Five weeks after giving birth to our son, I walked into my husband’s office carrying sixty luxury chocolate truffles and Noah strapped against my chest. / Chapter 28 / 41

Chapter 28 - The Boardroom at Midnight

Two hours later, the formal contracts were signed in the Grand Duke’s private library beneath the gaze of ancestral portraits.

My signature—*Sophie Mercer di Castiglione*—dried upon the heavy vellum parchment alongside the royal seal of Soriano. The five-billion-dollar harbor revitalization project was officially ours. Mercer Atelier was no longer just a boutique architectural firm surviving on legal victories; it was now an international sovereign powerhouse.

When Julian and I emerged onto the stone terrace overlooking the midnight sea, the cool breeze carried the rhythmic sound of waves breaking peacefully against the cliffs below.

"You were extraordinary tonight, Sophie," Julian said, offering me a glass of sparkling water. "Your grandmother would have looked upon you with immense pride."

"Thank you, Julian," I said, taking a sip, feeling the tension that had gripped my muscles for weeks finally begin to unravel. "For believing in me before I even set foot on your soil."

"It was not belief; it was truth," he replied gently. "Our family owes yours a debt that seven decades could not erase. You have given Soriano its future back."

Just then, Angela stepped onto the terrace carrying Noah. The little boy was rubbing his eyes, wearing his soft blue pajamas, but his face lit up the moment he saw me.

"Mama!" he babble-chimed, reaching out his small arms.

I took him into my embrace, kissing his warm cheek, burying my face in the sweet, familiar scent of baby shampoo and innocence. He rested his heavy little head upon my shoulder, patting my neck with his soft hand.

"Everything we built, Noah," I whispered into his ear. "Everything is yours. No one can ever take your home away again."

Angela smiled, her eyes slightly wet with tears. "We did it, Sophie. The Sterling trust is completely bankrupted by the cancellation penalties of the Soriano lien. Eleanor is fleeing back to New York on an economy flight, facing immediate subpoena service upon arrival. And Carter... Carter’s final appeal was officially rejected an hour ago."

I looked out over the endless dark sea, where the moon carved a ribbon of silver across the water. Carter Sterling was trapped in a federal cell, staring at gray cinder blocks, while our son was being held on the ramparts of a sovereign palace, heir to an ancient, unassailable lineage.