Two years and six months later...

ENIOLA

Navigating traffic on a hot Friday was annoying especially when she was struggling to reach an agreement with her company's CEO. He was almost as headstrong as she was.

"Listen, Mateo, I am done for the day. Stop calling me." She said, rolling her eyes as she heard him sigh through the speakers.

"For God's sake, Eniola, the meeting would just be an hour long." He said, trying to be reasonable.

"No." Eniola concluded, aggressively honking at the car in front of her.

For some stupid reason, the driver was reversing.

"I swear to God, if you hit my car, I'll fuck you up." She yelled out the window, "And you, Mateo, I'll see you on Monday. I need to rest."

His argument died at her second statement. Thankfully he understood what she meant.

"Fine, Gillian. But I want you at the company first thing on Monday morning." Mateo said and hung up, making her wonder who actually owned the company.

Fortunately, the traffic cleared up and she was well on her way home. A slight nudge made her frown.

Her stomach had been doing that more often.

With a free hand, she rubbed her belly fondly. She missed him.

If Tobias was with her, he would have not let her lift a finger but here she was, running to and fro from the company a day after she returned from Nigeria.

She had not seen him in two months.

He was taking his resignation process quite seriously and had not been able to join her in Africa. She did not want to force him to as she also wanted him to quickly finish his work in America.

The plan was to leave for Spain.

Together. Hehe.

She unfortunately got to another holdup and as she tapped away on the steering, her eyes caught the shiny ring on her finger.

It was a simple band with tiny diamonds running through the middle. Her favorite part was the almost unnoticeable ETH that the subtle change in the color of diamonds spelled out.

It was the ring he promised her.

Cheesy bastard.

But she could not stop smiling.

He had gotten her the ring just a few hours after she had broken the news. She may not have received it in the best state of mind and had half the mind to push it down his throat but five months later, it had become her most precious accessory.

The more extravagant gift he had gotten her was the necklace around her neck. It was like his silver El Tigre Herido tag but as she preferred, hers was in diamonds as well. He had said something to her as he clasped it around her;

'The three most important things in the family— blood, loyalty and diamonds.'

It was like his love language was spoiling her with gifts she could very much afford and in a way, she was the same.

She had given him a portrait of himself that she had drawn and put it in a gold frame and he had tried to do the same.

He may know how to do a lot of things but drawing was not one of them.

She gave him an E for the effort then taunted him into buying the Rolls Royce she was currently driving.

As she stopped at red light, her phone rang.

"What else do you want?" She snapped, thinking it was Mateo but the speaker chuckled.

"I only wanted to ask how your trip went, Gillian."

Eniola's eyes widened as a surprised gasp escaped her.

"Alvaro, it's been months!" She said, hearing him laugh before speaking.

Unsurprisingly, the lawyer had gone MIA since the entire issue with Berlusconi. One minute, he was unconscious and restrained to a hospital bed and and the next, vanished with only a single 'I'll be fine.' text for them to know that he was alright. He resurfaced a few months later but hardly kept in touch.

It still did not stop Tobias from tracking him down and forcing him to see Olegario.

She would like to believe he spoke to the therapist but she also knew who Alvaro was.

About seven months after Varo left, he sent her and Tobias a picture of him and Hanifa.

It was the happiest they had seen him in over a year.

"I realised. How's the baby?" Varo asked easily and she heard the sound of something being cracked open. "And no, it's not alcohol. It's Sprite."

She smiled at his response. The bastard had gone to rehab and was hellbent on proving he could be a great father. "Well the baby is being particularly annoying at the moment but I'll survive. How's Hanifa?"

"Oh she's great. I just finished talking to her a while ago and I miss her already." He said, making Eniola furrow her brows.

"You're not with her?" It was surprising that he could stay away from his daughter.

She had come in during the darkest times of his life so his attachment to her was understandable. Especially when you considered how much he adored her when she was with her mother, Kai.

"Nope, I got into the States two days ago. Around the same time as you did." He said, "Then I spent the day with Gato before leaving again."

"You saw Tobi? How is he?" Eniola asked with a small smile. She had already seen his missed calls and was planning to call back as soon as she got home.

