Chapter 5 - A New Dynasty
Seven months later, the penthouse at Moretti Capital was no longer cold or intimidating.
The sprawling living room, once filled with minimalist chrome furniture and oppressive silence, now featured a plush cream-colored rug, a state-of-the-art bassinet, and piles of pastel baby toys.
I stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass windows, looking out over the glittering Manhattan skyline as the afternoon sun painted the sky in shades of gold and amber.
A pair of strong, familiar arms wrapped gently around my waist from behind, and a warm chin rested softly on my shoulder.
“She’s finally asleep,” Adrian murmured into my hair, sounding thoroughly exhausted yet profoundly happy.
“If you wake her up after it took us two hours to get her down, you’re sleeping on the couch,” I teased softly, leaning back against his chest.
Adrian chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that vibrated against my back. He turned me around slowly in his arms, his dark eyes softening as he looked down at me. We never technically remarried in a grand ceremony—we skipped the society galas and the church weddings, choosing instead to quietly sign a new binding agreement in front of a judge, merging our lives and our names permanently.
On the coffee table nearby sat a framed photograph from our daughter Maya’s birth certificate signing day, right beside a fresh copy of the New York Times financial section featuring Adrian and me as co-chairmen of the Moretti-Bennett Foundation.
The past was gone. The ghosts, including Vanessa and her petty games, had faded into absolute irrelevance.
“You know,” Adrian whispered, pressing a tender kiss to my forehead, “you still never answered my question from the hospital.”
I raised an eyebrow, smiling. “Which one?”
“When did you realize you loved me back?”
May you like
I reached up, wrapping my arms around his neck, and pulled him down for a deep, lingering kiss.
“Ask me again in another lifetime, Mr. Moretti,” I murmured against his lips. “We have plenty of time.”
