♥ Epilogue ♥

Axel Knight


Five Years Later

"Love, stop worrying. It’s just a family lunch!" Elara's voice pulls me out of my thoughts.

"Love, it’s impossible. I’ve worked for him for a long time. And he’s never come to our house, not even when we got married. Now, out of nowhere, I find out we’re having a family gathering." I say, making her sigh.

"Axel, stop it." She gently holds my face. "My parents won’t mind our house."

"I know, love. It’s just that this is the first time, and I don’t want to deal with Orion’s bad jokes."

She shakes her head.

"And speaking of him, how’s he doing at the new school?"

Orion is now fifteen and continues to get expelled from schools. This kid really has no control.

"We hope he won’t get expelled from this one."

"Why does he keep playing pranks?"

"I don’t know. Orion is a very smart kid, very much so. But he always gets into trouble, always."

"Like that time he broke your friend’s arm?" She nods.

"Mom was furious, grounded him, and took away his python for two months."

"But Thalia isn’t very fond of snakes."

"The python was kept in our dad’s office, it was fed and everything, but Orion couldn’t see it."

"And speaking of snakes, where is El?" I ask, looking around.

"She’s on our bed. Since she slept there for the first time, she hasn’t left."

"Yes, I remember the first time. You punched me in the face, scared."

She nervously laughs.

"I’m sorry."

"And it was right in the eye, love." She laughs. "It wasn’t funny; it hurt a lot."

"I’m so sorry, love."

I let out a sigh.

"Well, let’s finish setting things up."

"Okay, I’ll finish making lunch." I wave, and she goes to the kitchen, leaving me alone.

Today, I find out that Thalia, my father-in-law, and my brother-in-law decided to come for lunch. I know the boss doesn’t care if the house is small or not. But it’s awkward; look at the difference. My house is small and doesn’t even have a second floor, unlike theirs, which is a huge mansion. My house doesn’t even have a dining room; everyone will eat in the kitchen.

How embarrassing.

"Are you still thinking about it?" She shouts from the kitchen.

"Of course not!" I shout back.

"I know!"

I let out a sigh and start sweeping the house.

****

"I’m here!" Orion enters without knocking.

"Orion!" Thalia scolds him. "Don’t just barge in like that."

"Sorry, Mom." He says, but we know he doesn’t really regret it.

"Hi, Axel." She kisses my cheek. "I brought champagne for lunch."

"Champagne? I’d rather have a nice, cold Coke." I say, and she rolls her eyes.

"I’m the guest, and I choose what to bring."

"Yes, ma’am." I say, jokingly.

I look at my boss, who hasn’t changed at all.

"Come on in." I make way for them to enter.

"I like your house; it’s very simple and comfortable. I love it." Thalia says, looking around.

"Yes, the house is perfect." Mr. Dante agrees.

"It is cozy." I glance at Orion, who is sprawled out on the sofa.

"Get your feet off my sofa, kid!" I scold him, and he huffs.

"Party pooper." He grumbles.

"Where’s Elara?"

"I’m here, Mom." She says, coming out of the kitchen.

My beautiful wife is now twenty-seven.

"Lunch is ready. We don’t have a dining room, so it’ll be in the kitchen." She says with a smile.

"That’s fine; we don’t mind." Thalia says gently.

"Yes, as long as we have somewhere to sit, it’s good enough." Orion says, then gets up. "Let’s go, I’m hungry."

"Take it easy, young man." Mr. Dante says seriously. "Just because you’re at your sister’s and brother-in-law’s house doesn’t mean you can do whatever you want. You still can’t." Orion pouts.

"I understand, Dad. I’m sorry."

"Well, let’s have lunch then."

"Make yourselves at home."

We sit at the table. Elara had set it up, placing the plates, cutlery, and glasses.

"I brought champagne to celebrate the Sinclair family being together." She says, placing it on the table.

Yes, I chose to keep the Sinclair surname rather than Knight. It reminds me of my damned father.

I was saddened to learn that when I returned from the United States, I found out he had committed suicide to avoid being tortured by me. It was a shame; I wanted to kill him myself.

"Of course, and to celebrate that Orion got accepted into a new school." Elara says, joking, and we laugh.

"I still don’t understand it, Orion."

"What don’t you understand, Axel?" She asks, looking at me intently.

"Why do you always cause trouble to get expelled?"

"That’s something we all want to know." Dante says.

He sighs.

"Everyone always talks badly about my mom for being married to a dangerous man, so I just take them down." We all look at him in surprise.

"Talking badly? What do you mean?" Dante asks seriously.

"It doesn’t matter." Thalia says. "We came here for a family lunch, not to plan a murder." She says, speaking sternly.

No one says anything more.

"Well, help yourselves. I made lasagna, it’s a Brazilian dish I learned to make. I hope you like it."

Elara really loves Brazilian food and always uses me as a guinea pig to try her dishes.

We serve ourselves and soon start eating. I smile as I taste it; it’s wonderful as always.

"Wow, daughter, this is incredible." Thalia says.

"I got the hang of it. It was hard at first, but I got the practice."

"It’s really amazing, very flavorful." Mr. Dante says.

I smile; it’s not turning out to be a complicated lunch.

"Hey, did you guys know that Paulina is dating Yenki from the mafia?" Orion says.

I, Thalia, and Elara choke on our food.

"What?!" We ask in unison.

"I saw them on the way home from school. They were talking, and I thought it was just friendly conversation. But then they kissed. I was surprised."

We are all stunned.

"How could she want Yenki?" Elara asks, making me laugh.

Even after five years, she still hasn’t forgotten what Yenki did.

"I don’t know; falling in love is strange." He shrugs.

"I’m shocked. She didn’t even tell me, that bitch." I end up laughing at what Thalia said.

"Let her be, Thalia. I think she’ll tell us when she’s ready." I say and take a sip of the champagne.

"Alright."

We go back to eating, calmly.

"How’s college going, dear?" Dante asks.

"It’s going well; I’m working very hard."

"Very good. Soon, you’ll be running the company."

"And you, Orion?"

"What about me?"

"Have you thought about going to college?" Elara asks.

He takes a sip of his champagne.

"Yes, I want to study medicine."

"You’ll end up killing the patients." I say, and he laughs.

"Not at all, they can die on their own." He says nonchalantly.

"Oh my God, son, you’ve really taken after your father."

The two of them end up smiling quite similarly.

"Thank you, Mom/love." They both say together.

I smile, and they go back to chatting.

Damn, I’m really lucky. If the boss hadn’t found me in that place, where would I be? Probably dead.

They really gave me a new life, and in this life, I got to meet the love of my life.

I watch Elara laughing at what Orion said.

I look at my boss, who is now my father-in-law.

"Thank you." I say, just for him to hear. "Thank you for saving me and accepting me into the mafia. Because of you, I met the love of my life."

"There’s nothing to thank for, Axel. I should thank you for taking care of my daughter. You’re a great person and deserve happiness. Just make her happy."

"I will."

I look at Elara, who looks back at me, and I smile silently.

"I love you."

He smiles and responds in the same way, silently.

"I love you."

I smile like an idiot; even after five years, I can’t stop loving her.

You were my light in the midst of so much darkness, Elara. I love you and will always love you.

I hold her hand and smile happily.

Ah, how I love this girl.

THE END