Page 95 of King of Greed

“In the garden!” I called out. Sweat slicked my palm, which was ridiculous. I’d done this before, but when it came to Alessandra, every time felt like the first time for everything.

I would never look at her and not marvel at the fact she was mine. I would never think about how close I’d come to losing her and not thank God she came back to me. I would never kiss her and take the opportunity for granted again.

She appeared at the back door, her hair shining beneath a dapple of sunlight. She’d had brunch with her friends that morning, and her cheeks glowed with a wash of pink.

“No offense, babe, but I hope you’re not trying to gardenagain.” Alessandra slid the glass door closed behind her and eyed her beloved flowers with suspicion. “Remember when you almost killed my New England aster?”

Floria Designs was thriving both online and in its physical store, which meant it needed more inventory. She sourced most of the blooms for her business from suppliers, but she’d also started growing her own in the garden we’d installed in lieu of the mini golf course.

The café and gallery/flower shop concept was a huge hit, and though I hated Aiden’s continued presence in her life—no New York landlord checked on their tenantsthatoften without hidden motives—I loved seeing her happy. It was the only reason I hadn’t bought his company out from under him. For some reason, Alessandra considered him a friend, and she wouldnotbe happy if I pulled that stunt.

“New England aster...was that the purple or pink one? I’mkidding.” I laughed at her glare. “I know better than to touch your asters again. In my defense, the shears slipped. It was an accident.”

“Sure. Ask the poor flowers if they care,” she said with a playful huff.

My grin softened into something easier, simpler. Smiles came more readily to me these days, born out of a warmth that had been missing for the majority of my life. It was the type of feeling that soothed the edges of my frustration when something went wrong at work, that lightened my steps on my way home and painted the world in vivid shades.

I’d been lying in bed one lazy Saturday morning, watching Alessandra yawn and snuggle into my chest, when I finally put a name on the feeling.

Contentment.

No matter how much money I lost or made in a single day, I was, at my core, happy because I had everything I needed in front of me.

Thoughts of Aiden, Floria Designs, and the rest of the world faded away as the moment hit me like a freight train.

This was it.Shewas it. Some part of me had known that since the minute I laid eyes on her all those years ago, but that didn’t make what I was about to do any easier.

It didn’t matter that I’d spent months planning for this or that we’d gone through hell and made it to the other side. I wanted this to be perfect. It was what she deserved.

“Speaking of flowers, I have something for you.” My nerves felt like barbs in my stomach as I handed her the golden rose. A tiny white note was tied to the stem.

Alessandra’s face lit up even though I gifted her the bloom daily. “I was wondering when I’d get my daily countdown,” she teased. “What happens when we reach one thousand?”

I didn’t have to think; the answer had been there all along.

“Then I’ll start the countdown again, and again, for the rest of our lives. Because that’s how long I want to spend with you.”

Her expression gradually morphed into stunned belief as I dropped to my knee and retrieved a small velvet box from my pocket.

My heart was a pounding mess as my fingers shook around the box. I would lay myself bare to her a million times for one more chance with the girl who never gave up on me. It didn’t matter if I was trying to pass a college class or build an empire in her honor, she would always be my driving force.

“Alessandra, you are the most important thing to me. Being your husband will always be my greatest honor and accomplishment. No victory will ever taste as sweet as the press of your lips against mine. I lost you, and I don’t deserve you.” I swallowed hard against the memories of what we’d overcome.

“But I vow to always hear you over the sound of my ambition. I will always be curious about you. You’ve shown me the value of always learning, growing, and caring, and I’ve never loved youmore than in this moment. Watching you choose yourself when I didn’t will always prove as a reminder to me of your incredible strength and what a privilege it is to call you mine. I want to spend the rest of my nights with you. I want to spend the next decade working to be the man you always deserved. I want my greed to be for your love, your laughter, and our life together. I can’t bear to be parted from you. Please, Ále, will you be my wife?”

A soft cry broke free from her throat. Alessandra’s eyes shimmered as she uttered the one word worth more than any of the billions in my bank account.

“Yes,” she sobbed. “Yes, I’ll be your wife.”

Slipping the ring on her finger felt like sliding a lock into place, but this lock wasn’t a prison; it was a promise.

Her mouth met mine with the taste of salt. We were both crying, and I knew with rock-solid certainty that no meeting or dinner would ever matter as much as the way her joy felt surrounding me. Every sacrifice would exist as a balance of love with my ambition.

I would spend forever becoming the man she always believed me to be.

Alessandra

Our second wedding took place on a rooftop overlooking the city. We’d visited dozens of venues before we settled on this one. It was the perfect blend of whimsy and luxury, and it felt indescribably moreusthan the traditional church wedding that’d kicked off our original marriage.

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