Chapter 10 - The Salt Air
The sun broke through the clouds late that afternoon, washing the Marblehead coastline in a brilliant, golden light that glittered off the choppy surface of the Atlantic.
The front gates of the estate stood wide open.
Inside the study, the boxes of old files and forged manifests had been cleared away, replaced by the quiet, steady hum of normal life. The desk was clean. The air smelled of cedarwood, hot coffee, and the faint, salty breeze blowing in through the open French doors.
Elena stood by the tall window, her hand resting against her growing stomach as she watched the gulls wheeling above the rocky shoreline.
Footsteps sounded behind her, and a moment later, Dante’s arms wrapped around her waist, his cheek resting gently against her shoulder.
"The federal prosecutor's office called an hour ago," Dante murmured, his voice warm and steady. "The petition is officially dismissed. The Moretti licenses are fully restored. And Marcus Thorne and his associates are being questioned regarding the fraudulent land transfers in Salem."
Elena leaned back against him, closing her eyes as she let out a breath she felt like she'd been holding for six months. "And Bianca?"
"She's gone," Dante said softly. "Her lawyers notified the board this morning that she's stepping down from Salvi Holdings and liquidating her local assets. She's catching a flight to London tonight."
Elena turned in his arms, looking up into his steel-gray eyes—eyes that finally looked clear, unburdened by the secrets that had built a wall between them.
"It's over," she whispered.
"Not entirely," Dante said, though a small, genuine smile touched the corners of his mouth. "The shipping commission still requires a full external audit of the entire North Shore distribution network. They said they won't trust the reports unless they're signed off by a certified senior logistics expert."
Elena raised an eyebrow, a playful spark returning to her dark eyes. "And where are they going to find one of those?"
"I hear there's one living in this house," Dante said, pulling her a little closer. "Though her current consulting fee is quite high, and she insists on having full control over the coffee machine."
Elena laughed—a real, bright sound that filled the high-ceilinged room and chased away the last lingering shadows of the winter storm.
May you like
He leaned down and kissed her, deep and slow, without the shadow of a secret or a hidden threat hanging between them.
Outside, the tide rolled in against the seawall, washing the dark rocks clean with white foam, while the salt air drifted through the open doors, promising a new spring that belonged entirely to them.
