Chapter 11 - The Dawn of Moretti
By the time the boat glided into the private, covered slip of Luca’s fortified estate in Lake Geneva, dawn was beginning to crack across the eastern horizon. The sky shifted from pitch black to shades of bruised purple and pale gold.
The Wisconsin safe house was a massive stone fortress, fully staffed by Luca’s most loyal guards—men who had served his father before him.
A convoy of black SUVs stood waiting at the dock. Dr. Ross, the Moretti family’s private surgeon, was already waiting with medical kits.
Matteo and Marco stepped forward as we docked. Marco’s head was bandaged, and Matteo’s arm was in a sling, but both men stood upright, their eyes burning with fierce respect as they saluted their Don.
"The fire at the Chicago estate is out, Boss," Marco reported, his voice steady. "Salvatore’s entire network collapsed within an hour of his death. The Aldermen and the syndicate heads have already sent their envoys to Chicago. They know who rules this territory."
"Good," Luca said, stepping onto the pier.
He didn't let anyone else carry Lily. Despite his bleeding shoulder, he gently lifted his sleeping daughter from the cabin, while keeping his other hand firmly laced through mine.
Marco glanced down at our joined hands, then looked up into Luca's eyes. A knowing, respectful nod passed between them.
We entered the grand foyer of the Wisconsin estate. A team of nurses immediately took Lily to a warm, sunlit bedroom on the second floor, under the watchful protection of four armed sentries.
In the master library, Dr. Ross swiftly stitched the wound on Luca’s shoulder, bandaging it with surgical precision before quietly excusing himself from the room.
Luca pulled on a clean, black cashmere sweater. He walked over to the tall bay windows overlooking the calm waters of the lake, staring out into the golden sunrise.
I stood by the fireplace, the warmth finally driving the bone-chilling cold of the storm from my limbs. I still wore the oversized trench coat over my ruined maid uniform.
"You should get some rest, Emily," Luca said softly, without turning around. "The past twelve hours have been hell for you."
"I can't sleep, Mr. Moretti," I admitted, my voice trembling slightly. "Everything changed so fast. Yesterday morning, I was cleaning the ballroom floors, worrying about whether I could afford Lily's orthopedic braces. Now... people are dead, your home in Chicago is burned, and..."
"And you are no longer a servant," Luca finished, turning to face me.
He walked slowly across the Persian rug until he was standing just inches from me. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, dark velvet box.
When he opened it, a flawless emerald-cut diamond ring caught the morning sunlight, sparkling with mesmerizing brilliance. It wasn't the Bellini ring. It was older, more regal—an heirloom that had belonged to the matriarchs of the Moretti dynasty for three generations.
"I told you last night that this would be a marriage of convenience," Luca murmured, his voice dropping into a deep, vulnerable resonance I had never heard before. "I told myself I needed you to protect Lily. But that was only half the truth."
My heart skipped a beat. "Luca...?"
"Maria loved you because you were pure of heart," Luca whispered, his fingers gently lifting my chin so my eyes met his. "And over the past year, watching you sacrifice everything to give my broken daughter a reason to smile again... I realized you are the only light left in this godforsaken world. If you accept this ring, you become my equal. My queen. The Don’s wife."
Tears welled in my eyes, spilling over my eyelashes. "Luca... I have nothing to give you in return."
"You already gave me my daughter's life," Luca said softly. "Give me your hand."
Trembling, I extended my left hand. Luca slid the heavy platinum band onto my finger. It fit perfectly.
Before he could pull away, I threw my arms around his neck, burying my face into the crook of his shoulder. Luca’s arms wrapped tight around my waist, lifting me slightly off the floor, holding me as if I were the most precious treasure in the world. For the first time in my life, I felt truly safe. Truly wanted.
*BANG.*
The heavy double doors of the library slammed open.
Marco stood in the entrance, his face completely pale, clutching a red emergency dispatch tablet in his hands. His breathing was ragged, his eyes wide with genuine shock.
"Boss," Marco gasped, his voice cracking. "We have a critical problem."
Luca gently set me back on my feet, stepping in front of me with instinctive protectiveness. "What is it, Marco? Salvatore is dead. The Bellini faction is eliminated."
"It's not the Bellinis, Boss," Marco swallowed hard, glancing toward me with an expression of pure dread. "The high-security surveillance feed from the state penitentiary in Joliet... it just triggered a code black."
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Luca’s brow furrowed. "Who was in Joliet?"
"Emily’s biological father," Marco whispered, holding out the tablet. "Alexander Vance. He didn't die in prison ten years ago like the state records claimed. The Russian Bratva just broke him out... and he’s coming to claim his daughter."