Chapter 10 - The Empire of Heart and Home
Ten years later, the Costa estate looked entirely different.
The towering iron gates still stood, but they no longer felt like a prison wall keeping the world out. Instead, they welcomed a steady stream of laughter, visiting grandchildren, friends, and family.
In the grand kitchen, Abigail—now fifty-nine, with streaks of silver in her chestnut hair—stood stirring a massive pot of Sunday gravy. The rich, savory aroma filled the entire house, just as it did every single week.
Julian had taken over the legitimate branches of the family business, running them with honesty and corporate brilliance. Bianca was a successful architect who had designed the new wing of the estate. Samuel, now eighteen and heading off to college, was laughing loudly at the dining table with his younger siblings.
Leonardo walked into the kitchen, his hair touched with grey at the temples, but his posture as strong and commanding as ever. He wrapped his arms around Abigail’s waist from behind, resting his chin comfortably on her shoulder as he breathed in the familiar scent of vanilla and roasted garlic.
"The kids are arguing about football again," Leonardo murmured with a fond smile.
"Let them," Abigail laughed softly, turning in his embrace to wrap her arms around his neck. "It’s Sunday. That’s what families are supposed to do."
Leonardo looked down into her warm brown eyes, the same eyes that had met his on a chaotic Manhattan sidewalk a decade ago.
"You know," Leonardo whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead, "people used to say I built an empire that nothing could touch."
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Abigail smiled, adjusting his collar. "And what do they say now?"
"They say the best thing I ever brought into this house wasn't power, money, or protection," Leonardo smiled, pulling her close against his chest. "It was a woman who knew how to cook, and a heart worth more than the entire world."
