Chapter 7 - The Empire We BuiltTwo years later, the South Philadelphia waterfront looked entirely different.
The rusted, decaying warehouses and abandoned docks that had once served as breeding grounds for corruption and illegal syndicates were gone. In their place stood the Vance-Wexler Maritime Center—a sprawling, modern shipping and community hub that provided thousands of legitimate jobs, funded local schools, and restored the historic riverfront to the people of Philadelphia.
The transition hadn't been easy, but we built it together.
Simon no longer operated in the shadows as an underworld boss; as the primary corporate partner of the Vance estate, he was now recognized as one of the most respected maritime developers on the East Coast.
And my father?
We didn't cut him off entirely—Tommy and Rose deserved to know their father, even if he was a flawed, recovering man living in a modest, debt-free townhome in Delaware funded by a modest monthly allowance we set up for him. He never looked me in the eye when he visited, knowing the full extent of what he had almost traded away. But he didn't need to.
On a warm Saturday afternoon, the sun blazed down over the newly paved boardwalk of the riverfront park.
I stood near the railing, watching ten-year-old Tommy and seven-year-old Rose chase each other down the path, screaming with laughter and clutching oversized ice cream cones.
A pair of strong, familiar arms slid around my waist from behind, and a warm chin rested comfortably on my shoulder.
“They’re going to run themselves sick before dinner,” Simon murmured, smiling as he watched the kids.
“Let them,” I laughed, leaning back against his chest and resting my hands over his arms. “They’ve earned a little chaos.”
Simon turned me around in his arms, looking down at me with those deep, ocean-blue eyes that still made my heart skip a beat every single day. He reached out, brushing a stray curl away from my cheek.
“You know,” Simon said softly, a teasing spark in his eyes, “your father still calls my office once a month asking if I need any more inventory.”
I rolled my eyes, smiling as I wrapped my arms around his neck.
“Tell him the inventory is permanently off the market,” I whispered.
May you like
Simon pulled me close, his lips meeting mine in a deep, tender kiss that tasted of forever.
“Good,” he murmured against my lips. “Because I wouldn't trade this asset for the world.”
