He lifted the ring from its velvet resting place.

"Will you do me the immense honor of becoming my wife?"

Corin stood frozen for a beat, her breath catching in her throat as tears of pure happiness welled in her eyes. She looked down at the glittering diamond, then up into the strong, handsome face of the man who had pulled her out of the storm, who had respected her mind, who had restored her dignity, and who looked at her right now as if she were the only woman in existence.

A brilliant, radiant smile illuminated her face.

"Yes, Victor," she whispered, her voice steady, clear, and full of immense joy. "Yes! Absolutely yes!"

Victor slid the heavy blue diamond onto her finger. The entire ballroom erupted into thunderous, standing applause. Victor wrapped his powerful arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his chest, and leaned down to press a deep, passionate kiss to her lips as champagne flutes were raised across the room in their honor.

Six months later.

The warm morning sun broke over the waters of Puget Sound, painting the endless waves in shimmering shades of liquid gold and deep sapphire.

Corin stood on the expansive stone terrace of the Moretti Estate, a breathtaking cliffside mansion overlooking the Pacific Ocean. She wore a flowing ivory silk robe, her dark hair cascading freely over her shoulders as she cupped a warm mug of morning tea in her hands.

On her left hand, the massive blue diamond caught the bright morning sunlight, throwing brilliant blue refractions across the glass balustrade.

Behind her, the heavy glass French doors slid open smoothly, and Victor walked out onto the sunlit terrace. He wore a crisp white linen shirt with the top buttons undone, looking relaxed, powerful, and deeply content. He wrapped his broad arms around her waist from behind, pulling her back against his chest and resting his chin softly against her shoulder.

"Good morning, my Queen," he murmured softly, kissing the warm skin of her neck.

"Good morning, my love," Corin smiled, leaning back into his solid warmth. "Did Matteo bring the morning papers up?"

"He brought them five minutes ago," Victor said with a quiet, dangerous laugh. "Richard Harris’s trial concluded yesterday afternoon in federal court. He was sentenced to twenty-five years at Leavenworth Penitentiary, with zero eligibility for parole for the first eighteen years."

Corin nodded slowly, looking out at the endless ocean. She felt no lingering anger, no bittersweet regret—only a deep, absolute sense of closure and peace. Richard was exactly where he belonged, finally paying the full price for his lifetime of arrogance, abuse, and greed.

"And how are our global logistics ledgers looking this quarter?" Victor asked playfully, his large hands covering hers over the railing.

"Up forty-two percent since we integrated the Blake logistics nodes," Corin replied, turning around within his arms to face him with a triumphant, brilliant smile. "The international shipping channels are completely clean, the federal auditors have closed their files, and the board of directors just unanimously approved our expansion into Asian ports."

Victor looked down into her sparkling gray eyes, his heart swelling with immense pride and love. He reached up gently, tucking a stray curl of dark hair behind her ear.

"You built an absolute empire out of a bitter betrayal, Corin," he said softly, his voice full of reverence.

"No, Victor," Corin corrected him, reaching up to rest her hand against his sharp jawline. "You gave me the sword. I simply knew how to swing it."

Victor smiled deeply, pulling her tight against his chest as the fresh ocean breeze swept across the high terrace.

She was no longer the abandoned, broken woman shivering in the rain on First Avenue. She was Corin Moretti—the brilliant, untamable Queen of the Pacific Northwest. And standing beside the powerful man who loved her for her mind, her strength, and her heart, her reign had only just begun.