Chapter 10 - Queen of New York (Happily Ever After)
One year later.
The evening sun was setting over the Hudson River, casting a brilliant golden glow across the water where massive cargo ships bearing the Vance Global logo glided peacefully toward Harbor Nine.
I stood on the expansive wrap-around balcony of a stunning, modern penthouse on the top floor of Vance Tower.
The home was nothing like the old limestone apartment. It was filled with warmth, high ceilings, vibrant art, and sweeping views of the city I had conquered.
I felt two strong, warm arms wrap gently around my waist from behind.
Gabriel rested his chin on my shoulder, breathing in the scent of my hair, pulling my back firmly against his broad, muscular chest.
“What are you thinking about, my Queen?” Gabriel whispered softly, his lips brushing against the shell of my ear, sending a delicious shiver down my spine.
I leaned back against him, resting my hands over his clasped fingers on my stomach.
On my left ring finger sat a breathtaking eight-carat flawless emerald-cut diamond ring—a symbol of a marriage built not on lies, fear, or secrets, but on complete equality, fierce loyalty, and unshakeable love.
“I was thinking about Thursday night at 2:17 in the morning,” I confessed softly, turning my head to look into his striking blue eyes.
Gabriel frowned gently, his hold on me tightening protectively. “Do you miss any part of it?”
“Not for a single second,” I smiled, reaching up to gently trace the strong line of his jaw. “I was thinking about how I walked out of that bedroom with a broken heart, believing my life was over. I didn't know that breaking that life was the only way to find my real one.”
Gabriel smiled—a warm, breathtaking smile that always made my heart race.
He turned me around in his arms so I was facing him. He leaned down, pressing his forehead gently against mine.
“You built an empire, Nora,” Gabriel whispered, his voice thick with unadorned devotion. “And you gave me the greatest honor of my life by letting me share it with you.”
“We built it together, Gabriel,” I corrected softly. “As equals.”
“As equals,” Gabriel agreed.
May you like
He pulled me close, lifting me slightly as his lips met mine in a deep, passionate, hungry kiss that tasted of sweet champagne, lingering warmth, and a future that belonged entirely to us.
Below us, the lights of New York City began to twinkle like a million diamond stars along the Hudson River—a city that no longer feared the shadows, because the woman who owned the light was finally holding the crown.
