Chapter 10 - The Empire We Chose
Three months later, the spring sun was shining brightly over the rolling hills of the northern estate grounds, warming the manicured lawns and the ancient oak trees that lined the iron gates.
It wasn't a fortress of fear anymore. It was a home.
In the sunlit kitchen, Sadi stood at the marble island, wearing an oversized cashmere sweater, rolling out fresh pastry dough while Sam sat across from her at the counter, laughing as he argued with Marcus over a hand of cards.
Footsteps approached from behind, and a pair of strong arms wrapped securely around her waist, pulling her back against a warm chest. A chin rested comfortably on her shoulder.
“You’re going to ruin those clothes,” Victor murmured, kissing the side of her neck.
“That’s what washing machines are for,” Sadi laughed, leaning back into him. “Besides, Marcus is supposed to be briefing you on the shipping manifests, not teaching my brother how to cheat at poker.”
“Let him try,” Victor said, turning her around in his arms so she was facing him. He reached up, gently brushing a stray lock of hair from her forehead. “My primary portfolio right now is making sure my wife doesn't spend the entire morning cooking for an army.”
“I like cooking,” Sadi protested with a mock frown. “It grounds me.”
“You don't need to be grounded anymore, Sadi,” Victor said softly, his slate-gray eyes fierce with devotion. “You can fly as high as you want. Everything I have is yours. The estate, the assets, the safety, the future—it all belongs to us.”
May you like
Sadi looked up into his face, tracing the strong, familiar lines of the man who had pulled her out of the dark basement and given her the world. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down into a deep, tender kiss that needed no words.
Outside the massive glass windows, the wind rustled through the oak trees, and the golden sunlight stretched across the lawn, illuminating a future that was secure, unbreakable, and entirely their own.
