Chapter 18 Epilogue

• Friday morning arrived with clear, crisp skies. Inside the private wing of the downtown municipal courthouse, the air was still, heavy with a quiet, undeniable gravity.
• There were no media cameras allowed inside, no socialites whispering in the back rows, no public spectacles. Only Brian, Jared, and two high-ranking corporate attorneys stood as witnesses when Martinez and Finn signed their names onto the legal registry.
• When the magistrate declared them legally bound, Martinez didn't offer a polite handshake or a distant smile. He gathered Finn by his waist in front of the entire room, pulled him flush against his tailored suit, and claimed his mouth in a long, possessive kiss that left Finn lightheaded and clinging to his shoulders.