Chapter 7 - The Master of the House
Two weeks later.
The storm that had haunted Manhattan for days had finally cleared, leaving behind a crisp, sunny autumn afternoon.
I stood in the center of the master bedroom suite inside Richard’s Greenwich estate. The room was breathtaking—a blend of dark walnut wood, cream silk drapery, and a massive king-sized bed facing floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the glistening private lake.
My luggage had been moved into the walk-in closet earlier that morning. I was no longer living in my penthouse. I had officially moved into Richard’s home.
The news of the Vance family's collapse had dominated the business headlines for a week. Julian and Victoria Vance were awaiting trial in federal prison, while Tristan had been released on bail, entirely bankrupt and blacklisted from every social circle in the country.
A soft knock sounded at the bedroom door.
"Come in," I called out gently.
Richard stepped into the room, wearing a soft black cashmere sweater with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, revealing his broad, corded wrists. He looked relaxed, unburdened by the corporate wars he had fought to secure my freedom.
He held a velvet-lined wooden box in his hands.
"Are you settling in alright?" Richard asked, setting the box down on the antique vanity table.
"It's beautiful, Richard," I smiled, walking over to him. "Though... it still feels a bit surreal. Three weeks ago, I thought my life was completely planned out with Tristan."
At the mention of Tristan’s name, Richard’s eyes darkened slightly, but he didn't snap. Instead, he reached out, resting his hands gently on my hips.
"Tristan was a mistake of your youth, Daphne," Richard said softly. "A shadow you had to walk through to reach the light."
"And you?" I asked, looking up into his handsome face, my heart fluttering nervously. "What are you to me, Richard?"
Richard picked up the velvet-lined wooden box, popping the brass latch open.
Inside lay a ring.
It wasn't a standard diamond ring. It was a flawless, twelve-carat royal blue sapphire surrounded by a halo of micro-pave diamonds, set in rare platinum. The blue of the sapphire matched the deep hue of my father's favorite ink, glowing with an ethereal, mesmerizing brilliance under the room's warm lights.
My breath hitched in my throat. "Richard..."
Without a word, the powerful billionaire—the man who controlled logistics networks, real estate empires, and international capital—slowly lowered himself onto one knee on the hardwood floor before me.
The sight of this formidable, legendary man kneeling at my feet made my knees go soft.
"Daphne Sterling," Richard said, his deep voice vibrating with absolute sincerity, his grey eyes locked onto mine with an intensity that made my entire body tremble. "Five years ago, I gave your father my word that I would protect your life. But over the last three years, protecting you stopped being a promise to a dead man. It became the sole purpose of my existence."
He reached out, gently taking my hand into his broad, warm palm.
"I don't offer you a proposal born of corporate strategy or convenience," Richard continued, his thumb lightly stroking my knuckles. "I offer you my name, my fortune, my empire, and every beat of my heart. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Tears gathered in my eyes—not tears of pain or betrayal, but tears of deep, overwhelming happiness.
I didn't hesitate for a single second.
"Yes," I whispered, my voice breaking with joy. "Yes, Richard! A thousand times yes!"
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Richard smiled—a genuine, breathtakingly handsome smile that transformed his sharp face—and slid the sapphire ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly, radiating a warm, heavy weight against my skin.
He stood up, pulling me into his arms, and lifted me off my feet as his mouth came down on mine in a passionate, lingering kiss that sealed our future forever.
