Chapter 5 - The Master Suite
The master suite on the top floor of the Petrov estate was a sanctuary of cream silk, dark mahogany, and floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the stormy waters of Lake Michigan.
By midnight, the storm had passed, leaving behind a clear, starlit sky reflected across the dark lake.
Inside the suite's private sitting room, a warm fire crackled softly in the stone fireplace, casting a gentle amber light across the plush furniture.
Four-year-old Sophie lay fast asleep on the soft velvet sofa, wrapped in a fleece blanket, her thumb resting peacefully in her mouth while her pink toy stethoscope sat on the coffee table beside her.
Alina sat beside her daughter, quietly brushing a stray curl from Sophie's forehead. She wore a simple dark blue sweater and trousers provided by the estate stylist—a stark contrast to the black-and-white maid uniform she had worn for the past six months.
The heavy mahogany door opened softly, and Alexei stepped into the room.
He had discarded his formal attire, wearing a comfortable black shirt with his sleeves rolled up to his broad forearms, exposing his intricate dark tattoos. In his hand, he carried two warm mugs of chamomile tea.
He walked over to the fireplace, setting one mug on the side table before Alina, and took a seat in the leather armchair opposite her.
"She sleeps deeply," Alexei murmured, looking down at Sophie with quiet affection.
"She had a big day," Alina said softly, taking the mug into her hands. "Thank you for the tea, Mr. Petrov."
"Call me Alexei, Alina," he said, his deep voice rough and smooth all at once. "We are past formal titles in this house."
Alina looked into her tea, the warm steam rising into her fair face. "Alexei... I still don't understand why you moved us into this suite. I was hired to clean the second floor. I'm just a maid."
Alexei leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, his piercing blue-gray eyes fixing on her face with intense, unyielding sincerity.
"A maid does not save the life of the man who owns the house, Alina," Alexei said softly. "Your daughter saw what four trained bodyguards missed. And you stayed beside my bed when you could have walked away from the gunfire."
Alina swallowed hard, her heart fluttering against her ribs under his intense gaze. "I couldn't leave you alone. You've been kind to us, Alexei. When my husband passed away three years ago, every estate in Chicago turned me away because I had a child. You hired me without asking questions."
Alexei’s dark eyes softened completely. He reached out his broad hand, his fingers gently resting over her hand on the armrest.
"I hired you because I saw a mother who would tear down the world to protect her child," Alexei whispered, his gravelly voice filled with profound respect. "I respect that more than any loyalty money can buy."
Alina looked down at his broad, tattooed hand covering hers. The warmth of his skin sent a sudden, thrilling shiver through her chest. For six months, she had viewed Alexei Petrov as an untouchable, dangerous titan. Now, sitting beside the fire, she saw the man behind the shadow—a man who carried immense pain, yet possessed a capacity for fierce, unyielding protection.
Suddenly, a quiet knock sounded at the mahogany door.
Dmitri stepped into the room, holding a sealed black leather folder stamped with an official Swiss crest.
"Alexei," Dmitri said, his voice tight and serious. "The international courier just arrived from Zurich. This was recovered from Don Moretti's private safe downtown."
Alexei took the folder, breaking the red wax seal with his thumb.
He opened the pages under the lamplight.
As his eyes scanned the official registry documents inside, his brow furrowed in sudden, intense shock.
"What is it?" Alina asked, sensing the sudden shift in the room's energy.
Alexei looked up from the document, his dark blue-gray eyes fixing onto four-year-old Sophie sleeping on the sofa, then slowly turning back to Alina.
"Alina..." Alexei whispered, his voice shaking with a rare, profound emotion. "Where was Sophie born?"
Alina blinked in confusion. "At Saint Jude’s Private Clinic in Geneva... four years ago. My husband had a private medical insurance policy funded by his employer."
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Alexei set the document flat on the coffee table before her.
"Your husband didn't have a medical policy, Alina," Alexei revealed softly. "This document is a certified bloodline trust registered in Zurich. The benefactor who paid for Sophie's delivery was my younger brother, Nikolai."
