They all said I'd waste my time... that the man in the wheelchair was beyond saving

Six months later.

The Grand Ballroom of the Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago was filled with light, music, and elegant guests. It was the annual charity gala for the Chicago Children's Respiratory Foundation—a foundation established and fully funded by the newly formed Lombardi Health Initiative.

In the center of the room, Oliver stood on a small platform, wearing a tailored navy suit that matched Sebastian's. He spoke clearly into a microphone, thanking the doctors, the donors, and his mother for helping launch a program that provided free medical equipment to thousands of underprivileged children across the city.

The applause that followed was deafening.

I stood near the edge of the stage, wearing an emerald green silk dress, my eyes glistening with happy tears.

A tall figure stepped up beside me, slipping a warm, strong arm around my waist. I leaned into Sebastian's side, feeling the steady, powerful rhythm of his heartbeat. He moved effortlessly now, walking with a slight, dignified stride that carried no trace of the wheelchair he had been locked in for two decades.

"He crushed that speech," Sebastian whispered into my ear, his lips brushing against my temple.

"He takes after you," I smiled, wrapping my hand around his arm. "Stubborn and determined."

"Thank God he takes after your heart," Sebastian replied softly.

Gabriel stepped up to us, wearing a crisp tuxedo, holding two glasses of champagne. He handed one to Sebastian and one to me, offering a warm, rare smile. "The federal auditors just cleared the final papers, boss. Lombardi Logistics is officially one hundred percent clean. No open investigations, no pending inquiries. You're a completely free man."

Sebastian lifted his glass, clinking it gently against Gabriel's and mine. "To clean slates... and new beginnings."

As Gabriel wandered off to check on Oliver, Sebastian led me toward the French doors that opened out onto the balcony, overlooking the shimmering dark waters of Lake Michigan and the bright city lights of Chicago.

The cool night breeze swept through my hair, but I didn't feel cold. Wrapped in Sebastian's arms, I felt safer than I ever had in my life.

"Do you remember the night we met?" Sebastian asked, looking out over the skyline. "I called you a fraud. I threatened to throw you out."

"I remember," I laughed softly. "I told you that your voice was dripping with contempt, and then I forced you to take off your shirt."

Sebastian chuckled, a low, deep sound that warmed my chest. "You were the only person in twenty years who didn't look at me with pity or fear. You looked at me like a man who was simply broken... and needed help fixing."