Chapter 9 - The Sovereign and the Mother
Three months later, the spring thaw had finally reached Chicago, turning the snow-draped gardens of Oakridge into a vibrant expanse of blooming green grass and blossoming cherry trees.
The syndicate had undergone a complete transformation. The dark, paranoid underworld of assassinations and turf wars had been channeled into legitimate global commerce, real estate development, and international shipping—all managed with an ironclad, unyielding standard of absolute justice.
And inside the limestone mansion, life had found a new, unbreakable rhythm.
I stood—no, Liana stood on the grand stone balcony overlooking the courtyard, watching two toddlers chase each other across the manicured lawn under the watchful, smiling eye of Marcus, who had officially been promoted from head of security to head of family protection.
Footsteps approached softly from behind.
Strong, familiar arms wrapped gently around my waist, pulling me backward against a solid, comforting chest. A warm chin rested softly on my shoulder.
“You’re thinking too hard,” Matteo murmured, his deep voice rich with quiet amusement.
I leaned back into his embrace, turning my head to press a soft kiss to his cheek. “I’m just thinking about how strange life is, Mr. Varric. Three months ago, I was a grieving maid crying over folded linens in your foyer.”
Matteo tightened his arms around me, turning me around so I was facing him directly. His gray eyes burned with an intensity that had never faded since the first night we met.
“You were never just a maid, Liana,” Matteo whispered, his voice dropping into a register that made my heart race just like it always did. “You were the storm that broke through the walls of this fortress and brought the light back inside.”
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He reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet box and opening it to reveal a magnificent diamond ring that caught the spring sunlight.
“Stay, Liana,” Matteo whispered, looking deep into my eyes. “Not as a guest. Not as staff. As my wife. As the queen of this family, and the mother of our sons.”
