Chapter 17 - An Unexpected Invitation
Three days after the siege, the heavy atmosphere of fear that had gripped the staff quarters completely evaporated. The whispers about the mafia boss had changed; the servants no longer spoke of an unfeeling monster of ice, but of a protector who had stood in the line of fire. Yet, life in the estate was expected to return to its rigid routine.
At least, that was what Sophia thought until a knock came at her door late in the evening. When she opened it, she didn't find Marco or a nervous nanny. She found Lorenzo standing in the dimly lit corridor, holding a small, old-fashioned leather-bound book in his hand.
"May I come in?" he asked, his voice unexpectedly gentle.
Sophia stepped aside, her heart hammering against her ribs as the terrifyingly powerful man walked into her small, modest room. He looked entirely out of place among the simple furniture and Emma's scattered toys, yet he stood with a quiet grace.
"I found this in the third-floor archives," Lorenzo said, holding out the leather book. "It belonged to my wife. It’s a collection of children's fairy tales from the old country. I thought... perhaps Emma might like them before bed."
Sophia stared at the book, then up at Lorenzo’s face. In the soft light of the bedside lamp, the severe lines around his eyes seemed to have softened completely.
"She's already asleep," Sophia whispered, pointing toward the small bed where Emma lay curled up with her pink hairbrush. "But... she would love this in the morning. Thank you, Mr. Moretti."
May you like
Lorenzo looked at the sleeping child for a long moment, a quiet, melancholy smile touching his lips. "She isn't afraid of me," he murmured, almost to himself. "Even after everything she saw, she still looked at me like I was just a person."
"Maybe because she doesn't see your past, sir," Sophia said softly, stepping closer to him. "She only sees what's right in front of her."
