Chapter 77: Family Bonds

*Layla*

The first few weeks after bringing Michael and Stefano home were a blur of sleepless nights, endless diaper changes, and a love so profound it took my breath away. Dante and I moved through our days in a haze of exhaustion and joy, learning the unique cries of each baby and marveling at their tiny perfections.

One night, about two weeks after we'd come home, I woke to the sound of Stefano's hungry cries. Before I could even sit up, Dante was there, scooping our son out of his bassinet.

"I've got him," he murmured, pressing a kiss to my forehead. "You rest."

I watched in awe as Dante, once the feared leader of a criminal empire, gently cradled our son, cooing softly in Italian as he prepared a bottle. It was moments like these that made all the hardships we'd endured feel worth it.