Chapter 15 - The Sovereign Dawn
That evening, as the sun dipped beneath the western horizon, painting the sky in magnificent bands of crimson, gold, and deep violet, Dominic and I walked along the private sandy beach.
Dominic carried our crystal champagne flutes in one hand, his other arm wrapped securely around my waist, holding me close against his beating heart.
The cool evening breeze rustled the soft fabric of my silk dress as the gentle tide washed over our bare feet in the wet sand.
We stopped at the edge of the stone breakwater, looking out over the infinite, glittering expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.
Far away in the federal prisons and working-class laundromats of New York, the people who had tried to break my spirit were living with the consequences of their choices.
My father was serving forty-five years in federal maximum security, my mother was living in anonymous poverty, and Charlotte was earning every cent she ate.
There were no more fountain waters to fear, no more cruel laughter behind crystal flutes, and no more shadows lurking behind closed doors.
Dominic set the champagne glasses on a flat stone, turning to face me and wrapping both of his strong arms around my waist.
He leaned down, pressing his forehead gently against mine, his dark eyes reflecting the rising canopy of stars above the water.
“How does it feel to rule your own world, Mrs. Vance?” Dominic asked with a warm, loving smile.
I smiled, wrapping my arms around his neck, feeling the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat against my chest.
“It feels like dawn, Dominic,” I replied softly, my heart overflowing with absolute, unshakeable peace.
May you like
“A dawn that will never fade into darkness again.”
Beneath the eternal light of the summer stars, Dominic leaned down and kissed my lips with endless devotion, sealing our triumphant journey toward the boundless, beautiful horizon of tomorrow.
