Chapter 10 - The Legacy of the Moretti Penthouse
Six months after the night Celeste was driven from the city, the Mercer-Moretti Foundation hosted its first major charity gala under our joint leadership.
The grand ballroom of the estate was filled with laughter, classical music, bright lights, and genuine human connection—a stark contrast to the cold, transactional gatherings of the past. Valentina sat in a place of honor near the dais, looking radiant and healthy, surrounded by old friends and laughing as she watched the crowd.
I stood on the second-floor marble mezzanine, leaning against the polished brass railing, wearing a simple, elegant emerald-green silk dress that felt a million miles away from my old black-and-white maid’s uniform.
Footsteps approached softly behind me.
Strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind, and a familiar chin rested gently on my shoulder.
“Penny for your thoughts, Serena Moretti,” Dante murmured against my ear, his voice rich with warmth and quiet amusement.
I leaned back against his chest, smiling as I looked out over the glittering ballroom below, watching the way the light caught the white marble floors that used to terrify me.
“I was just thinking,” I whispered, turning slightly to look up into his dark, devoted eyes, “that out of all the dangerous, complicated decisions you’ve ever made in your life, keeping the girl who made your morning coffee was probably the best one.”
May you like
Dante chuckled softly, a deep, resonant sound, and pressed a tender, lingering kiss against my temple.
“It wasn't a decision, Serena,” he whispered, his arms tightening securely around me as the music swelled below. “It was the only inevitable thing that ever happened to me.”
