Chapter 3 - A Shift in the Manor
The next morning, the Romano estate was buzzing with confused whispers.
Dante, Victor’s right-hand man, stood in the foyer, watching as two guards carried Sofia’s meager belongings into a suite normally reserved for visiting capos. Dante crossed his massive arms, his face a mask of disapproval.
“Boss, with all due respect,” Dante rumbled as Victor descended the grand staircase. “The men are talking. You’re putting a maid and a kid in the VIP wing. It sends a weird message.”
“Let them talk,” Victor said, adjusting his tie. “Sofia is off duty until her health improves. She is under my personal protection. Put two men outside her door.”
Dante’s brow furrowed. “Moretti’s guys have been circling the perimeter. They’re looking for her. If we interfere with their collections, it’s an act of war.”
“Good,” Victor said coldly. “I was getting bored.”
Victor walked into the formal dining room. Sofia and Lucia were seated at the massive mahogany table. The private chef had laid out a feast: eggs, bacon, fresh fruit, pastries. Lucia was eating with wide-eyed wonder. Sofia merely picked at a strawberry, looking terrified of the luxury.
“Eat, Sofia,” Victor commanded gently, taking the seat at the head of the table.
“Mr. Romano, I can’t accept this,” she whispered. “I am just a housekeeper.”
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“You were a housekeeper,” Victor corrected. “Now, you are my guest. And Lucia is... my new pancake consultant.”
Lucia giggled, a bright, beautiful sound that echoed in a room usually reserved for death threats and extortion plots. Victor felt a strange warmth bloom in his chest. He would burn the city to the ground before he let anyone take that sound away.
