Chapter 15 - THE FINAL SUNSET AND THE HAPPY ENDING
The winter snow began to fall softly over Chicago, dusting the grand marble steps of the Moretti mansion in pristine white.
Inside the warm, fire-lit study, the legal papers rested on the mahogany desk.
Joint custody.
Complete, undeniable, and sealed by the federal court.
Vanessa and her uncle were locked away in a high-security federal penitentiary where neither of them would ever see the light of day again.
The syndicate had officially dissolved its operations in Illinois, recognizing that crossing Dominic Moretti was a death sentence.
And inside the grand living room, the Christmas tree sparkled with hundreds of twinkling lights.
Maisie sat on the rug, wearing her new pink bunny coat, happily unwrapping a massive dollhouse Dominic had spent three hours assembling the night before.
“Look, Mommy! Look what Daddy built!” she cheered, running over to tug on my apron.
I smiled, looking up as Dominic walked into the room.
He wore a simple dark sweater, his shoulders relaxed for the first time in years.
He walked over, kneeling down beside Maisie to hand her another small wrapped box, before standing up and walking toward me.
He stopped just inches away, his dark eyes warm and steady.
“You ready for tonight?” he asked softly, slipping his hand into mine.
“The tree is lit, the dinner is cooked, and the feds haven't called once,” I smiled, resting my head against his shoulder.
“I'd say we're doing alright.”
Dominic wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close against him, while Maisie laughed happily on the rug behind us.
The nightmare was over.
The secrets were buried.
May you like
And for the first time in our lives, we were exactly where we belonged.
THE END.
