Chapter 1 - The Doctor's Grave WarningDr. Nathan Bianchi adjusted his steel-rimmed glasses, his expression grim under the dim hallway lights. He glanced back toward the closed door of the staff quarters before stepping closer to Alessandro Moretti.
“Explain, Nathan,” Alessandro commanded, his voice a low, dangerous growl.
“Her white blood cell count is erratic, and her liver enzymes are elevated far beyond normal exhaustion or standard illness,” Nathan said quietly, keeping his voice down so Sophia wouldn't hear inside. “Alessandro, she’s showing acute symptoms of heavy-metal toxicity. Specifically, lead and low-level chemical exposure.”
Alessandro’s dark eyes narrowed into slits. “Chemical exposure? In my house?”
“Not necessarily the mansion proper,” Nathan corrected, crossing his arms. “Where does she spend most of her working hours?”
“The laundry wing. The pressing rooms.”
“Have you checked the chemical composition of the industrial dry-cleaning solvents, water filters, or the vintage piping in the service annex lately?” Nathan asked pointedly. “Because unless she was eating lead paint chips in her spare time, someone has been systematically introducing toxins into her daily routine—or she’s been exposed to a heavily contaminated workspace for months.”
Silence settled over the hallway.
Alessandro’s mind raced. The staff quarters were maintained by the operations department. And the head of operations—the man who oversaw supply chain purchasing, chemical sourcing, and facility maintenance—was Marco Rossi.
Marco. His oldest friend. The man who had taken a bullet for him in the docks ten years ago. The man Alessandro trusted with his life.
“Is she going to survive?” Alessandro asked, his voice deadpan, masking the volcanic rage building beneath the surface.
“If we get her to a private clinic in the city within the hour, yes,” Nathan confirmed. “If she had stayed in that room another twenty-four hours breathing those vapors... she wouldn't have woken up.”
Alessandro nodded once. “Do it. Move her and the child to my private medical suite on the third floor immediately. Put guards at the door.”
As the doctor hurried back inside to prep Sophia for transport, Alessandro stood alone in the hallway. He looked down at his right hand, where three tiny fingers had clutched his palm only minutes earlier.
May you like
The warmth of Emma’s hand still lingered. And with it came a terrifying realization: someone inside his inner circle was running an illicit operation right under his nose, poisoning the staff wing to cover up illegal dumping or hazardous chemical laundering.
And they had almost killed an innocent woman and her child to do it.
