Chapter 7 - The Crown We ShareThe snow fell softly over Chicago six months later, turning the sprawling metropolis into a glittering winter wonderland.
Inside the grand ballroom of the Palmer House, three hundred of the city’s most elite executives, politicians, and dignitaries milled about under the glow of thousand-crystal chandeliers. String music drifted softly through the vaulted ceilings, and champagne glasses clinked in celebration.
It was the annual Chicago Foundation Charity Gala—the premier social event of the season.
And tonight, I wasn't sitting at a desk on the finance floor, watching through a glass wall.
I stood at the center of the grand ballroom, wearing a stunning, floor-length emerald-silk gown that caught the light with every step. Around my neck rested a delicate diamond necklace, and on my left ring finger gleamed a flawless, unpretentious solitaire diamond that caught the fire of the chandeliers.
Beside me stood Nathan.
He wore his signature bespoke black tuxedo, his tall, commanding presence anchoring the room with effortless grace. But the cold, untouchable mafia boss who had terrified Vincent Moretti months ago was gone. When he looked down at me, the gray depths of his eyes held a warmth and devotion that belonged to me alone.
"Are you holding up okay?" he murmured, leaning down so his lips brushed my ear, his hand resting securely against the small of my back. "I know how much you hate these massive crowds."
"I'm fine," I smiled, looking up at him with absolute peace in my heart. "As long as you don't make me dance the waltz. You know my left foot has a personal vendetta against rhythm."
Nathan let out a low, rich chuckle that sent a shiver of pure happiness down my spine. "If you step on my toes, sweetheart, I'll simply buy the ballroom and have the floor replaced."
"You wouldn't."
"Try me."
Across the room, I spotted Harper standing near the dessert table, her eyes wide as she waved frantically at me while talking animatedly to Lucas Grant, who looked surprisingly patient standing beside her.
I laughed, shaking my head.
Who would have thought?
Twenty-eight years of waiting, of wondering if something was wrong with me because I couldn't give my heart away casually. Twenty-eight years of guarding a secret I thought made me broken.
And all it took was one cracked conference-room door, a man who listened when the rest of the world was too loud, and a love that didn't demand compliance, but offered sanctuary.
Nathan lifted his champagne glass, catching my eye as the orchestra began to play a slow, sweeping melody across the room.
He didn't care about my past. He didn't care that I had never been with anyone before him. He had wanted my heart before my body, and in giving it to him, I had found the one place on earth where I was truly, completely safe.
May you like
"Dance with me, Maya," he whispered, extending his hand.
I placed my palm in his, letting him pull me close against his chest as we stepped out onto the marble floor. And as the snow fell outside the grand windows over Chicago, I knew my waiting was finally over.
