Chapter 257 - The End (part Two)

"I know that no one could make me do something that I don't," Persephone said next, making Santiago tremble. "I married you because I couldn't bear to see you with Sofia. I was jealous of my own sister. Does it even make sense? That episode at the mall when I was wearing that dress, you made me want you so badly that I can't think straight. I wasn't ready to accept the fact that I was lusting for my sister's husband."

She wrinkled her cute nose as she felt that she said something wrong and corrected, "No, you are only my husband. Not anyone else!"

She took a deep breath and then continued, " I hated you because I wanted you to be good to me. Only me. No one else. Because I wanted this Villain to be good to me only in this world. Isn't it fucked up?"

Santiago shook his head. He didn't find anything wrong with her words. 

"Why is every emotional fluctuation I have had something to do with you?" She questioned him and he gave her a teary smile in return. 

She paused for a moment again, taking deep breaths and then dropped the bomb, "Santiago, can you accept a Persephone who doesn't have any idea of her past? I am willing to give myself a chance. Are you willing to give me a chance? A chance for Persephone and Santiago. Not the two childhood sweethearts who met at the darkest point of life and ended up becoming each other's life in this gloomy world. Or Villain or Red who once loved each other and then one of them forgot about it. Or even Eleanora's parents who needed to think of a way to raise her." 

"I'm," Santiago whispered as he kissed her head. "I want a chance for Persephone and Santiago."

There was nothing more than this moment that he ever fathomed to have. He was getting all that he ever desired and he didn't know how to handle all the happiness. He was shell shocked. 

Persephone smiled and moved to hug him. She was so happy. She loved this man to death. 

They were going to give both of them a chance. They will have a happy family. What else did he want? 

Santiago showered kisses all over her face making her giggle and then kissed her lips passionately. For the first time, they kissed tenderly and slowly. As they broke the kiss, he heard her say, "I love you, Santiago! I love you so much!"

"I love you too, Wifey!" Santiago grinned. 

"Can you repeat?" Persephone said. 

"I love you wifey!"

"One last time."

"I love you, Mia moglie."

Moglie means Wife in Italian. 

This caused Persephone to smile endlessly as she rested on chest. As she lay there comfortably, he stiffened all of a sudden as he broke the hug and looked at her with wide eyes. "Wait a moment. I will be back!"

She didn't know what happened but he ran at such a frightening speed. He ran to their bedroom and she could hear him fumbling through his closet even from the living room. After what seemed like half an hour, Santigo came running to the living room while she was sitting on the couch, the same place where he left her. 

She could tell that he was up to something when she saw his grin. 

He smiled widely at her and the next moment she knew, he was on his knees.

Her eyes went wide funnily. 

She didn't want to spoil the surprise by yelling and bouncing on the sofa. 

He had a beautiful ring in his hand and was kneeling right before her. He looked so good on his knees. Oh, no, not like that. Whatever now! 

"Persephone Juliet Marino, would you do me the honour of becoming my wife?" Santiago asked her with a smile on his face while she was doing a bad job at stopping her excitement. "I promise that I will love you and care for you no matter what the situation is. I will show you each moment we had together what it meant to be loved. You showed me what a family is like. Would you like to be my best friend, my soulmate, my lover, my family, the mother of our children and most importantly my wife?"

Persephone laughed and cried and laughed again as she extended her hand. He slipped the beautiful ring on her finger and kissed her senselessly. 

See, she didn't need to be romantic. She got such a handsome man for that task. He knew how to be romantic and loving. Their song started playing and he asked her for a dance. [Slow Dance in the parking dance.]

"Santiago?" Persephone murmured his name. 

"Hmm?"

"I want this song to be our wedding song. I don't think any other song will make sense," She said. 

"You are right. This is our song. Other songs won't make sense at our wedding." 

"Let's have a beach wedding," She suddenly said. 

"We certainly are going to have a beach wedding," Santigo replied to her with a smile. 

"Do you find something familiar with this ring?" Santiago asked her after a while. 

It was only now that Persephone looked at the sapphire fitted inside the ring. "Isn't the sapphire the same as the locket I used to have?"

Santiago nodded. "You threw it away in anger. Thankfully, I found it. I got it remade into a ring. "

"But Sapphire was bigger in size," Persephone narrowed her eyes. 

"Oh, I got Eleanora a necklace with the remaining piece of the sapphire. I couldn't part with that necklace," Santiago answered her honestly. " That necklace was the only souvenir you asked me when I sent you away. It served its purpose as a beautiful memory to me and you. "

"But I don't want to give you the same necklace so I gave you the ring. And a necklace for our daughter. Because if the pendant was your souvenir, Eleanora was mine," Santiago further said. "So, the sapphire reached where it always belonged. " 

"Santiago?" She said. 

"Hmm?"

"If the speech is over, can we kiss?" She asked so innocently that he didn't know what to do with her. 

"You are incorrigible Percy!" Santiago said but crashed his mouth with hers. He then picked her in his arms in the legendary bridal style and walked into his bedroom, shutting the door with his feet in the process. 

They finally got their much deserved happily ever after.

…. 

Author Note: The Villain officially ends. You might be wondering why I divided the book into three volumes. First Volume is the story of Villain and Red. The captor falling for his captive. The innocent girl lured by the wickedness of a villain. How Red abandoned her heavenly world for the hell this Villain had to offer her. But the taste of the Hell was something she wasn't able to forget. 

The second Volume was Santiago setting the only thing he ever wanted and loved free. Both of them needed to confront their ghosts and set their hearts and souls free. They freed them but paid a heavy price. Everyone can fight the demons and win. But can you win unscathed? The war both of them fought made them bleed and left the scar which will never heal. 

The third volume was a chance that God had given them. Eleanora was the chance God had given to both of them. However, it was up to them if they would let themselves be loved after dealing with the scars of the war. 

I know most of you wondered why we never get the scenes of Salvatore fighting with Don Marino. I thought it was unnecessary as it had nothing to do with Santiago and Persephone. 

Now, for supporting me and loving the story, I would like to give you a few bonus chapters or epilogues. 

PS: If you want to see more of Santiago and Persephone, add *The Kiss of Deception* to your libraries. They will be playing supporting roles in the book. Can you imagine Callum's life without Santiago? Yup, in the same way Santaigo couldn't be imagined without his best friends. 

Thank you so much!

With Love, 

Tanu Sam.