Chapter 8 - The Threshold
An hour later, we were all sitting inside my Lincoln Park brownstone.
The house was quiet. Sarah had taken the children upstairs to the playroom to let them decompress with a movie. Downstairs in the living room, Luca sat on the edge of the sofa, holding a cup of tea I had poured for him. His large frame looked out of place among the soft, cozy decor of my home, but he held the cup delicately, as if it were made of thin glass.
I sat in the armchair across from him.
"The police confirmed Marcus will be held without bail until his arraignment," Luca said softly, staring into his tea. "He won't ever come near you or the kids again. My security team will remain outside your house twenty-four hours a day for as long as you want them."
"Thank you, Luca," I said genuinely. "For coming today."
"You don't ever have to thank me for protecting my family," he looked up, his dark eyes intense and steady. "I filed the final annulment papers with Evelyn’s lawyers an hour ago. The Shaw merger is dead. Moretti Global lost thirty percent of its market value today."
I studied his face. "Does that bother you?"
Luca let out a soft, dry laugh. "Five years ago, it would have destroyed me. Today? I realized that all that money, all those towers, were just bricks I built around myself so I wouldn't have to face the fact that I threw away the only thing that ever truly mattered."
He set his teacup on the table and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, looking at me with a humility I had never seen in him during our marriage.
"I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, Nia," he said softly. "I know I hurt you in ways that time can't easily fix. But I am asking you... please... let me earn a place back in your lives. Not as the billionaire. Not as the CEO. Just as Luca. The man who loves you. The father who wants to learn how to raise his children."
I looked toward the hallway, where the faint sound of Leo and Maya’s laughter carried down the stairs.
"They asked about you tonight, Luca," I admitted quietly. "After you left for the police station, Maya asked if you were coming back for dinner. Leo asked if you could teach him how to play chess."
Luca closed his eyes, a deep, shuddering breath passing through him as he fought back tears.
"I can't give you my heart overnight, Luca," I said, my tone gentle but firm. "The woman you left five years ago is gone. I built a life without you. I am strong now. I don't need your money, and I don't need your empire."
"I know," Luca whispered, opening his eyes, looking at me with absolute reverence. "That's why I love you even more now than I did then."
"If we do this," I continued, "we do it slowly. On my terms. No press, no corporate drama, no sudden changes for the children. You visit them here. You get to know them as their father. And we see where the road takes us."
May you like
Luca stood up slowly. He walked over to my chair, knelt down on one knee beside me, and took my hand in his. He lifted my knuckles to his lips and pressed a soft, lingering kiss against my skin.
"Your terms, Nia," he swore softly against my hand. "Always your terms."
