Chapter 10 - The Foundation of Maine
Six months later.
The summer sun shone brightly over the coast of Maine, turning the Atlantic into a sparkling sheet of sapphire blue.
On the high bluff where the caretaker's cottage had once stood, a breathtaking new house now rose against the pine trees—the house Vivien had drawn on her drafting table three years ago.
It had wide cedar porches, tall glass windows that caught the morning sunlight, and a broad stone chimney that stretched toward the clear northern sky.
In the courtyard, Lorenzo Moretti was sitting on a low wooden bench, wearing a simple linen shirt and rolled-up trousers, holding his seven-month-old daughter, Bella, on his knees.
He was making funny faces at her, making the baby erupt into loud, squealing bursts of laughter that echoed happily across the sea rocks.
Lorenzo had officially resigned as head of the Moretti organization five months ago, handing complete control over to a reformed board led by Victor Hale, legally restructuring the family business into a legitimate global shipping enterprise.
He no longer lived in Manhattan. He lived in Maine.
Vivien walked out onto the porch carrying a tray of fresh lemonade. She wore a light yellow sundress that caught the summer breeze, her dark hair shining in the sunlight, her face radiant with health, peace, and deep contentment.
She set the tray down on the porch table and walked down the wooden steps toward her husband and child.
Lorenzo looked up as she approached.
His eyes never left her face. He tracked her every step, his dark gaze filled with the quiet, intense devotion that had returned to his life and would never leave it again.
"She looks just like you when she laughs," Lorenzo said softly, reaching out with one arm to pull Vivien down beside him on the bench.
Vivien sat close to him, resting her head on his shoulder, placing her hand over his on Bella’s tiny back.
"She has your jaw, Lorenzo," Vivien teased gently, poking his chin with her finger. "Heaven help us when she turns sixteen."
Lorenzo laughed—a rich, deep sound that carried across the water. He turned his head, pressing his lips gently against Vivien’s temple.
"I love you, Vivien," Lorenzo whispered, holding her hand tightly, his fingers intertwining with hers.
May you like
Vivien looked out at the vast blue ocean, then looked up into the dark eyes of the man who had abandoned a kingdom just to learn how to see her again.
"I know, Lorenzo," Vivien smiled, resting her face against his chest. "I know."
