead of being scared of Michel's murderous side like before, Fanny just nodded, resting her cheek on his shoulder as she continued to cry.


"You promise?"

"I promise you that."

Pulling her back a little, Michel kissed her lightly on the face as he moved them to lie down on the bed, facing her as he held Fanny to his body.

It's an innocent act, showing his affection only because he knows that she's not ready to sleep with him, despite the fact that they've done it before.

It doesn't bother Michel. Of course, he will enjoy achieving this level of intimacy with her, however, he is willing to give her as much time as she will need to feel safe with him.

Reaching out an arm, he opened the bedside table and pulled out a book, immediately noticing that Fanny was taking a deep breath.

"That thing..."

"Your father's favorite book. You've read it before." He said, feeling her shift around so that he ended up lying on his back with her on his chest as he opened the leather-bound cardboard.

"It's not on the shelf anymore..." She mumbled.

Michel nodded, licking his lips. He tried to pull himself together to explain to her, really didn't want to sound too emotional.

Yes, he wants her to know about his feelings, but sometimes, he still feels conflicted about being this vulnerable to her.

He's just not used to allowing him to say anything that isn't a business or angry command.

"I started reading it while you were away..."

Fanny looked up at him in surprise. "You do? How is that?"

Michel sighed, shrugging. "Uh... you're gone... I've got nothing left of you... that..." He paused for a second, searching for the right words as his eyes scanned the ceiling above him before scrolling down and finding her.

Their eyes met as he took another breath.

"I am nothing to you... but this book that you have become so attached to..."

Cautiously, Fanny touched the tips of her fingers to his lips, tracing their shape before she slowly leaned up and covered them with hers, gently kissing him.

When she pulled back, just an inch because her face was still so close to his that their breaths mingled, she let her hand trace the contour of his jaw, her eyes not never leaving him.

"You miss me?" She whispered.

Instead of verbally responding, Michel reconnected their lips, his arms wrapping around her body as he helped her lie fully on top of him.

"I will never again."

"You'll never miss me again?"

He shook his head, a determined look now replacing his soft expression before. "You're not going anywhere now. You're bound to me, Fanny. I'll never let you go."

At first, Fanny wanted to protest and tell him that he couldn't make such a decision for her. But the more she thought about it, the more she understood what he really meant.

Michel didn't really make this decision for them. That's just the way things are supposed to be for them.

Fanny and Michel were meant to be together, no matter what they wanted or planned. That's just what Andy has been trying to tell her all this time.

There is no choice about it. It was something that was supposed to happen to them, like a law of nature.

All this time, they both try to fight it, but what's the point? Being together was as natural as breathing to them. They might have tried to pause for a moment to try to hold their breath for a few minutes, but eventually, life took over and brought them back to where they belonged.

So, instead of disagreeing with him, a gentle smile crossed Fanny's lips as she nodded and leaned down to place a small kiss on his forehead.

---

Before they knew it, another month had passed and Andy and Farrah's wedding day had arrived.

As Audrey had predicted, only fifty guests attended the ceremony, followed by a small reception she had carefully planned.

While Michel was sternly against taking the festivities out of the mansion, Audrey kept begging until he finally agreed to hold them in a rented hall.

As a precaution, he still makes sure to keep events and locations as secret as possible and increases security in case information will be leaked to the wrong people.

This marriage will mark the official alliance between the Black Roses and the Wilson clan and is therefore of great interest to any mafia member in X City, regardless of whether they are friends or foes.

At Farrah and Andy's request, they skipped the bachelorette parties, but decided to go on a honeymoon after business with Mr. Aiden is resolved.

The ceremony went smoothly with Farrah's sister, Yashashree as the bridesmaid of honor while Carlos stood by Andy as his groomsman.

Initially, Andy had asked Fanny to play the bridesmaid, but Audrey, as her wedding planner, insisted on keeping everything traditional.

Besides, she had already made the bride's maid dress for Fanny which she didn't want to waste.

Placing his hand on her back, Michel led Fanny into the wedding reception, as the hall began to fill up after the church service had just ended.