Chapter 10 - The Table by the Window
One year later.
The autumn air was crisp and sweet in upstate New York.
On a picturesque forty-acre estate in the Hudson Valley—surrounded by golden forests, rolling hills, and a tranquil lake—a grand white horse-drawn carriage rolled slowly up the gravel driveway.
The estate had been Vincent’s final gift to Nina: a beautiful, private sanctuary far away from the noise and politics of Manhattan, where they could build a real family in peace.
In the gardens behind the main house, a wedding reception was in full swing.
Long white tables decorated with white orchids, crystal glasses, and warm candles stretched across the green lawn. Music from a live string quartet floated through the crisp afternoon air.
Guests laughed and toasted under the golden sunlight. Martha Carver sat near the front, looking radiant and healthy in a lavender dress, holding hands with Leo, who was beaming with pride. Marco and Viktor stood near the wine arbor, looking like proud uncles, enjoying fine Italian wine and laughing over old stories.
At the center of the head table sat Vincent and Nina Valenti.
Nina looked beyond stunning in a lace wedding gown that caught the autumn sun, her hand resting warmly inside Vincent’s. On her finger, the emerald-cut diamond sparkled alongside a simple gold wedding band.
Vincent looked at his bride with a contentment so deep it seemed to radiate from his very soul.
A young waitress in a crisp black apron walked up to their table, holding a silver tray with two fresh glasses of champagne. She looked slightly nervous, bowing her head respectfully.
"More champagne, Don Vincent? Mrs. Valenti?" the girl asked politely.
Nina looked at the young waitress—at her nervous hands, her clean apron, and the honest dedication in her eyes. It was like looking into a mirror across time.
Nina reached out, taking a glass, and gave the girl a warm, genuine smile that instantly melted the waitress's anxiety.
"Thank you, sweetheart," Nina said gently. "What is your name?"
"Elena, ma'am," the girl replied softly.
Nina pulled a folded hundred-dollar bill from her small satin clutch and slipped it into the girl's apron pocket, along with a sleek business card for The Glass House.
"You have wonderful instincts, Elena," Nina said warmly. "If you ever want to move to the city and manage a premier club, call the number on that card."
The girl's eyes went wide with shock and pure delight. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Mrs. Valenti!"
As the girl hurried away happily, Vincent turned to Nina, a low, warm chuckle rumbling in his chest.
"Recruiting new managers at our own wedding?" Vincent teased gently, pulling her hand to his lips and pressing a warm kiss to her palm.
"I know how to spot talent, Mr. Valenti," Nina replied with a winking smile, resting her head against his broad shoulder. "I learned from the best."
Vincent put his arm around her, wrapping her securely in his embrace, as the sun began to set behind the Hudson Valley hills, painting the sky in breathtaking shades of gold, crimson, and purple.
They had started in a drafty corner of a dark restaurant with a warnings written on a paper napkin. They had survived gunshots, betrayals, blood, and shadows.
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And now, sitting together at the head table under the open sky, surrounded by love, family, and absolute peace, they knew that their story was no longer about survival.
It was about forever.
