My Don Paid Me 800. His Secretary Stole Millions Chapter 08

My Don Paid Me 800. His Secretary Stole Millions Chapter 08

“Knox!”

I rushed to him. Grabbed his arm.

There was a wound on his chest. A gunshot.

I pressed my hand against it, trying to stop the bleeding.

That’s when I realized—I was scared. Scared he might actually leave.

Knox gripped my hand. Wouldn’t let go.

“Rae. I’ll give you what you want.”

He called his private doctor. The man showed up fast. Checked the wound.

The bullet had almost killed him.

“Don…” the doctor said.

“Don’t call me that anymore.” Knox shook his head, “Don Rizzo is dead.”

Died in an explosion he’d set up himself.

Everyone thought he was gone.

After the doctor left, Knox looked at me. Deep eyes. Unshakable.

I held his hand. Tears fell before I could stop them.

I didn’t think he’d actually remembered what I said.

“Rae, after you left, I couldn’t sleep.”

“I thought about it for a long time. I want the same thing you do. To be ordinary.”

“I want to be your husband. Have a kid with you.”

“No more gang wars. No more worrying about who to marry for the family.”

“Rae, your hot dog business is tough. You want an extra pair of hands?”

He smiled at me.

I leaned in and held him,

“You always talked about taking me to an island. Can we go now?”

“Of course. But first, one more thing.”

He pulled out a small velvet box. Opened it with one hand.

Inside sat a diamond ring. Dazzling.

“Rae, I never knew how to love someone.”

“I thought money and a nice life was enough.”

“I was arrogant. Stupid. Blind enough to let someone fool me.”

He looked into my eyes. Voice low. Honest.

“You showed me that real love is equal. I don’t want to keep you in a cage anymore.”

“I want to stand beside you. As your husband.”

In that tiny basement, his tall frame looked almost cramped.

But his face was serious.

“Marry me, Rae.”

My heart skipped.

I looked at him. Those hopeful eyes. I bit my lip,

“Knox, are you sure?”

“Giving up your title. Your legacy. To sell hot dogs with me?”

“I’m sure, Rae.”

He stood up. Handed me a file.

A secret document.

He’d already passed his power to the man he trusted most in the family.

From now on, he was just a regular guy.

—

That night, we talked in the basement.

For the first time, really talked.

Before, we were just physical.

Now, we were honest with each other.

He sat on my tiny single sofa.

His legs were so long, his knees almost touched the opposite wall.

I handed him a cup of hot water. He held it with both hands. Stared at it.

“My old place had a three-meter windowsill,” he said.

“Floor-to-ceiling glass. You could see the whole Manhattan skyline.”

“And now?”

“Now this place is fine.” He looked around the tiny room, “At least you’re here.”

I laughed. “Knox. You know why I left?”

“Money.”

“No. Because you never let me see the real you.” I sat across from him,

“When you were Don, all I saw was a mask. Cold. Arrogant. Untouchable.”

“Elaine took my money, and you didn’t even ask.”

“Because I wasn’t someone you needed to take seriously.”

His fingers tightened around the cup.

“And now?”

“Now you’re sitting in my basement in a hoodie, saying you gave up an empire.”

I tilted my head, “This version of you? He’s interesting.”

He laughed. Not the polite kind. A real one.

“Rae, I killed a man for the first time when I was fourteen.”

“Back then, I wasn’t even Knox. They called me ‘that Italian brat.'”

He set the cup down. Voice flat, “It took me twenty-two years to get to the top.”

“You know what it felt like to give it up?”

“What?”

“Like taking off armor I’d worn my whole life.” He looked at his hands,

“Cold. But I could finally breathe.”

I reached over. Put my hand on his.

“You don’t have to wear that armor anymore.”

He didn’t say anything.

Just turned his hand over and laced his fingers through mine.