Chapter 6 - A Noise Worth KeepingOne year later.
The Bel Air mansion was no longer silent.
The black marble walls in the foyer were still there, the floor-to-ceiling glass windows still offered breathtaking views of Los Angeles, and the manicured gardens were as pristine as ever. But the dead, suffocating emptiness that had defined the house for half a decade was completely gone.
From the kitchen downstairs, the rich, mouth-watering aroma of freshly baked cinnamon rolls and dark Mexican roast coffee drifted up the grand staircase.
In the sunlit dining room, Mrs. Carmen stood near the sideboard, laughing as she watched Lucy—now wearing a simple yellow sundress—chase a tiny, golden retriever puppy across the polished hardwood floors.
"Buster! Get back here with my shoe!" Lucy yelled, laughing as she skidded around the corner, her hair slightly messy, her eyes bright with pure happiness. "Mrs. Carmen, tell him that shoes are not breakfast!"
"He's three months old, Lucy, he doesn't speak Spanish or English yet!" Mrs. Carmen teased back, shaking her head with joy.
At the top of the stairs, Matthew stood leaning against the banister, watching the scene below. He wore a dark grey cardigan over a plain white t-shirt, looking relaxed, healthy, and strikingly handsome. The dark circles that had carved deep lines under his eyes for five years were entirely gone, replaced by a radiant, calm energy.
Calloway Global had thrived over the past year. After paying off Julian Hale's debt notes and exposing Arthur’s corporate fraud, Matthew had restructured the entire executive board, appointing people who valued integrity over greed. Julian Hale had been forced to sell his shares at a discount following a federal audit, and Vanessa had permanently relocated to Europe after being named in two civil defamation suits.
But Matthew didn't think about business anymore when he was at home. Home was no longer a fortress; it was a sanctuary filled with life.
Matthew walked down the stairs, his eyes locked onto Lucy. The puppy immediately ran over to him, yipping happily and dropping Lucy's leather shoe at his feet.
Matthew scooped up the puppy with one hand, picking up the shoe with the other, and walked over to Lucy, pulling her by the waist into a warm, firm embrace.
"Is this little guy terrorizing my assistant manager of estate affairs?" Matthew asked, kissing the top of her head.
"He's a criminal mastermind," Lucy said, wrapping her arms around his waist and leaning her head against his chest. "He takes after his uncle Arthur."
Matthew let out a deep, rich laugh—a sound that was now heard daily throughout the mansion. "Don't insult the dog like that."
He looked down at her, his expression turning soft and filled with endless love. He reached into his cardigan pocket, pulling out a small, velvet-lined mahogany box.
Lucy froze, her breath catching in her throat. She looked at the box, then up into Matthew’s eyes.
"Matthew..." she whispered, her heart instantly hammering against her ribs.
"One year ago today," Matthew began, his voice soft, steady, and filled with emotion, "a girl walked into my bedroom with a dinner tray, sat on my couch without permission, and started rambling about a turkey ruining a wedding."
Lucy let out a wet, breathless laugh, tears immediately welling up in her eyes.
"For five years, I lived in total darkness," Matthew continued, opening the box to reveal a stunning, flawless emerald-cut diamond ring that caught the morning sunlight. "I had all the money in the world, but I was dying inside this house. You brought light, warmth, and noise back into my life. You taught me how to sleep, Lucy... but more importantly, you taught me how to live."
Matthew sank down onto one knee on the hardwood floor, looking up at her with complete vulnerability.
"Lucy Gomez," Matthew said, holding up the ring, "will you marry me and make this house noisy for the rest of our lives?"
Lucy didn't wait a single second. She dropped down onto her knees right in front of him, throwing her arms around his neck so hard they both nearly tumbled over onto the rug with the puppy.
"Yes!" Lucy cried, her voice echoing through the grand hall. "Yes, of course, yes, you dramatic billionaire!"
Mrs. Carmen clapped her hands happily from the doorway, wiping a tear from her cheek, while the puppy barked excitedly around their feet.
Matthew pulled back slightly, sliding the diamond ring onto her finger, before cupping her face in his hands and kissing her deeply—a kiss filled with absolute devotion, safety, and the promise of a bright, shared future.
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As the morning sun flooded the mansion, filling every corner with warmth and gold, Matthew looked around at his home.
The silence was gone. The nightmares were over. And for the billionaire who hadn't slept in five years, the best dream of his life had finally come true.
