Chapter 9 - A New Normal
Three months later, the buzz cut had grown out into a thick, striking platinum-blonde pixie crop that framed my face in a way my old long hair never could.
The Monarch Room had undergone a complete management overhaul. Dennis Crowley was gone, replaced by a seasoned hospitality director who instituted zero-tolerance policies for staff harassment, backed by the full legal weight of the Vale Holding Group.
On a crisp autumn afternoon, Dominic and I walked down Michigan Avenue, the golden Chicago sunlight reflecting off the autumn leaves.
People passed us by, glancing respectfully at Dominic, nodding politely, giving us a wide berth as they always did.
I slipped my hand into his pocket, intertwining my fingers with his ink-scarred hand.
“You know,” I smiled, looking up at him, “technically, I still haven't finished my shift on Friday night. Dennis never processed my formal resignation.”
Dominic chuckled, pulling me closer against his side as the cold wind swept down the avenue. “Is that right? Well, your husband is the sole owner of the lease now. I think I can officially grant you permanent severance.”
“Generous of you, boss,” I teased.
May you like
“Anything for my favorite waitress,” he smiled, kissing the top of my head.
We walked on, leaving the past behind us in the shadows of the city. I hadn't wanted people to treat me well because of who my husband was; I had wanted to prove I could stand on my own two feet. But life had taught me a different, more powerful lesson: you can carve your own path, build your own strength, and work your own way—and still have a partner who will burn an empire to the ground the second anyone tries to break you.
