Chapter 10 - The Sovereign and the Queen
Cassian’s laughter gradually subsided into a quiet, reverent stillness. He took a step back, his dark eyes fixed onto hers with an emotion so powerful it made the breath catch in Margot’s throat.
Slowly, deliberately, the most feared man in North America dropped to one knee on the Persian rug before her.
Margot gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
From his inner breast pocket, Cassian drew a vintage black velvet box. He flipped it open, revealing an exquisite, flawless ten-carat cushion-cut yellow diamond, surrounded by a halo of brilliant pavé stones that sparkled like stars in the firelight.
“Margot,” Cassian began, his voice deep, rich, and thick with emotion. “The first day you walked into my conference room, I was a blind fool living in a world of shallow shadows. I tried to demean your presence because I was terrified of how small you made me feel in comparison to your brilliance.”
He reached up, gently taking her trembling left hand in his strong, warm grasp.
“You taught me that true power isn't about cruelty or fear. It's about dignity, intellect, and having the courage to protect the people who depend on you. You saved my life, you saved my family’s legacy, and you brought light into a soul that had known only darkness for forty years.”
Tears spilled over Margot’s lashes, tracking hot trails down her cheeks, but she didn't hide them. She had spent thirty-four years believing she was too much for the world to handle. Now, she knew she had simply been waiting for a man whose heart was vast enough to hold her completely.
“You are my equal in every way,” Cassian continued, his voice trembling with devotion. “My partner, my protector, my soul. I don't want a trophy to display, Margot. I want a queen to rule beside me. Will you marry me?”
Margot let out a breathless, joyful laugh that echoed like music through the penthouse. She pulled him up by his lapels, throwing her arms around his neck with all the fierce passion in her heart.
“Yes!” she cried out, her voice ringing with absolute certainty. “Yes, Cassian! A thousand times yes!”
Cassian lifted her off her feet, spinning her around in the firelight as if she weighed nothing at all, his laughter mingling with her tears of pure joy. When he set her down, he slid the magnificent yellow diamond onto her finger—a perfect fit.
He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs wiping away her tears before his lips came down onto hers in a deep, passionate, possessive kiss that erased every lingering shadow of her past.
Six months later, their wedding was celebrated at the DeLuca estate on the shores of Lake Michigan.
There were no whispers of judgment, no sneering remarks from superficial socialites. Surrounded by family, loyal friends, and Margot’s healthy, beaming father walking her down an aisle lined with white roses, Margot stood in a breathtaking ivory silk ballgown that celebrated every inch of her voluptuous grace.
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As Cassian looked into the eyes of his bride, he whispered the vow that had become his eternal truth:
“You took up space in my world, my love. And in doing so, you filled every empty corner of my heart.”"
