Chapter 4 - The Realization
We didn't stay for dinner.
Nico guided me out of the ballroom, leaving Liam begging his mother for help and Amber sobbing in humiliation as the elite of New York watched their downfall.
The cool night air hit my face as we stepped out onto the private terrace of the hotel. The adrenaline was finally fading, leaving my knees feeling weak.
"I... I don't know how to thank you," I whispered, leaning against the stone balustrade, looking out over the glittering city skyline. "You didn't have to go that far. You didn't have to cut him off."
Nico stepped up beside me. In the moonlight, the harsh, ruthless edges of the billionaire faded, replaced by something deep and incredibly intense.
"I didn't do it just for you, Luna," Nico admitted softly. "I did it because it was long overdue."
He reached out, his warm fingers gently brushing a stray lock of hair behind my ear. The touch sent a jolt of electricity straight to my chest.
"I told Liam the truth in there," Nico murmured, stepping into my space. "Six months ago, at that family dinner, I watched you laugh. I watched the way you commanded the room with your kindness. And I realized, with absolute certainty, that my son was holding a diamond he didn't know how to value."
My breath hitched. "Nico..."
"I stayed away because you were taken," he continued, his dark eyes locking onto mine, stripping away every defense I had left. "But the moment I saw you walk into this ballroom tonight, looking like a queen who had finally realized her worth, I knew I was never going to let you walk away."
I looked at the man who had just burned down my past to light the way for my future. I didn't see Liam's father anymore. I saw a king who was offering me his entire empire.
"I'm not a predictable woman," I whispered, my heart racing as I looked up at his lips.
Nico smiled—a real, breathtaking smile that made the rest of the world completely disappear.
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"Good," he vowed, his hands sliding down to rest securely on my waist. "Because I am entirely ready for an exciting life."
He leaned down and kissed me, erasing the memory of Liam and Amber forever, and proving that sometimes, the best way to get revenge is to upgrade to the man who owns the board.
