Chapter 3 - The Shadow of Marcus
By ten o'clock that evening, the sleek black armored sedan pulled up to the private courtyard of Dominic’s luxury penthouse tower on Fifth Avenue.
The penthouse suite occupied the top two floors, featuring soaring glass walls, dark hardwood floors, white marble fireplaces, and sweeping views of Central Park glowing under the city lights.
Dominic guided Olivia into the grand living room. His executive housekeeper, a warm elderly woman named Mrs. Gable, immediately brought Olivia a plate of warm roast chicken, fresh vegetables, and a mug of hot tea.
Olivia sat on the plush leather sofa, eating quietly, her long brown hair resting over her shoulders. Dressed in a soft cream sweater that Mrs. Gable had provided, she looked small against the vast backdrop of the penthouse.
Dominic sat in a leather armchair across from her, the ancient leather journal open on the glass coffee table between them.
Suddenly, the private elevator doors at the end of the foyer chimed loudly!
Stepping out into the living room was Marcus Russo—Dominic’s forty-two-year-old younger brother and the chief operating officer of Russo Industries. Marcus was a sharp, calculating executive dressed in an expensive gray suit, carrying a leather briefcase, his eyes cold and ambitious.
"Dominic," Marcus said, his voice smooth and condescending as he walked into the room. "The board is in chaos! Word leaked that you shut down the translation committee at the restaurant tonight to take off with a teenage server!"
Marcus stopped dead in his tracks as his eyes fell upon Olivia sitting on the sofa. His expression darkened instantly.
"Who is this child?" Marcus demanded, stepping closer to the coffee table.
Dominic stood up slowly, his towering broad frame completely blocking Marcus’s view of Olivia.
"This is Olivia Hart," Dominic said, his deep voice dropping into an icy register. "William Hart’s daughter."
Marcus went sheet-white for a fraction of a second before forcing a sneer. "William Hart? The crazy scholar who abandoned his research fifteen years ago? Dominic, you can't be serious! You're letting an orphan influence corporate affairs?!"
"She translated the first page of the journal in thirty seconds, Marcus," Dominic growled softly. "Something Whitman couldn't do in three hours."
Marcus’s jaw clenched tightly. He looked over Dominic’s shoulder at Olivia, his eyes narrowing into twin points of venomous suspicion.
"The board meeting is in three days, Dominic," Marcus warned, backing toward the elevator. "If you don't present the clean energy patent hidden in that journal, the shareholders will vote to strip your executive authority."
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As the elevator doors closed behind Marcus, Olivia looked up at Dominic, her hand trembling as she reached into her pocket.
"Mr. Russo..." Olivia whispered softly. "My father left a warning about your brother in his diary."
