My Bestie's Dad Likes Me Wet-Chapter 113 EPILOGUE EVER AFTER

NOVA POV - ONE YEAR LATER

I stood in front of my vanity, staring at the pregnancy test sitting next to my New York Times bestseller plaque.

Positive.

Again.

A smile spread across my face as I placed my hand on my still-flat stomach. Baby number three. Grant was going to lose his mind in the best way possible.

"Mama! Dad said we need to hurry or we’ll be late!" Phoenix’s voice carried from downstairs, followed by Asher’s. "And Uncle Luca said if we’re late, he’s making us walk down the aisle in pink!"

I laughed, tucking the pregnancy test into my pocket. I’d tell Grant later tonight, after Luca’s wedding.

Chaos reigned downstairs, Grant was trying to fix Phoenix’s bowtie while Asher spun in circles, admiring how his little tux jacket flared out.

"Boys, please. Stand still for two seconds." Grant’s voice held that mix of exasperation and affection that had become his default over the past year.

My husband. Still surreal to think about sometimes.

The past year has been hard, messy and full of tears and breakthroughs as well as setbacks. But we’d made it work.

True to his word, Grant had reached out to Sam. It had been awkward as hell—two men who loved the same boys, trying to navigate co-parenting when one of them wasn’t biologically related. But Sam had agreed to monthly visits. FaceTime calls every week. Birthdays and holidays alternating.

The boys had been thrilled. And slowly, so slowly, they’d started to accept Grant too.

It helped that Grant had completely transformed. The controlling, domineering man who’d forced us here was gone or at least, buried deep under layers of patience and genuine effort. He’d learned to ask instead of demand, listen instead of dictate and to be present without smothering.

He’d become the father the boys needed And the husband I’d never thought I’d have.

"Ready, Mrs. Calloway?" Grant looked up, and the love in his eyes still made my breath catch.

"Ready." I walked down the stairs, and he immediately pulled me close, kissing my forehead.

"You look beautiful."

"You say that every day."

"Because it’s true every day." His hand rested on my hip, and I wondered if he could somehow sense the life growing inside me. "Though you’re glowing more than usual. Is everything okay?"

"Perfect." I smiled, keeping my secret a little longer. "Everything’s perfect."

"Eww, they’re being mushy again," Phoenix groaned.

"Get used to it, buddy," Grant ruffled his hair. "Your mom’s stuck with me now."

"Yeah, but at least you’re not as scary anymore," Asher said matter-of-factly.

Grant froze. "I was scary?"

"Super scary," Phoenix confirmed. "Remember when we first got here? You were like a mean giant. But now you’re like... a nice giant who builds us tree houses and plays video games."

I watched my husband’s face soften, and saw the emotion he was trying to hide. "Well, I’m glad I’ve been upgraded to a nice giant."

"Can we call Dad Sam before we leave?" Asher asked. "I want to tell him about being a ring bearer."

There it was. The moment that would have destroyed Grant a year ago. But now he just nodded.

"Good idea. He’ll want to hear all about it." Grant pulled out his phone, dialed, and handed it to the boys and While they chattered excitedly to Sam about the wedding, Grant pulled me aside.

"Thank you," he said quietly.

"For what?"

"For pushing me to do the right thing. For not letting me be the monster I wanted to be." He kissed me softly. "I love you, Nova Calloway."

"I love you too, Grant Calloway."

The doorbell rang, interrupting our moment.

Ivin appeared. "Sir, there’s someone at the gate. Lena Calloway, and she’s asking to see you."

The name hung in the air like a fragile bomb.

Grant’s jaw tightened. "Tell her—"

"Wait." I put my hand on his arm. "Maybe you should see her. Hear what she has to say."

"Nova—"

"I’m not saying forgive her. I’m not saying let her back into our lives. But she’s been trying to reach you for months. Maybe it’s time to get closure."

Grant studied me. "You’re sure?"

"I’m sure. The boys and I will wait in the car."

He nodded, kissed my forehead again, and headed toward his office. "Ivin, bring her in. And stay close."

Twenty minutes later, Grant emerged looking exhausted but lighter somehow. The boys had finished their call with Sam and were playing with their phones in the car.

"How’d it go?" I asked as he slid into the driver’s seat.

"She cried a lot and apologized for everything. Said she’s been in therapy, that she understands now how toxic her mother was, how much damage she caused." He started the car. "She wanted me to take her back. To be her father again."

"And?"

"I told her I forgave her. That I hoped she found peace and healing. But that the door to my life was closed." He glanced at me. "Some things can’t be undone, Nova. She destroyed you. She destroyed us. And even though we found our way back to each other, I can’t forget that she was willing to ruin your life out of jealousy."

"Do you feel okay about that decision?"

"Yes. She’s not my daughter anymore. Phoenix and Asher are my sons. You’re my wife. And the baby—" He stopped, eyes widening. "Wait. Baby?"

I grinned. "Surprise."

"You’re pregnant?" His voice cracked. "Nova, are you—when did you—how long—"

"Found out this morning. Took the test while you were wrestling the boys into their tuxes."

Grant pulled the car over—we were still in the driveway—and turned to face me fully. "We’re having another baby?"

"We’re having another baby."

"Dad! Why are we stopping?" Phoenix called from the back. "Uncle Luca’s going to kill us!"

"Your mom’s pregnant!" Grant announced, unable to contain himself.

"WHAT?" Both boys screamed in unison.

"Is it a girl?" Asher asked hopefully. "I want a sister!"

"We don’t know yet, buddy. It’s still early."

"Can we name her Princess Sparkle?" Phoenix asked seriously.

"Absolutely not," Grant and I said together, then laughed.

"This is amazing," Grant said, his hand on my stomach. "Perfect. Everything is perfect."

