Chapter 6
Chapter 6: The Falling Empire
Within the hour, the Valentino estate was swarming with federal agents.
The board members were escorted out in handcuffs, their expensive suits looking ridiculous against the flashing lights of the police cars.
Arthur Sterling was the last to go, his head hung low, his arrogance shattered by the cold reality of the law.
Arya stood on the front porch, watching them leave.
The marble floors she had scrubbed until her hands bled were now the scene of their downfall.
Dante stood beside her, his coat draped over her shoulders.
“Are you satisfied?” he asked quietly.
Arya breathed in the night air, feeling a sense of peace she had never known.
“I am,” she said.
“But what happens to the foundation?” she asked.
Dante reached into his pocket and handed her a set of keys.
“The foundation belongs to you,” he said.
“And the house?” Arya asked, gesturing to the massive estate.
Dante looked at the mansion, then back at her.
“This house has always been empty,” he said.
“Until you walked through that door,” he confessed.
Arya felt a warmth bloom in her chest.
“Are you asking me to stay?” she asked.
May you like
Dante smiled, a genuine, soft expression that reached his eyes.
“I’m asking you to never kneel again,” he said.
