Chapter 9 - WHAT ROMAN LOST
Dante's trial lasted four months.
The evidence exposed an international market built around stolen identities and endangered women.
Isabella testified.
Elena testified.
Roman testified.
Maya did too.
Dante was convicted.
Roman avoided prison on the most serious charges after cooperating, but paid enormous penalties and surrendered control of several companies.
Newspapers called it the fall of Roman Vance.
Leo called it Tuesday.
Roman moved out of the giant estate.
Nobody expected that.
“Why?” Maya asked.
“Too many ghosts.”
They bought a smaller house.
Still enormous by normal standards.
Maya mocked him relentlessly.
She completed the library archive.
Then stayed.
Not as an employee.
At least, not exactly.
She and Roman had spent months orbiting something neither named.
One evening in the garden, Roman finally said:
“I love you.”
Maya nearly dropped her tea.
“That was terrible.”
“What?”
“You just announced it like a quarterly earnings report.”
“I have never said it before.”
“That explains a lot.”
Roman looked genuinely offended.
Maya smiled.
Then took his face in both hands.
“I love you too.”
He kissed her.
From an upstairs window Leo shouted:
“FINALLY!”
They broke apart.
Roman stared upward.
“You've been able to yell this whole time?”
Leo disappeared from the window.
May you like
Maya laughed until she cried.
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