Taleela's POV

In the evening, Karanos proposed to me; I wasn't expecting it. I had just been coming down the stairs for dinner when I found him down on one knee with a plush red box that was open and had a diamond ring sitting on it.

I had nearly toppled down the stairs when I saw him in that position, and it had him bounding up the stairs in sheer panic.

We had both erupted into laughter, and I had kissed and kissed and kissed him, bursting into tears as he took a second kneel before me.

It's a memory I will never forget in a rush. The slow sex we had after his proposal, how he handled me gently, how he made me feel like the most special woman in the world.

For the first time in my life, I felt a rush of love I had never felt for so many people.

We had kept the marriage proposal secret, but somehow, Susan had spread the news across to everyone in her family and also Kal's family. What shocked me the most was how Achilles, Susan, and Karanos' mother conspired to plan a joint wedding.

Not like it isn't a good idea. But they had planned it even without the people at the wedding. But it saved more stress for us, and we were able to focus on other things.

—

Four months later...
St Francis of Assisi Catholic Cathedral,
Italy.

"Well, they got the best gowns to hide your baby bumps," Kal's mother says.

Susan grunts, and Jemmah huffs. Their gowns were beautiful, but they would have loved them if it was fitted.

Each time they make that complaint, Susan's mother doesn't fail to remind them that they had let two large heads knock them up, making three mothers laugh.

For the whole morning, they made fun of the brides, and though they found it fun, it was starting to get tiring.

They were seated in a large beautiful room where they were being dressed up for the wedding. The wedding was to begin in less than thirty minutes, and the crew of make-up artists and fashion designers were done dressing them all up.

Susan's ivory white gown shimmered beneath the light as it had glitters scattered around the eleganza net-work. It was an off-the-shoulder gown that showed off her milky skin, and her diamond tear drops glittered, making her look beautiful as they blended with her new makeup. On her feet were silver Jimmy Choos.

Susan had decided to let her baby bump show, and her white dress flowed out from her knees. There was a slit at the side of her gown to enable her to walk well, and the arm and back of her dress were made in a netty framework.

Her hair sat atop her head and was curled and styled to perfection. She had light brown highlights, and the light bounced on it.

Both of the brides looked beautiful, and so did their mothers.

"You look so beautiful, Jemmah. My son is so lucky to have him,"

Jemmah smiles up at her. "I am lucky, also. Karanos has been the best so far,"

But she shakes her head and gently pats Jemmah's cheek lovingly. "That boy should wake up every day and worship you because you're the first right choice he's making in a woman,"

"Oh, that's great." Everyone chuckles.

Jemmah feels like she wants to say something before their procession.

"Uhm, I think I want to clear the air," She says out loud. The women in the room focus their attention on her. "I know you all must be wondering why I became a stripper even with my fortune and fame,"

Susan shifted in her seat. It was also time for her to speak, but she would let Jemmah go first.

"I was harboring so much hate for the world. My parents were gone, and I was blaming it all on someone, but with dancing, I found a way to free myself of the anger and the hate. I didn't need money to make life better for me. I had it."

Susan sighs. "Well, I did it for the money. My mother worked so hard that I began to feel guilty, and stripping was the only way to ease a bit of burden off her."

The moment is emotional. The mothers present hug Jemmah and Susan, and before they can start crying, the door bursts open, and Tarantino asks that we all proceed to the car.

Camera flashes go off, people cheer, and the red carpet is empty as both brides step out of the car.

Susan's arms are hooked around her uncle's arms while Jemmah holds onto Susan's mother. It is a weird procession but entirely different from the norm.

They made the wedding a combined one, and it seemed like most of Naples had attended this wedding.

As they proceed into the large cathedral, Karanos and Achilles stand side by side as they watch their brides enter.

"This is going to be a lifetime wedding, " Achilles whispers.

Karanos nods in agreement. "Thank you, Amico, for taking me to the strip club. If not for you; I would not have seen my beautiful bride,"

Achilles giggles. "Pleasure is all mine!"

The music being played by the orchestra is slow and beautiful, and both of the brides proceed into the church.

Once Jemmah gets to stand before Karanos, he takes her hands. "You look beautiful, baby. God, I can't believe we're getting married,"

Achilles grins at Susan, who is blushing profusely. "Finally, we'd be together forever,"

And as they say their vows to each other right there, it floats up to the skies. It flashes through the internet that the best wedding to ever happen in centuries has happened right in this cathedral.

The sensation it brings to the internet will never be the same.

—

Nine months later...
  
A few weeks back, Karanos had called Achilles and Susan to inform them that Jemmah had been put to bed. She had given birth to identical twin girls who looked more like their father than they did their mother. It had been a thing of joy.

Though they had been confused about what name to give the twins, Jemmah finally came up with beautiful words.

Alessia and Alicia.

Those names had beautiful meanings, and everyone liked them. They hadn't grown yet, but they were being spoiled and pampered by Kal's parents, Linda, Tarantino, and even Susan's mother.

"Congratulations, Mr. Achilles. It's a baby boy!"

Achilles doesn't know when he lets out a loud yell and jumps on the doctor. His parents have to pry him off the surprised doctor, and they apologize as the innocent man walks away.

"I always knew I had good sperm!"

His mother slaps his arm, and he yelps. "You should go see your wife. She's probably waiting for you to come in so she can warn you never to get her pregnant without notice again,"

Achilles and his parents go off into his wife's ward, and as soon as he sees Susan lying on the bed and watching her baby, he feels joy.

Susan looks as beautiful as ever, even with her wet hair and sweaty body. He walks over to where she is lying on her bed.

"Hey, honey,"

Susan turns her head to look at her husband. She smiles, and he bends over to kiss her. She accepts his kiss enthusiastically, and when he pulls away, his mother smiles at him.

He goes to where his baby lies and picks up the little boy in his hands. He is a combination of both parents. He has his mother's eyes and nose, then his father's hair and jaw.

"He's so beautiful."

"What will his name be, honey?" Susan asks weakly. They argued about names to give their baby, and Achilles won. He had been given up till this moment to find a name, and if he didn't, he would be the one to serve Susan breakfast till she was done breastfeeding her baby.

"Estevan Karanos Usoro,"

"Karanos?!" Susan exclaims. "That's how you're obsessed with your best friend?"

Everyone in the room burst into laughter.

But Achilles shakes his head. "No. He's a beautiful boy, and that's what Karanos means." Once he has cleared the air, everyone understands.

—

A few days later, Susan is discharged. Achilles and Karanos had joined together to celebrate a big party where they invited everyone for the welcoming of the three children.

It was a big party filled with pomp. Laughter was exchanged over wine glasses and slow music for couples to dance to.

Things were going smoothly, and sometimes, Jemmah believed it was all a dream.

On the night of the celebration, Karanos had taken his wife to the terrazzo, where they stood watching the moonlight. They had left their twin girls with their new nanny and excused themselves from the noisy party.

"Congratulations once more!" Nikolai smiles as he kisses Jemmah's hands.

Karanos' arms were around his wife as they gazed at the sky. "It's a beautiful night. Everything has been aligning. We have beautiful kids, our families have come together, and love is in the air."

Jemmah smiled. She shared his happiness. Then she twisted in his arms and turned to look at him. She raised her glass of champagne. "Cheers to happy ever afters?"

Karanos nodded, and they clinked glasses.