Chapter 19 - Shadows at the Gate
The snow outside melted into a cold, wet slush as February rolled into March. Inside the Moretti mansion, life had taken on a strange, almost domestic rhythm. Lorenzo no longer spent every waking hour locked away in his study; occasionally, in the late afternoons, he could be found sitting in the sunroom while Emma chattered happily, showing him how to color inside the lines of a picture book.
Sophia watched from the doorway of the sunroom, a warm smile on her face. For the first time in years, she felt safe. The terrifying mafia boss had become a quiet, protective presence in their lives.
Suddenly, Marco appeared beside her in the hallway, his face grim and tense.
"We have a problem," Marco muttered, pulling Sophia slightly away from the sunroom door so Lorenzo wouldn't overhear.
"What is it? Is it Salvatore's men?" Sophia asked, her breath catching.
"Worse," Marco shook his head, holding out a printed intelligence dossier. "Victor Vance took over Salvatore’s operation two days ago. And he’s been digging into your past, Miss Carter. Digging deep."
Sophia’s blood ran cold. The color drained entirely from her face. "My past? But... my records were cleaned when I moved to New York—"
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"In our world, nothing stays buried forever," Marco interrupted grimly. "Victor knows you aren't who you say you are. And if he finds out why you really fled New York three years ago... he’ll use it to break the Don."
Before Sophia could answer, the heavy double doors at the front entrance of the mansion burst open with a resounding crash.
