Chapter 8 - Echoes of the Past
Three days had passed since the fall of Victor Falcone and the arrest of the Vance family. The city’s news outlets were flooded with reports of the massive federal raid that dismantled the Falcone crime syndicate and exposed the vast financial crimes of Vance Logistics. Cordelia, Harlan, and Evelyn Vance were all held without bail, facing decades in federal prison.
At the Calloway estate, peace had finally returned.
Della sat in the sunlit greenhouse, surrounded by blooming orchids and vibrant green ferns. Her health had fully recovered from the terrifying incident, and her bump was visibly growing larger with each passing week.
Royce walked into the greenhouse holding a glass of fresh orange juice. He had shed his usual dark suits for a comfortable beige sweater and tailored trousers, looking far more relaxed than the cold mafia boss the city feared.
"Here you go," Royce said gently, handing her the glass. "Doctor’s orders. Fresh vitamin C every afternoon."
"Thank you, Royce," Della smiled, taking a sip. "You're spoiling me too much."
Royce sat on the teak bench beside her, looking out over the manicured gardens. "After everything you've suffered, spoiling you is the bare minimum I can do."
Della looked at him quietly for a moment, her eyes soft with curiosity. "Royce... can I ask you something about that night five years ago?"
Royce turned to face her. "Anything."
"Why were you in that alley?" Della asked softly. "Why were people shooting at you? I never knew who you really were back then."
Royce let out a soft sigh, leaning back against the bench. "Five years ago, my father passed away. He was the founder of the Calloway Group, but he kept our family's business clean. However, his business partners—including Victor Falcone—wanted to turn our shipping ports into illegal smuggling routes."
Della listened intently, resting her chin on her hand.
"When I refused to let them turn my father's legacy into a criminal enterprise, Victor hired hitmen to eliminate me," Royce continued, his voice low. "I was ambushed in that alley. I took two bullets to the shoulder and thigh. I was bleeding out, surrounded by men who wanted me dead. I thought my life was over."
He looked directly into Della’s eyes, reaching out to gently touch her hand. "And then a door opened. A young girl with dirt on her face and patches on her coat pulled me into a small, dark kitchen. She didn't ask who I was. She didn't ask if I was dangerous. She just wrapped my wounds, gave me shelter, and stood by the window with a knife to protect me."
Della smiled faintly, memories surfacing. "I was terrified. But my mother always taught me that if someone is bleeding at your door, you help them. You don't ask questions."
"That night changed me," Royce whispered softly. "I realized that the world was full of greedy, cruel people like Falcone, but there was also rare, pure goodness in the world—in you. After I recovered, I spent years taking back control of my empire, destroying every corrupt enemy so I could build a safe world for when I finally found you again."
Della felt a deep, warm wave of emotion swell in her chest. Tears glistened in her eyes as she looked at the powerful man sitting beside her, who had carried her memory in his heart for five long years.
"I spent five years thinking I was completely alone in the world, Royce," Della said, her voice shaking with emotion. "After my parents died, I felt like no one cared if I lived or died. I worked endlessly just to survive another day."
"You will never be alone again, Della," Royce said fiercely, moving closer and taking both her hands in his. "I promise you. You and your baby girl have a home here forever."
Della looked down at their joined hands, feeling the warmth of his fingers. "Royce... what happens now? The Vances are in prison, Falcone is destroyed... but what about us?"
Royce looked at her, his dark eyes burning with an intense, undeniable tenderness. He reached up, gently wiping a stray tear from her soft cheek.
"Whatever you want us to be," Royce murmured gently. "I don't expect anything from you, Della. But if you will let me... I want to be the man who protects you, honors you, and loves you for the rest of my life."
Della’s heart skipped a beat. The quiet, unspoken feeling that had been growing between them erupted into brilliant clarity.
"I think..." Della whispered softly, leaning in closer to him, "I think I've been waiting for you for five years, too."
May you like
Royce smiled, a breathtakingly handsome look that lit up his eyes, and gently leaned forward to press his lips against hers in a soft, sweet, and promising kiss.
However, far across town, in the high-security federal holding facility, a shadow was still plotting. Cordelia Vance sat in her orange jumpsuit, staring at a visitor behind the glass partition—a man named Julian Calloway, Royce’s estranged, power-hungry cousin!
