Five years later, the city didn't whisper their names anymore. It spoke them with awe, fear, and a strange kind of reverence.
Lora Roth — once the betrayed heiress, now the undisputed queen.
Luke Roth — once the ghost king, now her husband, her equal.
Their empire stretched from the docks to the high-rises, from hidden vaults to legitimate corporations. Every contract, every alliance, every victory was stamped with two signatures: L.R. & L.R.
The wedding had been small and quiet, held on a cliffside far from the city. No velvet guests, no backroom deals—just their closest few and the sound of the sea.
Luke had held her hand the entire time, thumb brushing her knuckles, eyes burning like a vow.
When the priest asked for the kiss, he didn't wait for permission. He claimed her mouth with his like a man who had fought a war and won.
They spent their wedding night hidden from the world, not as king and queen but as two people who had found each other in the fire. It wasn't rushed or frantic like their old lives; it was slow, unguarded, and real, a collision of passion and trust.
And for the first time in years, Lora felt safe enough to fall asleep in someone's arms.
A year later, under a full moon, their son was born. Two years after that, a daughter. Luke had sworn he'd never bring children into his world of shadows, but Lora changed that. They built a fortress of loyalty, secrecy, and protection around their family that even their enemies respected.
The babies' full-moon celebration was held in their private garden, under a canopy of lanterns and white flowers. Men who had once feared Lora's wrath now bowed before her children. Women who had once envied her crown now offered blessings.
Luke stood behind her, one arm draped around her waist, the other cradling their infant son. His lips brushed her temple as he murmured, "We survived everything, and still… look at this."
She tilted her head up, smiling. "We didn't just survive, Luke. We built something they can't touch."
Later that night, when the guests had gone and the children were asleep in their guarded nursery, Luke pulled her out onto the balcony. The moonlight painted his face silver.
"You're still the fire I remembered," he murmured, fingers brushing her cheek.
"And you're still the ghost I couldn't forget," she teased softly.
He bent and kissed her, slow and deep, a kiss that spoke of battles won and scars shared. She melted against him, hands sliding into his hair, their bodies fitting together like they had been made to stand in the same storm.
It wasn't about heat anymore—it was about everything they'd built. Passion, yes, but also trust. Love. Family.
From below, the city glimmered like a thousand candles. Above, the moon hung full and bright, blessing what had once been born of rivalry and fire.
And in that moment, with his mouth on hers and his hands at her waist, Lora realized she had everything she had once thought impossible: power, freedom, and a love fierce enough to survive the dark.