Chapter 10 - SHATTERED CROWNS
The aftermath of the coup sent shockwaves through the American underworld. With the Calabrese family decimated and my mother exiled, my power was absolute. No one dared question the Moretti name again.
But sitting in my rebuilt study a week later, looking at the ledger of blood money and extortion, I felt nothing but disgust.
Elena walked in, carrying two cups of coffee. She set one on my desk and stood behind me, rubbing my tense shoulders.
"You look like a man who just conquered a kingdom but doesn't want the throne," she observed astutely.
"I don't," I confessed, leaning back into her touch. "When I thought I was going to lose you and the girls... none of this mattered. The money, the fear, the respect. It's poison."
I spun my chair around to face her. "I am dissolving the illegal operations. The weapons, the extortion, the turf wars. I am transitioning the Moretti family into purely legitimate shipping and real estate. It will take years, and it will be dangerous, but I want my daughters to grow up in the light. Not the shadows."
Elena smiled, a radiant, breathtaking expression that made my heart stutter. "I think that is the bravest thing you have ever done."
"I have a lot of work to do," I said, taking her hands in mine. "But I cannot do it alone. I need a partner. Not just in business, but in life."
I slid off the chair onto one knee.
Elena gasped, her hands flying to her mouth.
I pulled a simple, flawless diamond ring from my pocket. It wasn't stolen. It wasn't stained with blood. It was new, and it was perfect.
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"Elena Rostova, you walked into the darkest house in the world and brought the sun with you. You gave my daughter her legs, and you gave me my heart. Will you marry me?"
Tears spilled over her cheeks. She nodded frantically, unable to speak, and threw her arms around my neck. "Yes," she laughed against my skin. "Yes, Adrian."
