Chapter 32 - The First Step in the Garden
By mid-morning, the crisp autumn air had warmed under the steady climb of the sun, turning the Westchester grounds into a brilliant, sun-drenched sanctuary.
Elena, wrapped in a thick cream-colored cardigan and comfortable walking shoes, stepped out through the French doors of the kitchen onto the stone patio. Luke walked beside her, his hand resting supportively under her elbow, though her steps were steady and strong.
The estate featured a magnificent formal garden surrounded by neatly trimmed boxwood hedges and stone walking paths lined with late-season chrysanthemums.
"Dr. Hayes said light walking is good for circulation," Elena noted with a small smile, as she walked slowly down the stone path, drinking in the scent of damp earth and pine needles. "Though I think he didn't expect my walking partner to be a cartel-dismantling syndicate boss."
"Syndicate boss is officially retired," Luke corrected smoothly, stepping around a low-hanging branch to clear her path. "Today, my only job is professional garden supervisor."
Elena laughed, stopping near a stone bench overlooking the rolling green lawns that swept down toward a private, shimmering pond. She sat down, pulling her cardigan tighter around her shoulders, and gestured for Luke to sit beside her.
He did, sliding his arm along the back of the bench, watching her with an intensity that bordered on reverence.
"What are you thinking about?" she asked quietly, her hazel eyes locking onto his.
"I was thinking about how close we came to losing all of this," Luke confessed, his voice dropping into a rare, raw honesty. "In the hospital, when you were unresponsive... I realized that every building I owned, every dollar I stored away, every enemy I crushed—none of it meant a single damn thing. If you hadn't woken up, my empire would have just been a very expensive tomb."
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Elena reached out, taking his large hand in hers, turning it over to press her palm against his. The platinum wedding band on his finger flashed brightly in the sunlight.
"You survived, Luke," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "And you brought me back through the fire. That's not just an empire. That's a dynasty."
