Chapter 7 - The Mountain in Vermont
Spring came early to the Green Mountains of Vermont.
By April, the heavy snows had melted into roaring mountain streams, leaving the pine forests around the Mercer chalet crisp, green, and vibrant under a brilliant blue sky.
The chalet was a massive structure of logs, stone, and glass, built high on a private ridge overlooking the Stowe valley.
Claire stood on the wide wooden deck, wearing a comfortable wool sweater and jeans, holding a warm cup of coffee. The sun was warm on her face, and the fresh mountain air filled her lungs.
Behind her, the double glass doors slid open.
Adrian walked out onto the deck. He was wearing a simple grey henley shirt and dark jeans, looking younger, relaxed, and completely at peace. The dark circles under his eyes were gone, replaced by a calm, steady strength.
He walked up behind Claire, wrapping his powerful arms around her soft waist, pulling her back against his chest. He rested his chin on her shoulder, pressing a soft kiss to her neck.
"Good morning, liebling," he murmured, his deep voice sending a familiar wave of pleasure through her body.
"Good morning," Claire smiled, leaning back against him. "Where’s Lily?"
"She’s in the kitchen with Mrs. Higgins, attempting to make blueberry pancakes," Adrian chuckled softly. "It’s an absolute disaster. There is batter on the ceiling."
Claire laughed, turning in his arms to face him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, looking up into his silver eyes.
For three months, their life together had settled into an extraordinary, harmonious rhythm. Claire was no longer the nanny—she was the undisputed mistress of Mercer Manor. Though she still managed Lily’s daily routines and education, she sat at Adrian’s side at private dinners, moved her belongings into the grand master suite, and walked through Boston as the protected, cherished partner of the most powerful man in the city.
The public transition had been seamless. When the media attempted to run speculative articles about the "ordinary nanny" who had captured the reclusive shipping magnate, Adrian had responded with characteristic brutality: he bought out two regional distribution networks connected to the media parent company, effectively silencing any further sensationalism before it could start.
"What are you thinking about?" Adrian asked, his fingers gently playing with a loose strand of her brown hair.
"I was thinking about the first morning," Claire said softly. "When I woke up in Lily’s room and saw you sitting in the chair."
Adrian’s silver eyes softened. He reached into the pocket of his dark jeans and pulled out a small, dark velvet box.
Claire’s heart stopped. She stared at the box, her breath catching in her throat.
"Adrian..." she whispered.
Adrian didn't get down on one knee. He held her eyes, his large hand holding the box between them, opening the lid with his thumb.
Inside rested a magnificent, flawless five-carat emerald-cut diamond ring, set in platinum, sparkling brilliantly in the Vermont sunlight.
"I built an empire out of blood and stone, Claire," Adrian said, his voice dropping into a deep, intense key that shook her to her core. "I thought my life was over when Rebecca died. I thought my daughter would spend her life living in shadows. And then you walked into this house."
He stepped closer, pressing his forehead against hers.
"You brought warm life back into my cold home," Adrian whispered. "You saved my daughter. You saved me. I don't ever want to spend another day of my life without you as my wife."
Tears spilled over Claire’s eyelashes, warm and bright in the sunshine. "Adrian... are you sure? I'm just—"
"If you say 'ordinary' one more time, Claire Bennett, I am going to pick you up and carry you into that house," Adrian threatened softly, a rare, breathtaking smile spreading across his face. "Are you going to marry me or not?"
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Claire laughed through her tears, reaching out and framing his handsome face with both hands. "Yes. Yes, Adrian. I will marry you."
Adrian slid the heavy diamond ring onto her finger. It fit perfectly. He pulled her into his arms, lifting her off the deck, and kissed her with a fierce, possessive passion that echoed through the quiet mountain valley.
