When my Mafia ex-husband saw the three identical gray-green eyes staring back at him across the ballroom, the most feared man in Manhattan finally started to shake.

One month later.

The grand ballroom of the St. Regis Hotel was filled with Manhattan’s highest society—politicians, CEOs, foreign dignitaries, and the elite of the city's business world.

It was the annual Cross Foundation Gala, an event designed to raise funds for children's hospitals across New York State.

I stood near the central glass windows, wearing a floor-length emerald satin gown that draped elegantly over my frame. Diamond drop earrings sparkled at my ears—a gift Gabriel had presented to me that morning.

Beside me stood three small, handsome boys in matching black tuxedos, their dark curls slicked back, their gray-green eyes bright with excitement.

"Look, Mom!" Leo pointed out the window at the city lights below. "You can see the big bridge!"

"That's the Brooklyn Bridge, sweetie," I smiled, bending down to fix Julian’s bowtie.

The crowd near the entrance parted smoothly.

Gabriel walked into the ballroom. He wore a crisp black tuxedo, looking powerful, handsome, and completely dominant. But he wasn't looking at the politicians or the cameras flashing near the entrance.

His eyes swept the room until they found us.

A warm, radiant smile broke across his scarred face. He walked straight toward us, ignoring the hands extended by senators and bank presidents along his path.

"You look breathtaking, Mrs. Cross," Gabriel murmured as he reached us, sliding his arm smoothly around my waist, pulling me close against his side.

"And you're late, Mr. Cross," I teased gently, resting my palm against his crisp lapel.

"Board meeting ran five minutes long," he explained, leaning down to kiss my lips softly in full view of two hundred high-society guests. "I bought the port logistics company today. Clean, legal, and fully integrated into the children's trust."

"Good," I smiled.

Gabriel looked down at his three sons, who were grinning up at him. He dropped to one knee, pulling all three of them into a tight, warm hug right there on the ballroom floor.

"Who wants ice cream sundaes before the speeches start?" Gabriel whispered to them conspiratorially.

"Me!" all three boys cheered in unison.

Gabriel stood up, holding Sam in his arms while Leo and Julian held his hands. He looked at me, his gray-green eyes filled with a deep, unshakeable happiness.