Chapter 12 - A Dark Past Shared Over Quiet Midnight Drinks
Hours later, after the gala had concluded, Vincent and Emily sat together on the private balcony of the penthouse.
The city lights twinkled below like a blanket of scattered diamonds against the freezing winter night.
“Why did you really protect me, Vincent? Beyond your uncle, I mean,” Emily asked, breaking the comfortable silence.
Vincent looked down at his glass of amber whiskey, watching the ice cubes shift slowly beneath the rim.
“When I was twenty, my father lost everything to men like Tyler—men who used wealth as a weapon to crush the innocent,” Vincent said softly.
“You built an empire so nobody could ever crush you again,” Emily realized, her gaze locking onto his dark eyes.
“I built an empire so I could ensure kindness was never punished again,” Vincent corrected gently.
May you like
Emily reached across the small table, her fingers brushing lightly against his calloused knuckles.
For the first time, Vincent did not pull away; he turned his hand over and intertwined his fingers securely with hers.
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