"Well he's pretty much the same and did he tell you he chopped his hair off again?" Alvaro said, almost disbelievingly while Eniola laughed.

Tobias had cut off his hair a few months back but was hesitant on dyeing it again. He just kept it low like he was in the army.

"Yeah, he looks really hot now." She took a second to look at his picture on her lockscreen.

He has always been hot.

In the picture, he had his face turned away from the camera as his head rested on her chest. He still did not know that she had that picture of him.

"I guess he doesn't look horrible— How do you not have meat in the house, Gillian?" He suddenly yelled, confusing Eniola.

"What?"

"Meat, I'm trying to make dinner." He grumbled, shutting what sounded like a refrigerator.

"Alvaro..." Eniola started with a knowing grin, "Are you in New York?"

"Took you long enough. Get me some frozen chicken on your way back." He said lazily then hung up.

Eniola let out a laugh as she started the car again.

He was definitely back.

~~~

Alvaro preferring home cooked meals was a known fact and as she entered her house, the smell of seasoning was enough evidence.

The chef however, was absent as she dropped the pack of chicken breast on the marble counter after rejecting all the efforts from her maid to render assistance.

"Varo?" She called, walking through the silent hallway.

The door to her workroom was slightly ajar indicating that there was someone in the room.

Eniola peeked into the room, smiling as she found the tall figure hunched over one of her projects on the table.

Unmistakably, it was Alvaro.

He was wearing a dark oversized hoodie with even bigger sweatpants. One thing she had learned since he left and from the pictures was that he now preferred casual wear.

She took a short glance at his hair tied in a bun, exposing a thin pink scar running down the side of his hairline with a single dangling silver earring.

"Alvaro." She said softly, making her presence known as she slowly pushed the door open.

He turned to her, dropping the can of sprite dangerously close to her latest sketches.

"I was wondering when you would say something."

His eyes wandered to her round belly and back to her eyes as she approached him.

"No wonder Gato could not stop talking about you." before she could ask him what he meant, he continued. "You look beautiful."

"You look very well too, Varo." She slyly grinned at his chuckle, relieved that he decided to make the first move and hug her since she did not know what to do.

They had never been super close friends.

He smelled like flowers.

"Congratulations." He said, rubbing her shoulder like she was a child. "On the baby and the project."

Alvaro pulled away just as she was getting comfortable and picked up his drink.

"You were the last person I expected to... you know, get knocked up." He pointed at her stomach again while she rolled her eyes and sat on the sofa.

Her legs were getting sore.

"Yeah, it still surprises me." He nodded in understanding, leaning at the edge of the table. "You're going to ruffle my sketch."

Alvaro barely adjusted his position as he picked up the drawing that made zero sense in his eyes.

"Gato told me you were going to take architecture seriously." He noted, tilting his head at the various measurements on the paper. "Did I really miss that much?"

"You have no idea." She replied and it was like his eyes lit up.

"Tell me everything."

She smiled in response, asking him to pull her smaller work table closer so she could show him the layout of an orphanage she hoped to build in Cadiz.

~~~

"So, did you do it?" Eniola asked for the umpteenth time while Alvaro rolled his eyes for the umpteenth time.

Popping another chewing gum in his mouth, he answered, "I'm sure Gato already told you."

"Well, yeah. I just want to hear it from you." Eniola probed as she turned on the blender.

For some reason, fruit blended with soda seemed to do it for her. She still craved it after eating a full meal.

Alvaro grinned, "Yeah, I did it."

She smiled in return.

Good.

She was in Nigeria when she heard about the explosions in Italy.

Their government had written it off as landmines accidentally going off but the Spanish mafia knew better.

A lot of good had come from that attack. One, it was Alvaro's therapy, and two, he and Lucado seemed to have bonded after that event.

When he heard that the boy had come through for him during the whole Berlusconi/El Tigre Herido saga, Alvaro felt a bit of remorse for being a bit harsh and mistrustful of him.

People made mistakes.

Eniola heard that the boy had taken down fifteen men.

And yes, he counted.

