Chapter 4 - The Unbreakable BondDominic slowly turned his gaze down toward the little girl.
The same pale blond curls. The same serious, piercing eyes. The exact same girl who had knelt beside him on the hot pavement, held his hand, and kept him anchored to this world when his heart had stopped beating.
The realization hit Dominic like a tidal wave.
She wasn't just a stranger whose life he owed a debt to. She was his blood. His flesh. His daughter.
“Lily,” Dominic murmured, his voice thick with unspooled emotion. He dropped to one knee, ignoring the dust on the apartment floor, and looked directly into her eyes. “You… you saved my life.”
Lily tilted her head, looking at him with characteristic solemnity. “You were sleeping on the sidewalk. People shouldn't sleep on sidewalks. It’s dangerous.”
A choked, watery laugh escaped Dominic’s lips. He reached out with trembling hands, gently cupping her small face. “You’re right, sweetheart. It is dangerous.”
Sophia, leaning heavily against the wall for support, watched them with a mixture of profound relief and heartbreaking sorrow. Her knees finally buckled under her weight.
“Mom!” Lily cried out, spinning around and rushing toward her.
Dominic was faster. With explosive speed, he surged forward, catching Sophia in his arms just before she hit the floor, lifting her effortlessly and carrying her toward the small bedroom.
“Get the doctor, Vince!” Dominic bellowed over his shoulder to his bodyguard, who stood frozen in the hallway in absolute shock. “Call the private medical team from Manhattan right now! Move!”
Sophia lay on her small bed, her breathing shallow and ragged. She looked up at Dominic, her green eyes shining with feverish intensity.
“She doesn't know, Dominic,” Sophia whispered, clutching his sleeve with a desperate grip. “She doesn't know about your world. She thinks I’m just sick with bad headaches. Please… protect her. Promise me you’ll protect her from the darkness.”
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Dominic pressed his forehead against hers, tears burning the corners of his eyes for the first time in thirty years.
“I promise,” Dominic swore, his voice iron-clad and absolute. “I built an empire to keep people safe, Sophia. But nothing—and no one—will ever touch my daughter.”
