Chapter 20 - The Sweetest Empire
Five years later, Mario’s Bakery no longer existed. In its place stood Clara’s, a massive, high-end patisserie with lines out the door, owned and operated by Clara Cavallo.
It was a bustling Thursday morning. Clara stood behind the marble counter, dusting a tray of fresh croissants with powdered sugar. She was wearing a flour-stained apron, but beneath it, she wore a bespoke dress, and on her finger rested a diamond that caught the morning light.
The bell above the door chimed.
Dante walked in, wearing his signature navy suit. He held a sleeping toddler in his massive arms—their three-year-old daughter, Lucia, who had inherited Dante’s dark eyes and Clara’s sweet smile. Beside him walked thirteen-year-old Leo, looking sharp in his private school uniform.
“Are you ready to go, angel?” Dante asked, kissing Clara softly on the cheek.
“Just finishing this batch,” Clara smiled, wiping her hands.
She looked at her family. The nightmare of her past—the freezing studio, the desperate phone call, Beatrice’s cruel threats, Mark’s abandonment—felt like a lifetime away. She had begged the universe for a husband to save her, expecting a lifeline. Instead, the universe had given her a king, and together, they had built an empire.
Dante wrapped his free arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his side. He didn't care about the flour transferring to his expensive suit. He only cared about the woman in his arms.
“I love you,” he murmured, pressing his forehead against hers.
May you like
“I love you more,” she whispered.
The mafia boss who had ruled the shadows had finally stepped into the light, completely tamed by the baker who had stolen his heart. And they lived happily, fiercely, and completely ever after.