She figured it was an assassin thing to keep scores. But, he had distanced himself from the family... Something about self-exile. Killing a member of his family bothered him more than he was letting on.

"It made you feel good, didn't it?" She asked and he shrugged carelessly, watching as she filled her cup.

"I thought it would feel better than it did. Well, seeing a hundred and fifty-year-old estate burn to the ground did give me a sense of satisfaction..." He admitted.

"Do you think Gustavo is going to retaliate?" She asked a serious question that had been bothering her.

She never had the time to ask Tobias instead.

"Gustavo? Maybe. I wouldn't blame him but I'm betting more on Giannini retaliating." She frowned at Alvaro in confusion.

How could a dead person retaliate?

"Don't tell me you think he's dead." The lawyer said with a chuckle.

"I thought Tobias stabbed him and burned him at the safe house." She recalled and Varo kissed his teeth. "A funeral was held for him and his siblings as well, right?"

"Did you see a body?"

Eniola paused.

She hoped what he was saying was only a wild guess or theory.

"But it's fine if he's not dead." He started with a small smirk as he withdrew a cigarette from his pocket. "I plan to kill him myself."

His bright smile was unnerving.

It was the first time he had smoked since he came.

Knowing Varo, that was a great accomplishment.

"What brings you here, Alvaro?" She asked, changing the uncomfortable topic.

She knew he could not just leave Hanifa and come here to just hang out. If it were so, she would have preferred to go to Spain instead.

To meet his daughter at the very least.

"Oh, right!" He suddenly seemed nervous as he rubbed the back of his neck, "I already told Gato and I thought it would be right I told you too."

She raised a curious bow.

"It's that serious?" He nodded in response.

"It's life-changing in fact. I never thought it would happen to me." Like me getting pregnant? Got it.

"Now I'm dying of curiosity, Varo." She teased albeit honestly.

"Well..." He was stalling but he paused and then exhaled, "Clara and I are getting married."

Eniola's jaw nearly dropped.

What?!

"Wait... For real?" She queried, a surprised gasp escaping her.

His brief nod made her cackle.

"Fucking hell. Congratulations, Varo!" Finally getting over her shock she bundled him into a tight hug, laughing at his inconvenience.

With what he had gone through, settling down did not seem like a bad idea especially when it was with someone that could understand him.

She never thought they were that serious enough to discuss marriage.

"Yeah, yeah." He tried to say nonchalantly as he pulled away but his almost red face gave him away.

"So... when's the wedding?"

"In August. In about three months." She nodded in understanding, still finding it a bit surprising.

It would be around when she gave birth and it being right after would be perfect.

"I have to start looking for a dress now." She teased, watching him crack a corky grin.

She was happy for him. He was doing very well.

It made her feel less guilty for being the cause of the entire issue.

"You know, getting married would mean distancing myself from the family, especially in the beginning." He started, almost seriously.

He was right.

Knowing Tobias, he would send Alvaro and Clara on a six-month honeymoon just to give Varo some time off.

"That's true."

"Yeah, I just wanted to tell you to take care of Gato." He said, his smile now looked a bit sad. "Don't hurt him."

Eniola still nodded while hiding her confusion.

Why on earth would she hurt Tobias? And why did Varo look so unhappy about it?

