Chapter 4 - The True Queen
The party dissolved into absolute chaos.
Guests scrambled for the doors. Marcelo begged and pleaded, while Patrícia sobbed as the security guards confiscated the keys to her sports car. Ricardo didn't blink. He stood like a stone wall, shielding Camila until the house was entirely empty.
When the heavy front doors finally clicked shut, the mansion fell into a deep, peaceful silence.
Ricardo led Camila upstairs to the master bathroom. He didn't say a word as he turned on the warm water. He grabbed a soft, expensive towel and gently, meticulously washed the grease and dish soap from her raw hands, treating her like absolute royalty.
"You didn't have to kick them out," Camila whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek. "I could have handled it."
"You shouldn't have had to," Ricardo replied fiercely, looking up into her eyes. "I built this empire for you. I just forgot to give you the crown."
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the small velvet box he had carried off the plane. He opened it, revealing the blinding diamond necklace. Slowly, he clasped it around her neck. It rested against her faded t-shirt, a stark reminder that her worth had never been tied to the clothes she wore.
"Tomorrow morning, my lawyers are transferring the deed to this house, and fifty percent of every company I own, directly into your name," Ricardo vowed, kissing the palm of her hand. "No one will ever question your place in this family again. Because from now on, you are the boss."
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Camila finally smiled—a real, radiant smile that lit up the room and washed away the nightmare of the past few months.
His family had thought they were the masters of the mansion because they held the credit cards. But as Ricardo pulled his wife into his arms, he proved that true power doesn't come from a bank account. It comes from the man who is willing to burn his entire world down to protect his queen.
