Chapter 3 - The Kneeling Titan
The silence in the grand ballroom grew heavy, pressing down on the guests like a physical weight. Dominic Moretti slowly pushed his chair back. The wooden legs scraped against the marble, a harsh sound that made several of the nearby socialites flinch.
Dominic rose to his full, imposing height. The elegant white suit draped flawlessly over his broad, muscular shoulders. His thick dark hair caught the light of the crystal chandeliers as he took a slow, deliberate step around the mahogany table. His polished white shoes stopped mere inches from the shattered porcelain and ruined cake.
"Mr. Moretti, please," Elena begged, her voice reduced to a frantic, breathless whisper. She tried to pull Lily further back, but the toddler resisted, standing her ground. "I will take her away. You will never see her again today. Just let me take her."
Dominic did not look at the housekeeper. His intensely masculine, ruggedly handsome face was a mask of absolute, frightening calmness. He raised one large, heavily tattooed hand, extending a single finger.
It was a silent command that froze every bodyguard in the room. No one was to intervene.
"Let her go, Elena," Dominic said. His American accent was smooth, low, and completely devoid of anger.
"Please, sir—"
"I said, let her go," Dominic repeated, the tone leaving absolutely no room for negotiation.
Trembling, Elena slowly opened her arms. She released her daughter, her fair skin pale with sheer dread.
Lily stepped forward. The three-year-old girl in the bright yellow dress stood before the most feared Mafia Boss in the country. She craned her neck upward to look at his face, her curly brown hair falling over her shoulders. She showed no fear, only an innocent, unbreakable resolve.
Dominic looked down at her. Then, slowly, the giant of a man bent his knees. He lowered his massive frame until he was kneeling on the hard marble floor, bringing his pale, intense eyes perfectly level with the toddler’s face.
The visual contrast was striking—the lethal, powerful man in the pristine white suit, kneeling before a tiny, rosy-cheeked child.
"Lily," Dominic began, his voice surprisingly gentle, stripping away the terrifying aura of the Boss to reveal the calm patience of a father. "You ruined Ethan’s birthday cake. You frightened your mother, and you made a very big mess on my floor."
Lily blinked her large, observant eyes. "Yes."
"In my house, actions have reasons," Dominic continued, resting his large hands on his knees. "I know you are a good girl. You like Ethan. You would not ruin his birthday for fun."
"I wouldn't," Lily agreed, her voice soft but steady.
"So," Dominic said, his gaze locking entirely onto her innocent eyes. "Why did you do that?"
Ethan leaned over the edge of his chair, watching the exchange closely. "Dad, she didn't mean to be bad. Please don't be mad at her."
"I am not mad, Ethan," Dominic replied without breaking eye contact with the little girl. "I am simply asking a question. Why did you knock the plate out of his hand, Lily?"
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Lily took a tiny step forward, her pink shoes brushing against the edge of Dominic’s white trousers.
"Because it was going to make him sleep," Lily stated firmly. "And not the good sleep. The bad sleep."
