Chapter 10 - The Threshold of Sixteen
Six months later, the Moretti estate hosted the grandest wedding the city had seen in a generation. The story of the billionaire who found his lost love and brave daughter in a rundown apartment had captivated the entire nation, becoming a symbol of hope and poetic justice.
The main ballroom was decorated with thousands of white roses and delicate hanging silk ribbons.
Nathan stood near the altar, looking handsomer than ever in a black tuxedo, waiting anxiously as the wedding march began to play.
The heavy mahogany doors opened, and Lily walked down the aisle first as the flower girl, wearing a magnificent white lace dress that she had helped design herself. Following behind her was Sarah, looking breathtaking in an ivory gown, her face glowing with radiant happiness as her arm rested in the crook of Dr. Marcus's arm, who had proudly agreed to walk her down the aisle.
The ceremony was intimate, filled with tears of joy, laughter, and solemn vows of eternal protection.
As night fell, the grand reception moved outdoors under a canopy of twinkling string lights. Guests danced, laughed, and celebrated the miraculous reunion of the Moretti family.
Late into the evening, after Sarah had gone inside to tuck a tired Lily into bed, Nathan stood alone on the edge of the stone terrace, looking out over the moonlit river.
A gentle footstep sounded behind him.
Nathan turned, expecting to see Sarah, but found his head of private security, Marcus, holding an unsealed black leather envelope.
"Sorry to disturb you on your wedding night, Boss," Marcus said quietly, his face unusually stern. "This was just delivered by a private courier to the front gates. It was bypassed through secondary screening because it carries your father's personal wax seal."
Nathan’s smile faded slightly. "My father died seven years ago, Marcus."
"I know, Boss," Marcus replied, handing him the envelope. "But the courier said it was scheduled for delivery on the exact night of your wedding."
Nathan accepted the heavy envelope. He broke the black wax seal and pulled out a single piece of aged parchment. Written across the center in faded silver ink was a short, cryptic message:
Nathan,
You have reclaimed your empire and saved the girl with the silver pendant. But the debt your grandfather incurred in Europe sixty years ago was never paid.
Look under the third floorboards of Apartment 4B. The real reason Sarah was hidden in that specific building has only just begun.
The Sovereign Syndicate.
Nathan stared at the silver ink as a cold, electric chill raced down his spine.
May you like
He looked back toward the brightly lit mansion, where the soft laughter of Sarah and Lily echoed through the open windows. He folded the letter carefully, slipping it into his tuxedo pocket, his gray-blue eyes darkening with a fierce, dangerous resolve.
The war for his empire was over, but the secret of his family's past was just beginning to unfold.
