Chapter 11 - A NEW EMPIRE
One Year Later.
The dining room of the Manhattan penthouse looked very different now. The heavy, oppressive atmosphere of mafia dealings had been replaced by the warmth of actual sunlight. The bulletproof glass had been replaced. The long walnut table was covered in crayons, coloring books, and architectural blueprints.
I sat at the head of the table, reviewing the financial reports for the Moretti Foundation—a massive legitimate charity I now ran, funded by the cleaned, legal assets of the syndicate.
“Mommy, look!”
Lily ran into the room, wearing a miniature custom-tailored suit. She was five now, and she ruled the Moretti empire with an iron fist and a cloth rabbit.
Vincent walked in behind her, wearing a soft cashmere sweater, looking years younger than the day I met him. He scooped Lily up, spinning her around until she shrieked with laughter, before walking over to me.
He leaned down and kissed my cheek, his hand resting gently on my stomach. The smooth curve beneath my ribs wasn't a lie this time. It was five months along, real and kicking.
“How’s the real heir doing today?” Vincent asked, a soft, genuine smile on his face.
“Kicking like his father,” I smiled, leaning back against his chest.
Vincent kissed the top of my head, looking around the room that had once been the site of a corporate crime scene. The ghosts of the Bellini family were gone, erased from history.
“Good,” Vincent murmured, holding me tight. “He’ll need to be strong to keep up with his big sister.”
I looked out the window at the bright New York skyline, realizing that out of a crumpled, discarded lie, we had built a beautiful, unshatterable truth.
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