And it was. Although messy and complicated and nothing like I’d imagined, but perfect in its own way.

We arrived at Luca’s estate an hour later. The wedding was being held in his gardens — a massive, elaborate affair that screamed mafia elegance. Giulia looked stunning in her wedding dress, all diamonds and silk and fierce Russian beauty.

"You’re late, Calloway," Luca called out when he saw us. "I was about to send my men after you."

"Family emergency," Grant said, grinning. "The good kind."

"Oh?" Giulia appeared beside Luca. "What kind of good emergency?"

"Nova’s pregnant," Grant announced, unable to help himself.

Giulia squealed, pulling me into a hug. "Congratulations! This is wonderful!"

"Another Calloway heir," Luca said, shaking Grant’s hand. "The world should be terrified."

"Speaking of heirs, are my ring bearers ready?" Giulia looked at Phoenix and Asher, who’d been practicing their walk for weeks.

"Ready!" They said in unison.

The wedding was beautiful. Traditional Italian and Russian mixed with just enough danger to remind everyone this was a mafia union. Phoenix and Asher walked down the aisle with the rings, looking adorable and taking their job very seriously.

When Luca and Giulia said their vows, I watched Grant watching them. Saw him remember our own wedding that was clinical and forced and nothing like this celebration of love.

"We should do this again," he whispered to me. "A real wedding. With our friends and family. Something worth celebrating."

"We already are married," I reminded him.

"I know. But I want to marry you again. The right way. With everyone we love watching. With the boys as ring bearers and you not looking at me like I’m kidnapping you."

I laughed, tears pricking my eyes. "Okay. When the baby comes. After I’m not waddling down the aisle. We’ll have a real wedding."

"Deal."

During the reception, Grant pulled me onto the dance floor. The boys were busy stuffing their faces with cake, supervised by Giulia’s mother.

"I have something to tell you," he said as we swayed to the music.

"Another surprise?"

"Sort of. Remember how you mentioned wanting to write full-time? Not worry about anything else?"

"Grant, we talked about this. My book advance was good, but not quit-your-day-job good—"

"It is now." He smiled. "I may have made some calls. Your agent might be calling you tomorrow about a three-book deal. With a major publisher. Seven figures."

I stopped dancing. "You what?"

"I didn’t buy it for you," he said quickly. "They were already interested. I just... facilitated some conversations. Made some introductions. The deal is based entirely on your talent and your sales numbers. I just opened the door."

"Grant—"

"You’re brilliant, Nova. Your writing is incredible. You deserve to do it full-time. To have that be your career, not just a side project." He kissed me softly. "Let me give this to you. Not as control or as manipulation but as a husband who believes in his wife."

"Seven figures?" I was still processing.

"Seven figures, Three books and Complete creative control." He grinned. "You’re going to be more famous than I am."

"I don’t know what to say."

"Say you’ll write full-time. Say you’ll let me support your dreams the way you’ve supported mine."

"Yes." I pulled him closer. "Yes to all of it."

We danced until the boys ran over, demanding to join. Grant scooped up Phoenix while I took Asher, and we danced as a family, surrounded by friends and former enemies turned allies.

I thought about the girl I’d been six years ago. Nova Hart, the scholarship student who’d made one mistake and lost everything. Who’d run and hidden and built a new life out of ash.

That girl couldn’t have imagined this. A husband who loved her. Sons who were thriving. A baby on the way. A bestselling novel with a major book deal.

A happily ever after that came with complications and compromise and hard-fought growth.

"What are you thinking about?" Grant asked, reading my expression.

"How far we’ve come. How much has changed."

"Do you regret any of it? Honestly?"

I looked at Phoenix and Asher, giggling as they tried to step on Grant’s feet in time with the music. Thought about the baby growing inside me. About the life we’d built from the ashes of who we used to be.

"Not for a second," I said truthfully. "It was hard and messy and painful. But I wouldn’t change any of it. Because it brought us here."

"To a mafia wedding with our sons as ring bearers?"

"To a family, a real one, the kind I always wanted but never thought I’d have."

Grant kissed me, deep and soft and full of promise. "I love you, Nova. Thank you for not giving up on me. On us."

"I love you too. Even when you’re being an overbearing, controlling billionaire."

"I prefer ’devoted husband.’"

"Same thing," I teased.

Phoenix tugged on Grant’s jacket. "Dad? Can we get more cake?"

Dad. Not Mr. Grant or the mean man. My husband is now dad to our kids.

Grant’s face lit up every time they called him that. "Of course, buddy. But just one more slice or your mom will kill me."

"Two slices?" Asher negotiated.

"One and a half. Final offer."

"Deal!"

The boys ran off, and Grant pulled me close again.

"This is it," he said softly. "This is everything I wanted but didn’t know how to ask for. A family that chooses me. Not because they have to, but because they want to."

"We do choose you," I assured him. "Every day. Even when you’re impossible."

"Especially when I’m impossible," he corrected.

Later, as we drove home with two sleeping boys in the backseat and my hand on my stomach where our third child grew, I thought about how love wasn’t always clean or easy or simple.

Sometimes it was messy. Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it required sacrifice and compromise and becoming someone new.

But when it was real—when it was right—it was worth every second of pain to get there.

Grant reached over, laced his fingers through mine.

"What are you thinking about now?" He asked.

"Our happily ever after."

"Is it everything you hoped for?"

I looked at him—this man who’d destroyed my life and rebuilt it, who’d taken everything and given it all back, who’d learned to love without controlling and lead without dominating.

"It’s better," I said honestly. "Because it’s real. And it’s ours."

"Forever," he promised.

"Forever," I agreed.

And this time, I believed it.

THE END