"I'm actually trusting you with this, Gillian. You both deserve each other. Fuck, I never thought I'd say that."

~~~

Alvaro had to leave the very next day and unexpectedly, he was making her leave with him as well.

According to him, he missed Clara and was sure Eniola was dying to see Tobias.

He was right.

They had not seen each other in months.

She had spoken to him the previous night and they planned that he would come during the next weekend but it still seemed so far away.

Varo's idea of a surprise visit was tempting and the next thing she knew, their plane was landing in Minnesota.

The emptiness of the airport surprised her as they got through the checkpoints in no time.

"Don't worry, it's nothing like New York," Varo said as he easily carried her bag.

The lawyer on his own was traveling with zero luggage after saying he left most of his belongings at Clara's apartment.

It seemed like he came to the state often.

As they got to the exit, a Porsche waited for them. The driver simply gave Alvaro the key and walked off

"Gato doesn't know you're coming," Varo said with a mischievous smirk, "He's going to be shocked."

The drive to Tobias's penthouse was shorter than she expected and she barely had enough time to calm her nerves.

Varo had only helped her get through the security in front of the elevators leading to his penthouse then left her with a simple 'you got this.'

She hated to admit that she felt a little bit nervous.

It was her first time coming to his place and she was not sure catching him by surprise was the best step to make.

What if he's with someone else?

Her hand came in contact with the gun in her purse.

Tobias would not dare.

The security must have informed Tobias of Alvaro's arrival as she heard the door click open after the second knock.

"Alvaro, I did not expect you to—" His words died in his throat even with a phone against his ear. "Fuego..."

He was extremely surprised.

Tobias's eyes dropped to her stomach then her face before he broke out into a wide smile.

He swept her off her feet in a big hug and spun her around, making her laugh like she was still a child.

"I'm pregnant. Put me down!" She said, still laughing while he reluctantly obeyed.

Pressing his forehead against hers, he whispered. "Do you have any idea how much I've missed you?"

She giggled and nodded, "Can't be more than I have missed you."

Tobias tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and pecked her eager lips.

"Impossible."

He pulled her into the house and shut the door, pushing her against it as he kissed her again.

Eniola's hands went to the back of his neck as their mouths moved against each other.

Before she could get into it, he pulled away.

"How dare you?" Tobias laughed at her narrowed eyes and took her face in his palms.

Kissing her again, he said, "Is it wrong to ask how the love of my life is doing before I proceed to have sex with her?"

Eniola scoffed as he led her to the impossibly long off-white sofa. It gave her some time to look at the house.

Surprisingly, the penthouse was incredibly modern with hues of silver, white, black, and gray as the main aesthetics.

The floor was done with marble tiles and the walls that were not glass were painted white. His large flat television was black as it stayed above an electric fireplace.

Her bare feet he had just helped her get out of her shoes were resting on an incredibly soft gray rug.

The house was pristine.

There was not a speck of dust anywhere and with his current shirtless form and a pair of shorts, it looked like he had just finished cleaning.

"Your place is awesome." She commented as he drew her into another hug. He seemed to breathe her in as she spoke.

"Did Varo bring you here?" The simp asked instead and she nodded like he could see her. "I should thank him."

She laughed at his clinginess as she patted his shaved head. It was almost a recreation of her wallpaper.

She had been nervous for nothing.

He pulled away to put a gentle hand on her belly.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded again, almost melting at his cold but incredibly warm eyes.

"They're okay as well."

It took the idiot a while to figure it out.

"They?"

She never thought someone so intelligent could be incredibly dumb at the same time.

Eniola gave him time.

"Yes, they. Two of them."

"Excuse me?"

Yeah, he was fucking slow.

His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

"WE'RE HAVING TWINS?!"

It was the first time she had heard him raise his voice. Well, second time.

The first time was when she told him she was not sure she could keep the pregnancy.

Tobias had actually yelled at her, almost panicked as he tried to get her to reason with him. His reaction was understandable as she had only told him she was pregnant five minutes before that.

When she refused to listen to him, he excused himself for the evening then came back with the ring he promised her.

With a heavy heart, he had told her he supported her decision and insisted he was not going to let her leave him when they had barely been together for a year.

She was sure she was going to be with him for the rest of her life. Being a mother just terrified her. Especially when she was raised with an absent mother that she was only beginning to reconcile with.

The next few weeks were a bit strained no matter how much she tried to ignore it. Granted, he treated her as warmly as he usually did but it all seemed a bit more restrained.

Tobias was hurting and everyone knew how badly he wanted to settle down.

It was only when they sat down to actually talk about it that she began to reconsider. To add to that, they learned that Rebecca had just had a baby with Julio back in Spain so there was a bit of baby fever.

Fast forward to six months later, she was still very much pregnant.

Tobias was elated, and anxious as he stared at her again.

"Wow..." He finally said with a nervous laugh "We're going to be parents."

She nodded, almost proudly as well.

She briefly wondered if he had expected her to return from Nigeria without the pregnancy.

"I don't have any clue on how to go about this," he admitted quietly and neither did she.

There were already two children they god-parented, Hanifa and Rebecca's child, Andres. Now they were going to have theirs.

It was a whole lot.

And she looked forward to it.

"We'll figure it out." She said, watching him nod his head then rub his eyes with his palm.

It was a habit he did when—

She heard him clear his throat.

"Tobi, are you crying?" He shook his head, unable to meet her eyes. "Baby..."

He easily accepted the hug, making her heart melt at how adorable he was being as she wrapped her hand around his shoulders.

"You're going to make me cry too." She said, still smiling.

"I'd prefer you didn't," he mumbled. "How did I get so lucky? Fuck, I love you."

She asked herself the exact same question every day.

"I fucking love you too."

