Chapter 9

The transition from a terrifying standoff to an emotional truce left the mansion feeling entirely different. The oppressive, heavy atmosphere of Vanessa’s reign had vanished with her.

Luca did not let Sarah walk out into the rain. Instead, he summoned his head housekeeper and ordered her to prepare the grand guest suite in the east wing—the one with the massive fireplace and the view of the rose gardens. He assigned two of his best security men to stand guard outside her door, not as wardens, but as protectors.

For the first time in seven years, Sarah slept in a warm bed, knowing exactly where her daughter was.

The next morning, the reality of the new world set in. I arrived at the kitchen at 6:00 AM, my usual time, but nothing was the same. The staff was buzzing with whispered gossip about Vanessa being hauled away in handcuffs. The newspapers had already caught wind of a massive corruption bust at the CPS office, though Luca’s name was miraculously kept out of the headlines.

I was making a pot of chamomile tea when Marco walked into the kitchen. The massive security chief looked exhausted, having spent the entire night dealing with police reports and lawyers.

“Emma,” Marco said, his voice unusually gentle. “The Boss wants to see you in his study.”

My stomach did a nervous flip. I smoothed down my maid’s uniform and followed Marco down the long hallway.

When I entered the study, Luca was sitting behind his massive oak desk. He looked tired, but the dark, hollow look in his eyes was gone. He looked like a man who had finally woken up from a long, bad dream.

“Sit down, Emma,” Luca said, gesturing to the leather chair opposite him.

I sat cautiously, my hands folded in my lap. “Is everything alright, Mr. Moretti? Is Lucy awake?”

“She’s still sleeping,” Luca smiled softly. “I checked on her ten minutes ago. She has a death grip on that stuffed elephant.” He paused, his expression turning serious as he looked at me. “Emma, I asked you here because I need to apologize.”

I blinked in surprise. “Apologize? For what?”

“For being blind,” Luca said heavily. “I brought a monster into my home. I let Vanessa mistreat you, and worse, I almost let her destroy my daughter. If you hadn’t spoken up last night—if you hadn’t found that hospital bracelet and Elena’s letters—I would be sitting in a jail cell right now, and Lucy would be lost in the system.”

“I just wanted to protect her, sir. She’s a good little girl.”

Luca reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a thick, manila envelope. He slid it across the polished wood toward me.

“I had my men look into your background last night, Emma,” Luca said. “I hope you don’t mind. I wanted to understand why a twenty-five-year-old woman is working seventy-hour weeks scrubbing floors.”

My cheeks flushed with embarrassment. “I have a younger brother, Leo. He’s in his final year of nursing school. When we aged out of the foster system, I promised him he wouldn’t end up like the people who raised us. I promised him he would have a real career. His tuition is… expensive.”

Luca nodded. “Open the envelope.”

My hands shook as I broke the seal. Inside was a stack of official bank documents and a letter from the dean of the university.

Student: Leo Collins. Balance: Paid in Full.

I stared at the paper, my vision blurring with sudden tears. It wasn’t just this semester’s tuition. It was all of his student loans. Hundreds of thousands of dollars. Wiped out completely.

“Mr. Moretti…” I gasped, unable to breathe. “I… I can’t accept this. This is too much.”

“It’s already done,” Luca said firmly. “Consider it a bonus. But it comes with a condition.”

I wiped my eyes, looking up at him fearfully. “A condition?”

“You’re fired,” Luca said.

My heart dropped to the floor. I stared at him, utterly confused. “Fired?”

A small smile played at the corner of Luca’s mouth. “Yes. You’re fired from being a maid. I don’t want you scrubbing floors anymore, Emma. I’m promoting you to Estate Manager. You will run this household. You will have your own suite, a salary that reflects your worth, and you will ensure that nobody like Vanessa Bellini ever steps foot inside these walls again.”

I covered my face with my hands and sobbed. For the first time in my entire life, I didn’t have to worry about surviving. I was safe. Leo was safe.

A gentle knock on the door interrupted us.

Sarah stood in the doorway. She was wearing a simple, elegant blue dress that the housekeeper had found for her. Her hair was washed and brushed. She looked beautiful. She looked like the mother of a Moretti.

“Luca?” Sarah asked softly. “She’s awake. She’s asking for you.”

Luca stood up immediately, the fierce love for his daughter lighting up his face. He walked around the desk and offered his arm to Sarah.

“Let’s go see our daughter,” Luca said.

I watched them walk out of the study together. Two people brought together by tragedy, betrayal, and a stolen baby, now bound by an unbreakable love for the same little girl. The war was over. But the healing was just beginning.

Share