Chapter 11 - THE EMPRESS OF CHICAGO (EPILOGUE)
Five years later.
The rooftop garden of the newly completed Aegis Tower—a hundred-story skyscraper in the heart of downtown Chicago—offered a breathtaking view of the city skyline.
The garden was filled with laughter, string lights, and music. It was a private, intimate gathering to celebrate Julian and Ama’s seventh birthdays.
Evelyn stood by the glass railing, watching the sunset over Lake Michigan. She wore a simple, elegant white dress, the diamond on her left hand catching the fading light.
Elias walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. He kissed the side of her neck, his beard rough against her skin.
"They’re trying to bribe the chef for more cake," Elias murmured, nodding toward the twins, who were currently deploying highly advanced negotiation tactics on the catering staff.
"They take after their mother," Evelyn laughed, leaning into his embrace.
"Terrifying, brilliant, and entirely unstoppable?" Elias asked, turning her around to face him.
"Exactly."
Elias kissed her, a deep, slow promise in the middle of the city she owned. He was the Chief of Trauma Surgery at Cole Medical now, a man who matched her intellect, respected her power, and loved her ferociously. He didn't want to stand in her light; he wanted to stand beside her in the fire.
Mara walked over, holding a glass of champagne, looking exasperated but happy. "Evie, your son just successfully argued a contractual loophole to get a third slice of chocolate cake. I think he’s ready for law school."
Evelyn laughed, the sound bright and clear, untethered by the ghosts of her past.
She looked at her beautiful, brilliant children. She looked at her best friend, who was more like a sister. She looked at the man who held her heart safely in his hands.
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She had descended into the darkest, coldest depths of betrayal. She had been declared dead by the man who swore to protect her. But the dirt he threw on her was just a foundation. And from that dirt, Evelyn Cole had grown an empire, a family, and a love that could never be broken.
The woman who was buried without a funeral had become the Empress of Chicago. And her reign had only just begun.
