Chapter 9 - Roman Gave Me One Promise, and This Time There Were No Guns
A year after the trial, Blackridge Estate was no longer what it had been.
Roman sold it.
He sold everything connected to the old empire.
Except one room.
Daniel’s old office.
He turned it into a library.
The red toy car sat on a shelf.
It had become a symbol.
Not of danger.
Of survival.
One evening, Roman invited me to the library.
Lily was spending the night with a trusted family friend.
Roman looked nervous.
I had never seen him nervous before.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re lying.”
He smiled.
“I am.”
He opened a drawer.
Inside was a ring.
My heart stopped.
“Roman…”
“Before you say no—”
“I haven’t said anything.”
“I know.”
He took a breath.
“I spent most of my life believing control was the same thing as safety.”
He looked at me.
“It isn’t.”
He knelt.
“I cannot promise the world will never become dangerous again.”
His voice shook.
“But I can promise I will never make decisions about your life without you.”
Tears filled my eyes.
“I can’t promise I’ll always know the right thing to do.”
He smiled.
“But I can promise I’ll tell you the truth.”
I laughed through tears.
“You’ve become sentimental.”
“I blame Lily.”
He held out the ring.
“Will you marry me?”
I looked at him.
The feared Roman Hail.
The man who had survived an assassination attempt.
The man who had fought his own family.
The man who had lost his brother.
And the man who now stood before me without a weapon.
“Yes.”
His eyes closed briefly.
Relief.
Then Lily burst through the door.
“You did it!”
Roman laughed.
“How did you know?”
“I heard you.”
She ran over.
“Mommy said yes?”
“Yes.”
Lily jumped.
“Now we are family forever!”
Roman looked at me.
“Apparently that part is already decided.”
I laughed.
He picked Lily up.
And for the first time, there was no fear.
No blood.
No lies.
Just happiness.
The wedding took place six months later.
It was small.
Beautiful.
Daniel’s photograph stood near the entrance.
Richard’s seat was empty.
But somehow, it didn’t feel empty.
Lily walked down the aisle holding white flowers.
Roman cried.
He later denied it.
Everyone saw him.
After the ceremony, he took my hand.
“I have one more thing.”
“What?”
He led me to a quiet room.
On the wall was Lily’s drawing.
Three figures.
The yellow sun.
And beneath it, in crooked letters:
HOME.
Roman looked at me.
“That’s what I wanted to build.”
I kissed him.
“You did.”
Outside, Lily was laughing.
Roman pulled me closer.
Then his phone rang.
He looked at it.
For a second, the old Roman returned.
Alert.
Cold.
Ready.
He answered.
“Roman.”
A voice said:
“Everything is secure.”
Roman smiled.
“Good.”
He hung up.
I looked at him.
“You still have security?”
“A little.”
“How much?”
He smiled.
“Enough to keep Lily safe.”
I shook my head.
“You’re impossible.”
“And married.”
I laughed.
“Yes.”
May you like
He kissed my forehead.
And somewhere in the distance, a little red toy car rolled across the floor.
