Chapter 6 - The Unbroken CrownSix months later, the crisp autumn wind swept across the rolling green lawns of the Moretti estate, carrying the sweet scent of fresh pine, earth, and ocean air.
The grand ballroom of the mansion was filled with warm amber light, sparkling crystal, and the gentle melody of a live string quartet.
It was the three-year anniversary of our marriage—a night we had chosen to celebrate not as a political peace treaty, but as a real, unbroken union of love and victory.
Over two hundred guests filled the room: regional business leaders, high-ranking city officials, and the newly restructured Moretti executive council—men who now looked at me not just with fear, but with absolute, unshakeable respect.
Alina stood near the grand marble staircase, wearing a breathtaking floor-length gown of emerald silk that complemented her dark hair and radiant, healthy skin. She was completely healed. Her eyes were bright, her smile warm, and her laughter filled the cavernous room like pure music.
I stood beside her, wearing an immaculate tailored charcoal suit, my arm wrapped securely around her waist, pulling her flush against my side.
Her mother, Eleanor, walked up to us holding a glass of champagne, her face lightened of the heavy, suffocating fear that had plagued her for years.
“You look breathtaking, my daughter,” Eleanor smiled warmly, kissing Alina’s cheek before looking up at me. “And you, Dante… look like a man who finally knows what he’s fighting for.”
“I’ve always known, Eleanor,” I smiled back, taking a slow sip of my scotch. “I just needed my wife to show me where the target was.”
Alina laughed softly, resting her head against my shoulder, her hand gently resting over my hip.
Suddenly, Marco stepped up to my side, leaning in close to whisper in my ear.
“Boss, the city council president just arrived with the new port development contracts,” Marco reported softly. “He’s requesting five minutes in your private office to review the signature terms.”
Six months ago, I would have immediately stepped away, leaving my wife behind to manage the business of an empire.
I looked down at Alina. She looked up at me, offering a gentle, understanding nod.
“Go on,” she whispered teasingly. “Don't keep the city waiting.”
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I reached out, gently taking her chin between my fingers, tilting her face up to press a lingering, passionate kiss against her warm lips in front of every single guest in the ballroom.
“Five minutes, sweetheart,” I promised against her mouth. “Then I’m coming back to dance with my wife.”
