Chapter 8
Six months later, the Moretti estate hosted the grandest wedding Chicago had seen in half a century.
The gardens were draped in thousands of white roses and floating silk lanterns. Over three hundred guests—including business leaders, community figures, and family friends—filled the marble pavilion under a brilliant autumn sky.
Standing at the altar in a tailored black tuxedo, my heart pounded with an overwhelming joy I had never thought possible.
Beside me stood Gideon, my best man, wearing a rare smile on his scarred face.
The music shifted into a majestic, triumphant symphony.
The double doors of the conservatory opened.
Walking down the white carpet, wearing an exquisite floor-length gown of Italian silk with a long lace veil, was Delia. She looked breathtaking, a vision of pure elegance, grace, and unmatched beauty.
Walking beside her, holding her arm with a firm, strong grip, was my mother, Eleanor. She walked without a cane, her head held high, tears of pride shining in her eyes as she escorted the woman who had saved her life to her son.
When Delia reached the altar, my mother took her hand and placed it into mine.
"Take... care of... each other," my mother said, her voice clear and strong.
"Always, Mother," I promised, taking Delia’s hand and looking into her eyes.
The ceremony was brief, powerful, and filled with deep emotion. When the cardinal pronounced us husband and wife, I pulled Delia into my arms, lifting her off her feet as I kissed her beneath a shower of falling white rose petals.
The crowd erupted into resounding, joyful applause, led by my mother, who stood waving her handkerchief in absolute delight.
At the grand reception that evening, under a brilliant canopy of stars and crystal chandeliers, Delia and I stood on the grand terrace, watching our guests dance and celebrate.
Delia rested her head against my shoulder, her hand resting over her stomach, where our first child—a little girl—was quietly growing.
"Are you happy, my Queen?" I whispered, wrapping my coat around her shoulders to shield her from the cool autumn breeze.
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"I have everything I ever prayed for, Dominic," Delia smiled, looking up at me with eyes full of eternal love. "A home, a family, and a husband who protects me."
I kissed her forehead softly, looking out over the quiet, peaceful grounds of the estate that had once been filled with shadows, but was now overflowing with light.
