Chapter 19 - The Wife He Chose
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That night, the Moretti estate was quiet. The storm had passed, leaving a clear, star-filled sky over the mountains.
Adelaide stood on the balcony of the master suite, wearing a simple silk nightgown, letting the cool night breeze wash over her. She touched the scar on her face. For years, she had hated it. She had hidden behind heavy glasses and long hair, convinced it made her unlovable.
Now, she realized it was her armor. It had kept the shallow, greedy people away, saving her for a man who could see past the surface.
Mateo walked onto the balcony, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, pulling her back against his solid chest. He kissed the side of her neck, sending a shiver of intense desire down her spine.
“What are you thinking about?” Mateo murmured against her skin.
“I was thinking about the day I arrived here,” Adelaide confessed softly. “I thought I was walking into my grave. I never imagined I was walking into my real life.”
Mateo turned her around in his arms. The intense, predatory look in his eyes was replaced by a deep, vulnerable devotion.
“I was a king sitting on a lonely throne,” Mateo said, his hands gently framing her face. “Surrounded by men waiting for me to bleed. You didn't just save my money, Adelaide. You brought a light into this dark world that I didn't know I needed.”
He didn't wait for her to respond. He kissed her, deeply and passionately, lifting her effortlessly into his arms.
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He carried her inside, laying her down on the silk sheets. There was no hesitation, no fear, and no contracts holding them together anymore. They consummated their marriage not as a mafia boss and a sacrifice, but as two equals, two survivors who had found exactly what they needed in the darkest of places.
Adelaide finally let go of the past, surrendering completely to the man who loved the scars she had tried so hard to hide.
