Chapter 17 - Shadows of the Past
Back at the estate, while Julian secured the surrender of the eastern syndicate leaders, Sarah sat quietly in the estate library, reviewing Lily’s upcoming school project folders.
The heavy oak doors creaked open, and Julian walked in, loosening his tie, a faint hint of exhaustion in his eyes. He poured two glasses of scotch, handing one to Sarah before sinking into the leather armchair across from her.
"Rossi signed over the shipping lanes," Julian said softly. "The eastern seaboard is ours. The war is over, Sarah."
Sarah took a slow sip of her drink, looking out the grand glass windows toward the moonlit gardens. "Wars like this never truly end, Julian. They just change shape."
Julian stood up, walking over to her chair. He knelt down slightly so he was at eye level with her, his expression uncharacteristically vulnerable. "When you walked into Bellisimo that night... crying baby in my arms, covered in cleaning fluid... I thought you were just an interruption. Now, I realize you are the very foundation holding my entire world together."
May you like
Sarah looked into his dark, intense eyes, feeling a warmth that melted the last remnants of the cold fear she had carried since her painful divorce years ago.
"I told you," Sarah smiled gently, reaching out to touch his hand. "Babies just need someone to see them. And sometimes, so do hardened mafia bosses."
