Chapter 8 - The Man Who Had Everything Finally Asked a Woman Not to Leave HimMonths passed.
Victor was sentenced.
The Cross organization changed.
Adrian sold several businesses connected to criminal operations.
He turned others into legitimate companies.
He gave up the empire that had made him feared.
He kept the company that had always been clean.
And he built something new.
A life.
Grace moved into the main house.
Not as an employee.
As family.
Sophie had her own bedroom.
Adrian had one too.
But Sophie still slept between them whenever thunderstorms came.
One night, Grace found Adrian reading a children's book.
“You skipped a page.”
He looked at her.
“She won't know.”
“She knows everything.”
Sophie called from upstairs.
“I HEARD THAT!”
Grace laughed.
Adrian smiled.
He looked happier.
Almost normal.
Then Grace sat beside him.
“You changed.”
“I know.”
“Do you regret it?”
“No.”
“Not even the empire?”
“No.”
“Why?”
He looked toward the stairs.
“Because I finally understand what I was protecting all those years.”
Grace took his hand.
“You don't have to protect us from everything.”
“I know.”
“You can trust us.”
“I am learning.”
She smiled.
Then Adrian pulled out a ring.
Grace stopped breathing.
“I don't want to frighten you.”
“You're holding a diamond.”
“I can put it away.”
“No.”
He smiled.
“I don't know how to do this.”
“Then don't make it perfect.”
He knelt.
“Grace Bennett, I spent twenty years believing love was a weakness.”
She cried.
“Then you and Sophie taught me it is the strongest thing I've ever known.”
He opened the ring box.
“Will you stay?”
Grace laughed through tears.
“I already did.”
“Will you marry me?”
“Yes.”
Sophie appeared at the stairs.
“Mommy said yes!”
Adrian laughed.
Grace shook her head.
“You ruined the moment.”
Sophie ran toward them.
“I helped!”
May you like
Adrian picked her up.
“Yes, you did.”
