Page 89 of Married to the Ruthless Mafia Heir

The sweet sound of crying. My daughter was lifted up. The nurse called Dante over to cut the cord.

This Don of the mafia, who'd killed without blinking, faced me—drenched in sweat—and his hand holding the scissors trembled.

I smiled at him weakly. "Go ahead, Dante."

Snip. It was done.

The delivery room door opened. Through my blurred vision, I saw Maggie standing outside, clutching a handkerchief, eyes red. The moment she saw me, it was like all the strength drainedfrom her body. She leaned against the wall, crying and laughing at once.

"Maggie," I called to her weakly. "I'm okay."

"Yes." Her voice shook badly. "Thank God."

The nurse let Dante hold our child. This tall, powerful man clumsily cradled the tiny, crying infant, his eyes reddening.

Dante looked at the baby, then at me. His voice was hoarse. "Thank you, Elena. You brought me an angel."

I looked at him, exhausted. "I'm so happy, Dante."

He lowered his head, kissing my forehead. "You did so well."

He placed our daughter beside me. Once the baby was close, she miraculously stopped crying. Dante looked at me in surprise. "She knows. She knows you're her mother."

I looked at the baby's wrinkled little face, then at Dante. "You're her father. We're both here with her. Maybe she feels safe."

"That's good." Dante looked at me. "A daughter. Just like you wanted."

I smiled. "Looks like she couldn't wait to meet us."

Dante looked at little Jenny. "Jenny, you'll be the most precious princess of the Moretti family. I'll do everything to protect your happiness."

His words were so solemn they made me want to cry.

Since the day we met, we'd been through so much. And here, finally, we had the fruit of our love. Jenny's existence was proof that Dante and I loved each other. Proof that our marriage was anything but a mistake.

Sunlight streamed through the window.

Dante cooed softly at little Jenny, poking her cheek with his finger, his face unusually tender.

I reached out to him. Dante immediately took my hand. "I'm here, Elena."

I nodded. I knew he was here. And I knew he always would be.

After delivery,I came home from the hospital. Dante had converted the biggest guest room into a nursery, the walls painted pale blue, clouds and stars on the ceiling.

Jenny was curious about this new world. She lay in her cradle, eyes wide, staring at the stars overhead, occasionally making soft little sounds.

Dante stood by the cradle, studying her for a while before carefully reaching in to pick her up.

"Your hands are too big." I lay in bed, watching his awkward movements. "Support her head. Other hand under her bottom."

"I know." He said it, but his movements were stiff as wood.

Jenny squirmed in his arms. He immediately froze, barely breathing, looking at the little creature with something like reverence.

"She... seems heavier than yesterday." He whispered.

"Not that fast." I laughed at him. "You're just too tense. Your arms got stiff."