Chapter 8 - The Queen of the Vance Empire
Six months later.
Spring had arrived in New York, turning the grounds of the Upstate estate into a vibrant sea of green grass, blooming white roses, and warm sunshine.
The grand marble terrace overlooking the private lake was dressed in white silk drapery, crystal chandeliers hanging from silver archways, and hundreds of potted orchids. Over three hundred guests—the most powerful political figures, industrial titans, and underworld leaders from across North America and Europe—were seated in quiet, awe-struck reverence.
At the altar stood Elias Vance.
He wore a tailored black tuxedo with a white silk bow tie. He looked immaculate, powerful, and undeniably happy, a warm smile gracing his handsome face as he watched the aisle.
Beside the altar, sitting in custom white velvet strollers pushed by two formal attendants, were six-month-old Grace and Lily. They wore adorable white lace dresses, laughing brightly as they kicked their tiny feet in the warm afternoon sun.
The heavy brass doors of the estate opened.
The entire crowd stood up as the string quartet began playing a soaring, triumphant symphony.
I stepped out onto the marble terrace.
I wore a magnificent, custom floor-length ivory lace wedding gown with a dramatic ten-foot train that swept gracefully behind me. My dark hair was styled into an intricate, crown-like updo adorned with tiny diamond pins that sparkled under the sunlight.
I didn't walk with hesitation. I didn't look down.
I walked down the white runner with absolute grace, beauty, and authority, my eyes locked entirely on the man who had pulled me out of the freezing dark and given me everything.
When I reached the altar, Elias stepped down to take my hand. His fingers were warm, steady, and trembling slightly with deep emotion.
“You look like a dream, Ava,” he whispered, his voice thick with reverence.
“I’m awake, Elias,” I smiled, my eyes shining with happy tears. “Thanks to you.”
The bishop stepped forward, his voice echoing over the silent crowd.
“Dearly beloved,” the bishop began, “we are gathered here today to unite Elias Vance and Ava Miller in Holy Matrimony. Who gives this woman to be married to this man?”
From the front row, Knox stood up, his massive frame dressed in a crisp tux, a proud smile on his scarred face. “Her daughters do.”
Soft laughter and warm applause swept through the distinguished crowd.
Elias turned to me, pulling a simple, breathtaking twenty-carat diamond ring from his pocket. He took my left hand, slipping the ring onto my finger.
“Ava,” Elias spoke his vows, his dark eyes burning with an eternal, unyielding flame of devotion. “Six months ago, I found you bleeding in the dark. I thought I was saving your life. But the truth is, you and our daughters saved mine. You brought light into an empire of shadows. I swear to protect you, respect you, love you, and stand beside you as your equal, your husband, and your shield until my very last breath.”
I wiped a tear from my cheek, holding his face in my hands as I slipped a matching platinum band onto his finger.
“Elias,” I whispered, my voice clear and strong. “I was broken, thrown away, and forgotten by a world that thought I was weak. You taught me that my daughters were not a curse, but the greatest blessing of my life. You gave me my strength back. I give you my heart, my loyalty, and my life forever.”
“By the power vested in me,” the bishop proclaimed, “I now pronounce you Husband and Wife. Elias, you may kiss your Queen.”
Elias didn't hesitate.
He pulled me into his arms, lifting me slightly off my feet as he pressed his lips to mine in a deep, passionate, and triumphant kiss that sent the entire crowd into wild, thunderous applause.
Above us, the clear blue New York sky was bright and warm.
I looked down at our daughters giggling in their strollers, then up into the loving eyes of the most powerful man in the city.
May you like
The woman who had almost died under a freezing overpass was gone forever.
In her place stood Ava Vance—Queen of the Vance Empire, mother of two beautiful daughters, and the undisputed heart of the most feared family in New York.
