Chapter 5 - THE SANCTUARY AT MORETTI ESTATEDawn broke over the Hudson River, painting the sky in breathtaking shades of amber and violet.
A black armored SUV pulled through the grand wrought-iron gates of the Moretti Estate—a sprawling, fortress-like mansion surrounded by immaculate gardens and high security perimeters.
Elena sat in the back seat, cradling her sleeping newborn daughter against her chest. The terror of the hospital hallway felt like a lifetime ago, replaced by a strange, surreal calm.
As the car door opened, Luka stepped out, offering his gloved hand to help her down.
"Welcome home, Elena," Luka said softly, shielding her from the morning breeze.
Elena stepped onto the stone pathway, looking up at the majestic stone manor. "Luka... I can't stay here. This place... it's a fortress. I’m just a baker's daughter. I don't belong in a world like this."
"You belong wherever you and your daughter are safe," Luka replied, his hard expression softening as he looked down at the baby. "Your father saved my life twelve years ago during an industrial accident in Zurich. He took a bullet meant for me when rival syndicates tried to steal his biological encryption research. I swore an oath that day that if anything ever happened to him, I would protect his bloodline with my life."
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Elena’s eyes widened. "My father... he knew you?"
"He was the only man who treated me like a human being instead of a criminal," Luka murmured, his voice thick with unexpressed emotion. "When Richard and his associates orchestrated that fire to steal File M-17, I was three days too late to stop them. But I promised myself I would make them pay for every tear you and your father shed."
