Chapter 17 - The Empire of Cross and Halden
Six months later, the corporate merger of the decade was finalized on the top floor of Cross Tower. Halden Group and Cross Meridian Capital officially united under a single holding entity: Cross-Halden Global. The tabloids stopped calling me the 'Ice Queen' and replaced it with a far more respectful title: 'The Billionaire Heiress Who Outsmarted Wall Street.'
I stood behind the massive mahogany desk in the corner office—my father's old office, completely renovated with floor-to-ceiling glass and sleek minimalist decor. Through the pristine windows, the morning sun bathed the entire city in a warm, golden glow.
My phone buzzed on the desk. An email notification from the federal prosecutor's office: <i>'Trial concluded. Celeste Halden, Richard Halden, and Kaelen Vance sentenced to consecutive life terms without parole.'</i>
I closed the notification, feeling a profound, quiet peace settle deep within my bones. The ghosts of the past had finally been laid to rest.
The heavy oak door swung open without a knock. Adrian walked in, wearing an unbuttoned charcoal suit jacket, holding two cups of black coffee. He stopped by my desk, setting one cup down before leaning over the edge, resting his hands on the polished wood, and looking at me with those intense, dark eyes.
"You're staring at spreadsheets again," Adrian noted playfully, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
"I'm reviewing the Q3 international expansion projections," I replied, looking up at him, unable to suppress a smile. "Somebody has to make sure your acquisitions division doesn't accidentally buy another criminal syndicate."
"If I did, I know the exact CEO I'd call to execute a hostile takeover," Adrian murmured, leaning in closer until the distance between us vanished.
He reached across the desk, his warm fingers gently cupping my cheek, his thumb brushing my lower lip. The memory of the stormy night six months ago—when I had thrown myself in front of his black sedan, barefoot, bleeding, and terrified—flashed through my mind like a distant cinematic dream. That girl was gone. In her place sat a woman who owned her empire, her destiny, and the heart of the most feared man in finance.
"Tonight," Adrian whispered, his voice dropping into that deep, intoxicating register that made my heart race every single time, "no spreadsheets, no board meetings, and no corporate takeovers. Just you and me."
May you like
"Is that a command, Mr. Cross?" I asked, my eyes sparkling with quiet amusement.
"It's an acquisition offer you can't refuse, Victoria," he replied softly, leaning down to capture my lips in a deep, slow kiss that tasted like victory and forever.
