Chapter 9 - THE ASHES OF THE PASTWhile peace settled over the Towson estate, the underworld of Baltimore was in complete turmoil.
Evelyn Sterling’s disappearance sent shockwaves through the elite circles of the city. Her high-society friends whispered of betrayal, financial ruin, and sudden flights to Europe, unaware of the iron-clad bunker beneath the Calder mansion where Evelyn was learning the true cost of crossing Roman Calder.
The offshore accounts Evelyn had tried to steal were recovered, fully transferred into a secure trust fund bearing a single name: Nora and Caleb Hayes.
Back at the mansion, Nora had officially resigned from her position as a cook—much to Roman’s mock dismay. Instead, she found herself sitting across from him in the expansive private library, sharing breakfast as an equal rather than a servant.
"You can't fire me from cooking, Mr. Calder," Nora teased gently, biting into a warm pastry. "Your kitchen staff would burn the city down within forty-eight hours without me."
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"Call me Roman," he corrected her, leaning back with his coffee. "And you aren't a cook anymore, Nora. You're a consultant. At least, that's what I told the board when they asked why my new business partner spends more time in my library than reviewing ledgers."
Nora blushed, her heart hammering against her ribs not with fear, but with a warm, unfamiliar excitement. She looked at the scar along his jaw—a mark of old pain—and realized the harsh, feared mafia boss of Baltimore had finally found someone who could heal him.
