Chapter 12 - The Price of a Housekeeper’s Life
Luca turned to his daughter. "Lily, go ask Mrs. Carter for some hot chocolate in the kitchen, please."
"Okay, Daddy!" Lily beamed, skipping off toward the kitchen doors.
Once we were alone in the vast, quiet foyer, Luca took the feather duster from my trembling hand and tossed it onto a nearby table without breaking eye contact.
"Luca, I don't understand," I whispered, my voice shaking.
"When you dragged that broken clock through my engagement dinner, my life was an illusion," Luca said, stepping closer until his chest brushed against mine. "I was surrounded by enemies pretending to be friends. I was about to marry a viper."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet jeweler's box.
"You bled for my family. You gave up your safety for my daughter. You gave me back my brother."
He opened the velvet box.
Inside rested a flawless, five-carat emerald-cut diamond ring, flanked by twin sapphires that shimmered in the morning sunlight.
"I promised you that the entire city would see who truly stands beside me," Luca murmured, his voice thick with raw emotion. "I don't want a servant. I don't want a political alliance. I want the bravest, purest, most beautiful woman I have ever known."
Luca Moretti dropped to one knee before me on the marble floor.
"Claire Bennett... will you marry me and become the lady of this house?"
Tears of pure, overwhelming happiness spilled down my cheeks. The fear, the pain, the years of struggling to survive in the shadows—all of it melted away beneath the warmth of his love.
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"Yes," I sobbed, laughing through my tears. "Yes, Luca! A thousand times, yes!"
Luca rose, sliding the magnificent diamond onto my finger before sweeping me up in his powerful arms and pressing his lips to mine in a deep, passionate kiss that sealed our souls together forever.
