Chapter 7 - The Choice Roman Made That No One Expected
The empire began collapsing within weeks.
Roman turned over evidence.
He closed businesses.
He fired men involved in violence.
He helped investigators uncover Mason's network.
Some called him insane.
Others called him a traitor.
Roman did not care.
He wanted his children to grow up without learning what blood on snow looked like.
Norah moved back into the penthouse.
Not as Roman's wife.
Not yet.
As the mother of his children.
They slept in separate rooms.
They argued.
They laughed.
They learned each other again.
Roman learned how to change diapers.
He was terrible at it.
Leo cried every time.
Lena seemed to enjoy watching him struggle.
“You're being judged,” Norah said.
Roman looked offended.
“I have negotiated with senators.”
“And none of them vomited on your shirt.”
Leo proved her right.
Norah laughed until tears ran down her cheeks.
Roman looked at her.
He had missed that sound.
One evening, he found Norah asleep on the couch with both babies beside her.
He covered her with a blanket.
She woke.
“You're still here.”
“Where would I go?”
She smiled.
“I used to think you'd eventually get bored.”
“Never.”
The word came easily.
Roman sat beside her.
“I owe you an apology.”
“You owe me several.”
“I know.”
He looked down.
“I made you feel like you had to disappear to survive.”
“Yes.”
“I can never erase that.”
“No.”
“But I can make sure you never feel that way again.”
Norah looked at him.
“How?”
“By asking.”
“Asking what?”
“Anything.”
She understood.
It was the first time Roman had offered her a choice without controlling the answer.
Norah's eyes filled.
“I want us to try.”
Roman's breath caught.
“You mean—”
“Marriage?”
He nodded.
“Not yet.”
He looked disappointed.
She smiled.
“Dating first.”
Roman laughed.
“Dating.”
“Yes.”
“You're going to make me take you to restaurants.”
“Normal ones.”
“Without bodyguards?”
“Yes.”
“That's terrifying.”
She laughed.
Then Lena woke.
Leo followed.
Within seconds, both children were crying.
Roman stood.
“Date later.”
Norah smiled.
“Parenting first.”
They moved together.
That night, Roman realized something strange.
His life had once been measured in territory.
Now it was measured in bottles.
Diapers.
Nap schedules.
First words.
It was better.
Much better.
But peace was fragile.
One afternoon, an envelope arrived.
Inside was a legal document.
A divorce reversal.
Roman stared.
Norah had not signed it.
Instead, she had attached another page.
I don't want to reverse the past.
I want to build something new.
Roman smiled.
Then he walked upstairs.
Norah was sitting in the nursery.
He knelt beside her.
“What does this mean?”
She looked at him.
“It means you have one chance.”
Roman nodded.
“I'll take it.”
She kissed him.
A simple kiss.
No passion.
No drama.
Just trust beginning again.
Outside, snow began to fall.
May you like
Roman looked at the window.
For the first time, he didn't hate it.
