Chapter 20 - The Reign Begins
The sun began to dip below the Manhattan skyline, casting a brilliant orange and purple glow across the glass towers of Wall Street.
Down below, the city hummed with endless motion, unaware of the quiet strength residing in the penthouse above it.
Julian sat down on the outdoor sofa, pulling me down beside him, while Noah crawled over and buried his little face against my knee, letting out a contented yawn before falling fast asleep.
I ran my fingers through his dark, soft hair, tracing the edge of his ear where the Ashford birthmark caught the fading light.
“What are you thinking about?” Julian asked quietly, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and pulling me close against his heart.
I looked out at the sprawling horizon where the lights of the city were just beginning to blink to life, ready to guide the world through another night.
“I was thinking,” I whispered with a smile, “that we make a pretty incredible team.”
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Julian kissed the top of my head, his voice filled with endless devotion. “We didn't just survive the storm, Claire. We became the storm.”
And as the city lights flickered across the glass, the true reign of the Ashford dynasty began—unshakable, unbreakable, and entirely our own.
