Chapter 10 - Queen of the EmpireThe smoke cleared. The sirens faded into the distance.
Dawn broke over the New York skyline, painting the Hudson River in brilliant strokes of gold and crimson.
The penthouse was quiet once more, save for the gentle murmuring of the indoor fountain.
Zora Reid sat by the floor-to-ceiling windows, her racing wheelchair bathed in the golden morning light. Her design portfolios were stacked neatly beside her, alongside a newly minted corporate charter bearing her name as co-CEO and Creative Director of Rostov Global Enterprises.
Footsteps echoed softly across the hardwood floor.
Viktor walked up behind her. He wore a crisp black shirt, his sleeves rolled up, holding two cups of steaming black coffee. He leaned down, placing one cup on the table beside her, and gently rested his hands on the handles of her wheelchair.
"The police hauled Moretti and his remaining men away," Viktor said softly, his voice rich and steady. "Federal prosecutors say they'll never see daylight again. Rostov Global is completely untouchable."
Zora took a sip of her coffee, the warmth spreading through her chest. She turned her head, looking up at him. The scars on his face caught the morning light, but they didn't look harsh anymore—they looked like badges of survival. Just like hers.
"And my old landlord?" Zora asked with a faint, teasing smile. "Did you buy his building too?"
Viktor chuckled, leaning down until his lips brushed her ear. "I bought the entire block. And I turned your old Brooklyn walk-up into a free medical clinic and rehabilitation center for people who need a second chance. Named it after your grandmother. Grandma Ruth's Foundation."
Zora’s breath caught. Tears welled in her eyes, hot and bright, but she didn't look away.
Viktor knelt down on one knee right beside her wheelchair, right in front of the sweeping view of Manhattan. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, heavy velvet box. He popped it open.
Inside lay a ring unlike any traditional diamond—a stunning, custom-designed band of blackened platinum inlaid with a single, flawless, blood-red ruby, surrounded by tiny, brilliant diamonds.
"You walked into my garden as a ghost, Zora Reid," Viktor whispered, his dark eyes burning with absolute, unending devotion. "You saved my empire, you broke my enemies, and you brought a cold, dead house back to life. I don't care about your legs. I care about your soul. Rule this empire with me. Marry me."
Zora looked at the ring, then deep into the eyes of the man who had terrified the underworld yet loved her like a queen.
She didn't hesitate.
May you like
She placed her hand in his, her fingers intertwining with his calloused palm, and smiled with all the fierce, unyielding pride of a woman who had finally conquered the world.
"Took you long enough, Boss," Zora whispered, and leaned down to kiss him.
