Chapter 10 - A New Dynasty
Six months later.
Spring had arrived in Marblehead.
The cold Atlantic winds had softened into warm salt breezes that carried the scent of blooming lilac, fresh saltwater, and sweet grass across the cliffs.
The villa had been completely rebuilt. The bullet scars in the limestone were gone, replaced by smooth Italian plaster and hand-carved oak. The high iron gates still stood, but the guards were discreet, stationed behind manicured hedges of white hydrangeas and blooming cherry blossoms.
In the center of the vast garden overlooking the sea, a wooden swing set had been erected.
“Higher, Marco! Higher!”
Mila’s joyful laughter echoed across the lawn.
Marco—the terrifying, scarred veteran enforcer of the New England Syndicate—was currently pushing a five-year-old girl on a tire swing, his weathered face split into a massive, doting grin. He wore a bright pink plastic tiara that Mila had insisted he put on during their afternoon tea party.
“You’re flying to the moon, Princess Mila,” Marco chuckled, giving the swing another gentle push.
On the sunlit stone terrace, Elena leaned against the balustrade, holding a glass of iced lemonade.
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She wore a simple, elegant ivory sundress. Her hair was down, shining in the afternoon sun, the dark circles that had haunted her eyes for years completely erased. Her cheeks had filled out; her hands were soft, no longer raw from harsh industrial bleach.
A pair of strong, warm arms wrapped around her waist from behind.
