Chapter 10 - Queen of the Empire
One year later, the grand ballroom of the Bella Vista Hotel—the very place where Emily had kicked off her shoes and fled into the dark corridors—was aglow with crystal chandeliers and golden candlelight.
Hundreds of Chicago’s most prominent figures, philanthropists, and community leaders filled the hall for the annual Hayes Foundation Gala, a charity established by Emily to build secure shelters and provide legal defense for victims of domestic abuse across the state. Nobody remembered Derek Vance, who was currently serving a thirty-year sentence in a maximum-security penitentiary without the possibility of parole.
Emily stood by the sweeping terrace doors, looking out at Lake Michigan under the starlit sky. She wore a breathtaking, emerald-green velvet gown that hugged her breathtaking curves, radiating confidence, beauty, and absolute authority. Around her neck sat an antique diamond necklace that had belonged to the Moretti family for four generations.
Warm, strong arms slid around her waist from behind. Alexander pulled her against his broad chest, resting his chin softly against her shoulder. "You outshine every star over this lake tonight, Mrs. Moretti."
Emily leaned back against him, placing her hand over his. "I was just thinking about that night. How terrified I was when I slipped beneath your desk, begging for thirty seconds to disappear."
Alexander turned her gently in his arms, his dark eyes filled with boundless warmth and pride. "You didn't disappear, little bird. You stepped into the light. And you made this ruthless man understand what it truly means to love."
He gently placed his palm over her stomach, where a faint, gentle swell was beginning to show beneath the luxurious velvet fabric. Emily smiled, placing her hand over his, tears of pure happiness shimmering in her eyes.
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"Our daughter will grow up knowing she is safe," Alexander whispered, leaning down to press a tender kiss to her lips. "Because she will have the strongest mother in the world to protect her."
Emily kissed him back, the ghosts of her past completely extinguished by the brilliant future they had forged together. She had run from a monster in the dark, hidden under the desk of a king, and emerged as the undisputed queen of his heart.
