Chapter 7 - The Sovereign Announcement
One month later.
The grand ballroom of the Plaza Hotel was bathed in crystal light, filled with three hundred of New York’s most prominent politicians, corporate CEOs, and high-society elites.
The occasion was the annual Moretti Global Charity Gala, an event historically used to demonstrate the family's immense influence and philanthropic reach.
At the top of the grand marble staircase stood Damian Moretti.
He looked extraordinarily handsome in a tailored midnight-blue tuxedo, his hair neatly styled, his commanding presence drawing every eye in the room.
Walking beside him, her hand resting gracefully on his arm, was Clare Bennett.
She was breathtaking. She wore an ivory silk gown that hugged her curves, her dark hair swept up in an elegant style, a diamond necklace glittering against her collarbone. Her left wrist was free of its brace, showing only a small, faint scar near her thumb.
The room fell completely silent as Damian stepped up to the podium, holding a crystal glass of champagne.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Damian’s voice echoed clearly through the ballroom. "Thank you for joining us tonight. Over the past month, Moretti Global has undergone immense transformation. We have eliminated corruption from within our ranks, and we have set a new course for the future."
The crowd applauded politely, but Damian raised his hand, looking down at Clare with an expression of profound tenderness.
"Many of you know Clare Bennett as the brilliant woman who managed my office for four years," Damian continued. "What you do not know is that she is the heart, the mind, and the true soul of this enterprise."
He stepped out from behind the podium, dropping to one knee on the polished hardwood stage in front of three hundred elite guests and dozens of society photographers.
The crowd gasped.
Damian pulled a sleek, velvet box from his pocket, opening it to reveal a magnificent five-carat oval-cut blue diamond ring—the color of dark ink.
"Clare," Damian said, his voice carrying a steady, unshakeable devotion. "You saved my life, my family, and my soul. I don't want an executive secretary anymore. I want a partner, a queen, and a wife. Will you marry me?"
Clare’s hands flew to her mouth, tears of pure, radiant happiness welling in her eyes. The quiet girl who had worked late nights in the shadow of his tower looked at the man who had fought through hell to bring her into the light.
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"Yes, Damian," Clare whispered, her voice amplified by the microphone. "Yes! A thousand times, yes!"
Damian slid the blue diamond onto her finger, stood up, and pulled her into his arms, kissing her passionately as the ballroom erupted into a thunderous, standing ovation.
