---- Chapter 22 Anya Warner POV: The world after the conference was a whirlwind. Phoenix wasn 't just a success; it was a paradigm shift. Warner Digital became the new titan of the tech industry overnight. Glass Innovations, faced with legal annihilation and a mass exodus of their user base, collapsed. They were acquired for pennies on the dollar by a competitor, their name and logo erased from the landscape as if they had never existed. Grant Daugherty was arrested. The contents of the hard drive, leaked by an anonymous source moments after my presentation, were too damning to ignore. The ensuing trial was a media circus, laying bare the decades of corruption that underpinned his empire. He would die in prison. | never heard from Hamilton again. | didn't need to. | knew he was out there somewhere, a ghost in his own life, forced to watch the world | was building from the outside. That was a more fitting punishment than any | could have devised. Life settled into a new, wonderful rhythm. My days were filled with the challenges of running a global company and the simple joys of raising my son. Nicky grew into a bright, curious little boy with my eyes and my father's mischievous grin. He was the sun in my universe. ---- Dante Mullen remained a constant, steady presence in my life. He had been there on the day of the launch, standing in the wings, his face beaming with a pride that was entirely genuine. Our companies became close partners, our professional respect blossoming into a deep, comfortable friendship. He was wonderful with Nicky, treating him with a warmth and affection that was both playful and sincere. He became an uncle to my son, a trusted confidant to me. One evening, about two years after the launch, we were sitting on the terrace of my home, watching Nicky chase fireflies on the lawn. The air was warm, the sky was a blanket of stars. "Anya," Dante said, his voice quiet. He turned to me, his expression serious, the usual playful glint in his eyes replaced by a deep, unwavering sincerity. He took my hand. "| know the terms we set. 'Teammates. Professional.' And we have been. But my feelings for you... they're not just professional. They haven't been for a long time." He got down on one knee, pulling a small, velvet box from his pocket. My breath caught in my throat. "I'm not Hamilton Glass," he said, his voice firm. "| don't want to cage you. | want to fly with you. | don't see you as a prize; | see you as my partner. In every sense of the word. | love you, Anya. | love your mind, your strength, your fire. And | love your son as if he were my own. Marry me. Let's build our future together." He opened the box. Inside was a simple, elegant ring, a single, ---- perfect sapphire that matched his eyes. Tears welled in my own eyes. Tears of gratitude, of affection, of a deep, profound respect for this man who had seen me, truly seen me, from the very beginning. | reached out and gently closed the box in his hand. "Dante," | said, my voice thick with emotion. | helped him to his feet, my hands holding his. "Your love is the greatest gift | have ever been offered. It's brave, and it's true, and | will cherish it always." | took a deep breath. "But | can't." The hope in his eyes flickered, replaced by a quiet, understanding sadness. "It's not you," | rushed to explain. "It's me. The woman Hamilton betrayed... she doesn't exist anymore. And the woman who stands here today... she's not looking for a partner to build a future with. She's busy building a future for herself, and for her son." | looked over at Nicky, who had just caught a firefly in his cupped hands, his face glowing with wonder. "| spent so many years defining myself by a man's love," | continued, turning back to Dante. "First his, and then... | was tempted to define myself by yours. But my legacy, the story | want to tell, isn't about who | loved. It's about what | built. It's about the woman who rose from the ashes on her own terms. ---- | need to be my own hero, Dante. For me, and for him." He was silent for a long moment, his gaze searching my face. Then, he nodded slowly, a small, sad smile touching his lips. "Anya Warner," he said softly. "The woman who turns down a billionaire with a decent car and a good heart." He squeezed my hand. "l understand. And my offer... it doesn't have an expiration date." | smiled, my heart full. "A good teammate is hard to find," | said, echoing the words from my note all those years ago. He laughed, the tension breaking. "Damn right." We stood there for a while longer, watching my son play under the endless canopy of stars. | had everything | had ever needed. A family that adored me, a friendship that sustained me, a company that was changing the world, and a son who was my entire universe. | had finally escaped the ghosts of the past. And the future was a brilliant, open sky, waiting for me to write my own name across it.