Chapter 10 - The Romano Legacy
Two weeks later, the rain returned to Manhattan—a soft, gentle spring rain that washed away the winter gloom.
Inside the quiet, luxurious private recovery room at Mount Sinai Hospital, Bella lay in the wide bed, wrapped in warm white blankets. The soft, rhythmic sound of a heart monitor chimed peacefully in the background.
In her arms lay her newborn daughter.
The baby had a soft tuft of dark hair and clear, striking dark eyes that opened slowly, looking up at her mother with quiet curiosity.
The heavy door opened softly, and Mateo stepped inside, holding a massive bouquet of fresh white roses. Behind him stood Gabriel Vance, carrying a slim leather folder.
"How is the new Chairwoman?" Mateo asked softly, his rough voice full of rare tenderness as he set the flowers on the table.
"She’s perfect," Bella whispered, gently brushing her thumb over her daughter's tiny, soft cheek.
Gabriel stepped closer, opening the leather folder. "The birth certificate registration papers are ready for your signature, Mrs. Romano. We need to officially record the child's full name."
Bella took the pen Gabriel offered. She looked down at her daughter, feeling the immense, unshakeable strength of generations of Romano women surging through her heart. She would never hide her intelligence. She would never apologize for her mind. She would never shrink herself to make a fragile man feel taller.
She pressed the tip of the pen to the parchment and wrote in dark, clear, elegant cursive:
Victoria Lorenzo Romano.
"Victoria," Mateo repeated softly, a proud, wide smile spreading across his face. "A strong name."
"A complete name," Bella corrected gently, leaning down to press a soft kiss against her daughter's forehead.
May you like
Outside the window, the rain stopped, and a beam of brilliant golden sunlight broke through the gray clouds, illuminating the room in warm, golden light.
Bella Romano had built her empire from the ashes of a broken marriage, and standing on the solid ground of her own strength, she knew her throne would never be borrowed again.