~~~

Tobias slept almost soundlessly with occasional audible exhales. Unlike Eniola who was a noisy sleeper and rolled around in bed, he laid still and only moved when she was missing from his hold.

She watched him sleep.

Yep, that's the father of my kids right there.

It was almost unbelievable.

It had been years before they met again and the second she had seen him, she knew she was not letting go.

The best thing was that he was not going to let go as well. Quite literally, in fact. His arm held on to her waist as he rested his head on her breasts that seemed to be his favorite position.

She could only stroke his head and mess around with the hair on his neck.

It was six in the morning and she was already wide awake.

She wished she could say the same about Tobias though.

After all he told her he had to do at the office, he barely stirred when she tried to wake him the first few times.

He was a big baby.

"Did Alvaro tell you the news?" His hoarse voice, deep from sleep sounded, capturing her attention.

He was awake after all.

"About his wedding?" Tobias nodded, "Yes, he did. Was it something you convinced him to do?"

"Of course not. I'm as surprised as you are." He said, finally drawing away so he could look at her. "Good morning, my Queen."

She smiled. I could get used to that.

"Good morning." She greeted him back, kissing his lips.

They both had morning breath.

"I think the wedding is a good idea though." She continued, watching him stretch then rub her stomach.

She could swear she heard him whisper another 'good morning.'.

"I suppose it is. He already has a good relationship with Clara who already treats Hanifa like a daughter." He said, taking her chubby hand into his own.

"And it could help him move past all that has happened, don't you think?"

Tobias hesitated but answered anyway, "I am just glad he feels ready enough to take this step."

She nodded, relaxing into the propped up pillows.

"Are you?"

Eniola barely blinked, "Huh?"

Tobias averted his eyes, still holding her hand.

"I wanted to know if getting married was something you wanted as well." He said quietly, making her smile again.

It wasn't.

She didn't see herself in a white dress walking down the aisle just to say vows to someone that already heard them every night. She didn't need a ring or a certificate to prove her love for him.

Instead of saying all this, she asked. "Is it something you want?"

"I wouldn't mind exchanging vows with you. It's being in the presence of a priest that scares me," He joked.

She knew he was serious.

He was the most irreligious person she knew and with his line of work, it was understandable. What was not understandable however was Alvaro being a devout Catholic.

It was impressive to see someone so complicated that she shared the same faith with.

"It still doesn't mean you're not going to get me a diamond ring." Eniola said pointedly and he smiled.

"I'll get you one for each finger."

~~~

Wait, is this it? Is this the end?!

Well, maybe.

I already have an idea for an epilogue in mind but I'm leaving it up to you guys to decide.

Do you want an epilogue before the second book? If yes, feel free to drop your ideas! I love when y'all tell me to do stuff!

Secondly, I already have about ten chapter's of Alvaro's story ready and it's going to be like a smaller filler book with an awesome cover (it's like a snake thingy, I have this awesome friend that does the designs for me!).

When would you like to read Alvaro's story? Let me know!

If I end up not doing an epilogue, the next chapter would be the CLOSING NOTE. Fuck, I can't believe I actually finished a book.

Thank you all for making it this far. I'll try my best to mention my most active readers in the closing note.❤️

(This author's note is old. Thank you for reading and fuck you for cursing out the characters. Jk. I love you bitches. See you soon!🤩)