Chapter 10 - The Warmth of Table Six
Six months later, the sun was setting over the Watchung Mountains, casting a brilliant golden light across the stone terrace of the Vance estate.
The heavy iron gates at the bottom of the winding driveway were open. The perimeter guards were still there, but the Belgian Malinois dogs had been replaced with soft gardens, blooming rosebushes, and a large wooden patio where dinner was being prepared.
Scarlett stood by the stone railing, wearing a simple cream-colored dress, holding a glass of white wine as she looked out over the valley.
Beside her, her mother was sitting in a comfortable armchair, laughing softly as Frank showed her a magic trick with a deck of cards. Down on the lawn, two young dogs were chasing a tennis ball across the green grass.
A pair of warm, strong arms wrapped gently around Scarlett’s waist from behind.
Victor pulled her close against his chest, resting his chin lightly on her shoulder. He wore a simple navy sweater, his sleeves pushed up, looking relaxed and younger than he had ever looked in his life.
"What are you thinking about?" Victor asked softly into her hair.
"I was thinking about math," Scarlett said, leaning back into his embrace. "Two years, four months, eleven days at the diner. Sixty-four dollars for medication. Eight thousand a month. And six words that changed my whole life."
Victor smiled, his dark eyes looking out over the mountain valley that had once been his prison, but was now their home.
"Which six words?" he murmured, kissing the side of her neck.
Scarlett turned in his arms, wrapping her hands around his neck, looking up into those dark eyes that had once terrified an entire city, but now held only warmth, devotion, and peace for her.
"You're mad you're still alive," Scarlett whispered softly.
Victor reached up, his thumb gently tracing the line of her cheekbone.
May you like
"I was," Victor said, his voice rich with quiet emotion as he leaned down to press his lips against hers. "Until I met the girl who brought me hot coffee."
The sun dipped below the horizon, bathing the estate in a warm, golden dusk—a place that was no longer a cage, but a sanctuary built on truth, courage, and a love that had proven stronger than any empire.
