Chapter 10 - A New Dawn
wo years later, the sun rose over a magnificent, sprawling beachside estate in the south
of France. The Mediterranean breeze was warm, carrying the sweet scent of jasmine and
saltwater. On the spacious wrap-around porch of the villa, a little boy with bright blue eyes and soft
brown curls giggled as he chased a golden retriever puppy across the green lawn. It was Leo,
completely healthy, strong, and full of life.
I sat in a comfortable rocking chair, sipping a warm cup of tea, watching him play. Beside me sat
Adrian Cross, his silver hair catching the golden sunlight, a proud, warm smile on his face as he
watched his grandson. He had retired from the daily operations of Cross Atlantic, handing the reins of
the multi-billion-dollar empire over to me. I was no longer the quiet, defenseless girl Victor had tried
to destroy. I was the CEO of one of the largest financial groups in the world, a woman of absolute
power, honor, and independence.
“He has your eyes, Elena,” Adrian said softly, wrapping a warm hand around my shoulder. “And
his mother’s strength.”
“He will grow up knowing only love and safety, Dad,” I smiled, leaning my head against his chest.
“The darkness is behind us.”
As for Victor Hale and Serena, justice had served them a cold, unyielding plate. Victor had been
sentenced to life in a maximum-security federal penitentiary without the possibility of parole, his
assets seized and liquidated to pay off his massive debts. Serena was serving fifteen years as an
accomplice, her beauty fading inside a sterile gray cell. They were completely forgotten, their names
reduced to a cautionary tale of greed.
I looked back at Leo, who was now laughing as he ran into my outstretched arms, his tiny heart
beating strong and steady against mine. The price of Victor’s cruelty had been high, but for my son
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and me, the dawn of our new, beautiful life was absolutely priceless.
The Ice and the Altar 8
