Chapter 280
Chapter 280:
I sat down. “Dinner p>
Alistair poured the wine. The red liquid swirled in the glass. “And business p>
He reached under the table and pulled out a thick leather folder. He slid it across the white tablecloth toward me.
I opened it. My eyes scanned the documents. Deeds. Stock transfers. Offshore account access codes.
It was everything. Thorne Corp. His personal real estate holdings. His private accounts.
“Are you dying?” I asked, looking up at him in shock. “This is… this is billions. This is your entire empire p>
Alistair chuckled, a low rumble in his chest. “No. I’m living. For the first time p>
He stood and walked around the table to my side.
“My family used money to control people,” he said quietly. “Liam used money to control you. He thought buying a park or a necklace would own you. I’m giving mine to you to set you free p>
I touched the paper. The texture was rough under my fingertips. “You’re giving me your power, Alistair. If I sign this, I own you p>
“That’s the point,” he said.
He dropped to one knee, the movement fluid and graceful.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring. It wasn’t the black diamond I wore on a chain around my neck—the one he had given me weeks ago as a promise. This was different. It was a blue diamond, raw and uncut, set in a band of black titanium. It looked like a piece of the deep ocean frozen in time.
“I don’t want a wife who obeys,” Alistair said, looking up at me. His eyes were vulnerable, stripped of their usual defenses. “I want a partner who rules. I want you to hold the leash, Skye. Because you are the only person I trust not to choke me with it p>
The black diamond was a promise,” he whispered, gesturing to the chain hidden beneath my sweater. “This… this is a surrender. Marry me, Skye. Be the Queen to my King p>
I looked at the ring. Then at him. I saw no deception. I saw no trap. I saw a man handing me a loaded gun and pointing it at his own heart, trusting me not to pull the trigger.
My heart, frozen in a block of ice for three years, cracked open.
Tears fell. Real ones. Not the kind I used for manipulation.
“You’re a fool,” I whispered.
𝖣𝘪𝗌𝘤𝗈𝘷𝗲𝘳 𝘯e𝘸 𝘴𝘵𝗈𝗿𝗂es o𝘯 𝖻𝘦lո𝗈𝘷еls.𝖼𝗈𝘮
“For you,” he answered.
I nodded. “Yes p>
He took my hand and slid the ring onto my finger. It fit perfectly. It felt heavy, grounding.
He stood and pulled me into a kiss. It was passionate, claiming, desperate.
At that exact moment, fireworks exploded over the harbor. Red and gold bursts of light illuminated the sky.
I kissed him back, wrapping my arms around his neck, finally letting go of the past.
The kiss deepened. Alistair lifted me effortlessly, setting me on the edge of the table. He was careful not to knock over the wine, but his focus was entirely on me.
His phone buzzed loudly on the table.
He ignored it and kissed my jawline.
It buzzed again. And again.
Alistair groaned. He pulled back, grabbed the phone, and looked at the screen. “Harper Quinn p>
He walked to the railing and threw the phone into the ocean. It made a satisfying splash.
I laughed, breathless. “That was expensive p>
“You’re richer now,” he murmured as he walked back to me. “Buy me a new one p>
He scooped me up in his arms and carried me toward the cabin.
At the dock gate, chaos was unfolding.