Chapter 10 - The New Queen of Chicago
Midnight approached. The gala was wrapping up, and the guests were filtering out into the crisp Chicago night, leaving behind hushed whispers about the undeniable bond between Ronan Blackwood and Ivy Lin.
Ronan and I walked out onto the private second-floor terrace overlooking the misty sprawling grounds of Blackwood Manor. The autumn air was cold, but Ronan stepped behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling my back against his warm chest.
I rested my head back against his shoulder, watching the lights of the city skyline twinkling in the distance.
“What are you thinking about?” Ronan asked, his chin resting lightly against my hair.
“I was thinking about Vivien,” I said honestly. “She had everything—wealth, status, beauty, power. Yet she lost it all because she thought treating people like garbage made her superior.”
“Cruelty is the illusion of weak people, Ivy,” Ronan said, his voice deep and resonant. “Real power is knowing you can destroy someone, but choosing to protect them instead.”
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. He popped the latch open.
Inside rested a stunning, vintage cushion-cut black diamond ring, surrounded by a halo of micro-pave white diamonds. It was bold, powerful, and utterly unique.
My breath caught in my throat. “Ronan...”
Ronan turned me around gently to face him. He didn't drop to one knee; he didn't need to perform for an audience. He stood before me as my equal, his eyes burning with a deep, unwavering devotion.
“I don't offer you this ring to make you my wife, Ivy,” Ronan said softly, taking the ring out of the box. “I offer it because you are already my partner. You saved my empire, you reclaimed your family’s honor, and you taught me how to be human again. I want to build the rest of my life with you.”
He looked into my eyes, his fingers trembling slightly as he held the ring.
“Ivy Lin, will you rule this city with me?”
Tears of pure happiness spilled down my cheeks. I smiled, reaching up to wrap my arms around his neck.
“Yes,” I whispered. “Yes, Ronan. A thousand times yes.”
He slipped the black diamond onto my finger—a perfect fit. Then he lifted me slightly off my feet, pulling me into a fierce, passionate kiss under the midnight sky.
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Below us, the gates of Blackwood Manor stood open and proud, no longer a fortress of fear and secrets, but the seat of a new legacy. The maid who was meant to be broken had become the queen who conquered Chicago, standing side by side with the most dangerous man in the city.
Together, we were untouchable.
