Chapter 14 - THE QUIET EVENINGS
Even empires built on peace require quiet moments of reflection.
On a crisp autumn evening, five years after their wedding, Victor and Nora sat together on the private terrace of their estate, watching the sun dip below the Chicago skyline.
Their twin children—a boy with dark curls and a girl with sharp, curious grey eyes—were fast asleep in the nursery upstairs.
Victor poured two glasses of aged scotch, handing one to Nora as she leaned back in her chair.
"Do you ever miss the adrenaline?" Victor asked quietly, a playful glint in his eyes. "The boardroom takeovers, the tactical feeds, the late-night security alerts?"
Nora took a small sip of the smooth liquor, smiling as she looked out over the sprawling, peaceful lawns.
May you like
"Not for a single second, Mr. Moretti," she whispered, raising her glass to his. "I prefer running the empire in daylight."
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