Chapter 10 - A New Chapter
Grace walked up the grand stone steps to the main terrace. Dominic stood near the edge, looking out over the sparkling blue waters of Lake Michigan. He was dressed in a sharp navy suit, but his tie was loosened, his posture relaxed in a way Grace had never seen before.
As she approached, he turned around. In his hand, he held a small, familiar sheet of paper.
"You left this on my desk," Dominic said, a rare, breathtaking smile spreading across his face.
Grace flushed slightly. "It was a note."
"I know," Dominic said, walking up to her until there was no distance left between them. He unfolded the paper and read her neat handwriting aloud:
'Is the mafia boss going to keep watching me on his monitors, or is he finally going to ask me to dinner?'
Dominic looked down at her, his dark eyes brimming with affection, admiration, and a deep, unshakeable love.
"I threw away the monitors, Grace," Dominic said gently, taking her hands in his. "I don't need cameras to see what is right in front of me. You saved my brother. You saved this family. And you captured my heart from the very first moment you walked into this house and refused to take my orders."
Grace looked up at him, her heart beating a sweet, wild rhythm. "So... is that a yes to dinner?"
Dominic laughed, leaning down to press his lips against hers in a tender, passionate kiss that swept away the ghosts of the past seven years. The sun broke through the clouds, bathing the Lake Forest estate in warm, golden light.
May you like
"That's a yes to dinner," Dominic whispered against her lips, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her close as if he would never let go. "And a yes to forever."
Together, hand in hand, they walked back into the house—a place no longer defined by silence and fear, but filled with laughter, love, and the endless promise of new chapters yet to be written.
