Chapter 14 - Restoring the Lost Rosemary: A New Life Rises from the Ruins
Three months later.
The Kovac estate on the North Shore of Long Island was bathed in golden May sunlight.
Unlike the cold, oppressive grandeur of the Hawthorne mansion, Dragan’s private estate was filled with life, warmth, and sprawling green gardens that stretched down to a private sandy beach.
In the southern courtyard, a massive new glass greenhouse stood open to the ocean breeze.
Inside, hundreds of aromatic rosemary plants, sweet lavender, and vibrant white orchids flourished under the sun.
Mila stood at the central wooden worktable, happily kneading sweet almond pastry dough, laughing with two of the estate’s chef apprentices. Her new high-tech cochlear processor allowed her to hear every whisper of the wind and every note of the classical music playing softly from the courtyard speakers.
Nadia walked through the rows of blooming rosemary, running her fingers through the fragrant green leaves.
Her hair had grown out into a chic, healthy bob that framed her glowing face. The worn maid’s apron was gone forever, replaced by an elegant cream linen dress.
She had spent the last two months working alongside a team of botanists, developing an organic, non-toxic skincare line named Rosemary & Dawn, funded entirely by the newly established Voskin Foundation.
She heard quiet, familiar footsteps behind her.
Dragan entered the greenhouse, dressed casually in a white linen shirt with the sleeves rolled up, revealing the scars that told the story of his past.
He walked over to Nadia, stopping beside the rosemary plants.
He reached out, gently picking a sprig of fresh rosemary, and tucked it behind her ear.
“Your mother would be proud of this place,” Dragan murmured, his gray eyes softer than anyone in the business world would ever believe possible.
Nadia leaned against his chest, feeling the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat.
“She would have loved it here,” Nadia whispered. “Thank you, Dragan. For everything.”
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Dragan wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her close against him.
“You don’t owe me gratitude, Nadia,” he said, his voice deep and filled with an emotion he had guarded his entire life. “You brought warmth into a house that only knew shadows. You gave me a reason to protect something good.”
