Chapter 9 - Damian Chose Me Over the Empire
The city changed overnight.
Federal agents raided Falcone warehouses.
Accounts were frozen.
Associates disappeared.
News cameras surrounded the courthouse.
Victor Falcone surrendered.
Thomas Reed confessed.
Adrian Cross vanished.
My mother reunited with Lucas.
And Damian walked away from the empire.
He gave the ledger to investigators.
Every page.
Every name.
Every secret.
He had the chance to inherit millions.
Instead, he chose a different life.
Weeks later, I went back to Miller's Diner.
The rent had been paid.
My landlord had been mysteriously persuaded to sell the building.
I knew exactly who had done it.
Damian sat at booth four.
Same booth.
Same seat.
Same arrogant expression.
He slid a cup toward me.
“Coffee?”
I smiled.
“Regular?”
“Regular.”
“No cream?”
“None.”
“No lighter?”
He reached into his pocket and placed it on the table.
I stared.
“You kept it?”
“Of course.”
“Why?”
“Because you stole it from me.”
“I confiscated it.”
“Same thing.”
I laughed.
He watched me.
Then he stood.
“I need to ask you something.”
I suddenly felt nervous.
Damian had faced armed men without hesitation.
But now he looked terrified.
“Lena…”
He took my hand.
“I spent my entire life thinking I was born to inherit something.”
I said nothing.
“Then I met you.”
His voice shook.
“And you made me realize I don't want an empire.”
“What do you want?”
“You.”
I smiled.
“That sounds dangerous.”
“It probably is.”
He reached into his pocket.
No gold lighter.
This time, a small box.
He opened it.
Inside was a ring.
Simple.
Beautiful.
Not expensive.
Not flashy.
Just honest.
“Will you marry me?”
I stared at him.
“You're proposing in a diner?”
“You met me in a diner.”
“You broke a mug.”
“You made me clean it.”
“You came back.”
“I always planned to.”
I laughed through my tears.
“Yes.”
He blinked.
“Yes?”
“Yes.”
The diner erupted in applause.
Apparently everyone had been listening.
Damian looked horrified.
I laughed even harder.
Then he kissed me.
For once, there was no fear.
No guns.
No lies.
No secrets.
Just us.
But happiness lasted only three days.
Because Adrian Cross called.
He asked to meet me alone.
I went.
Not because I trusted him.
Because I wanted the truth.
He stood in an empty warehouse.
“You made your choice.”
“Yes.”
“You chose Damian.”
“I chose myself.”
He smiled.
“That is why your mother was always proud of you.”
“Why did you bring me into all this?”
“Because the person who destroyed your family is still alive.”
“Who?”
Adrian said nothing.
Instead, he handed me a photograph.
Victor.
Thomas.
And one other person.
My father, Lucas.
The photo was taken twenty years earlier.
Lucas wasn't investigating Victor.
He was working with him.
I stared at the picture.
“What is this?”
Adrian whispered.
May you like
“The truth your mother never told you.”
I felt the ground disappear.
