Chapter 6 - The Feast of Two HeartsOne year later.
The private courtyard of the Vance estate on Long Island was bathed in the warm, golden light of an early autumn afternoon.
Long wooden dining tables covered in white linen, fresh flowers, and crystal glassware stretched across the green lawn. A massive Italian feast—roasted meats, fresh pasta, aged wines, and artisan breads—was spread out for fifty guests.
It was a celebration of two hearts that had found each other against all odds.
Lydia sat at the head table, wearing a simple, breathtaking ivory silk dress. Beside her sat Matteo, his arm wrapped around her chair, his eyes glowing with quiet, unshakeable contentment.
Across the table, George Dawson was laughing happily, sharing a toast with Mrs. Gable and Marco, who was now the head of corporate security for Vance Enterprises.
"Attention, everyone!" Marco stood up, raising his glass with a broad smile. "I’d like to propose a toast!"
The chatter around the tables died down as everyone raised their glasses.
"To Boss and Lydia," Marco said, his eyes twinkling with affection. "Two years ago, we thought the boss was going to meet a loan debt. Instead, he met his match. To love, to family, and to the brilliant woman who tamed the lion of New York!"
"To Lydia and Matteo!" the crowd roared in unison, clinking their glasses together.
Matteo leaned close to Lydia, his dark eyes fixed entirely on her. "They think you tamed me."
"Didn't I?" Lydia asked, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.
"No," Matteo whispered, leaning down to press a soft kiss against her lips. "You didn't tame me, Lydia. You gave me a home."
He reached down, his large, warm hand coming to rest gently over her stomach—where a small, soft bump was beginning to show beneath her ivory dress.
Lydia placed her hand over his, feeling the soft warmth of their unborn child beating beneath her palms.
She looked out over the sunlit yard, at her healthy father laughing with friends, at the peaceful estate that was now filled with warmth and laughter, and finally back into the dark, loving eyes of her husband.
She thought back to the night she had smeared raw onion on her wrists, drawn a fake unibrow, and walked into Ilchino expecting humiliation and defeat. She had thought she was wearing a disguise to protect herself from the world.
Now, sitting in the arms of the man who had looked past the disguise to see her true worth, Lydia realized the truth.
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The disguise hadn't failed her at all. It had walked her straight into the arms of the one man who knew how to love her for exactly who she was—forever and always.
Matteo pulled her close, kissing her deeply under the warm autumn sun, as laughter and music filled the air around them, sealing their happy ending for a lifetime to come.
