Chapter 10 - The Unbroken Queen
Two years later.
The summer sun shone brightly over the lush green lawn of our private estate overlooking Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
A grand white marquee was set up near the water’s edge. Laughter, jazz music, and the clinking of champagne glasses filled the warm breeze.
My father stood on the patio, holding a glass of wine, looking at me with proud, shining eyes as I walked past in a stunning, custom-made ivory gown with a long, sweeping train.
"You look beautiful, Mere," Dad said, touching my arm gently. "Your mother would be so proud of the woman you’ve become."
"Thanks, Dad," I smiled, kissing his cheek.
I looked out across the lawn.
My best friends from the corporate world were laughing near the bar. Eleanor was there, quiet and polite, having finally learned to respect the boundaries of my life. Chloe was not invited—she was living her own life in Seattle, sending small holiday cards every year, slowly rebuilding herself from the ground up.
And standing near the edge of the lake, holding our seven-month-old son, Leo, was David.
David was wearing a sharp black tuxedo, laughing as he gently bounced our baby boy against his shoulder. Leo let out a burst of tiny, joyful giggles, reaching his chubby hands up to grab David’s bow tie.
As I walked down the lawn toward them, David turned his head. His eyes locked onto mine, lighting up with that same unshakeable, fierce devotion he had shown me every single day since we met.
He handed Leo carefully to his mother, stepped forward, pulled me into his arms, and kissed me deeply beneath the shade of the grand oak tree.
"Ready, Mrs. Vance?" David whispered against my lips.
"I’ve been ready for a long time," I smiled, wrapping my arms around his waist.
May you like
I looked out over the sparkling blue waters of the lake, feeling the warm sun on my face, knowing with absolute certainty that no betrayal could ever destroy a woman who knew her own worth.
I had pulled my investment from a boy who didn't deserve it—and earned a lifetime of true, unshakeable love in return.
