Chapter 5 - Dawn of a New Dynasty
The storm finally broke as dawn painted the New York sky in shades of bruised purple and gold.
I unlocked the panic room door, stepping out into the hallway with sleeping baby Leo cradled securely against my chest. The mansion was quiet again, save for the rhythmic hum of air purifiers cleaning the lingering scent of smoke from the air.
As I walked into the main study, the doors stood wide open.
Adrian sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out over the restored gardens. His suit was ruined, his hands slightly bruised, but as he turned his wheelchair to face me, his expression was softer than I had ever seen it.
"Is he safe?" Adrian asked, his voice cracking slightly as he looked at our son.
"He slept through the whole thing," I murmured, walking over and kneeling beside his wheelchair.
Adrian reached out, his warm, strong hand gently cupping my cheek. His thumb brushed away a smudge of soot near my jawline.
"When you pulled that silver ring from beneath your dress," Adrian said softly, his eyes searching mine, "I thought I was hallucinating. For ten years, I searched for Don Gabriel’s family, praying I would find them. And when you walked into my life as a surrogate... I didn't know. If I had known who you were from the start, I never would have let you sign that contract."
"Why?" I asked, leaning slightly into his touch. "Because of the danger?"
"Because I wouldn't have bound you to my world with a business transaction," he answered honestly, his gaze piercing my soul. "I would have courted you like a man worthy of standing beside a Romano."
A genuine smile broke through the tension on my face. "You bought my mother the best medical care in the country, Adrian. You gave us a home when we had nothing left. And you just took down the man who destroyed my family."
"That was just clearing a debt," Adrian whispered. "What I want now has nothing to do with debts."
May you like
He reached into his breast pocket and pulled out a small velvet box. My heart skipped a beat.
"Melissa Hart—no, Melissa Romano," he corrected himself, his voice thick with emotion. "You gave me a son, a second chance at life, and a reason to tear down the walls I built around my heart. Will you stay here, not as a guest, not as a surrogate, but as my queen?"
