Chapter 2
Dominic did not break eye contact with Mara. His sharp jawline remained rigid as he observed the way his eight-month-old son nestled against her pale-yellow dress. As a ruthless boss ruling a vast underworld network, Dominic did not believe in coincidences. Every anomaly was a potential threat, every unknown variable a danger to his family.
Nico, entirely peaceful in Mara's arms, shifted his small body and reached playfully toward her collar. His tiny fingers caught the fine silver chain tucked beneath her white lace trimming. With one quick, innocent movement, Nico pulled the necklace into full view.
The delicate silver pendant swung gently beneath the warm golden light of the crystal chandelier. It was an intricate, aged piece featuring a rare, highly specific engraved symbol—a rising phoenix entwined with a striking serpent, flanked by three distinct star engravings.
Dominic’s eyes locked onto the silver object. The moment he recognized the engraved emblem, his expression transformed dramatically. The icy, commanding mask vanished, replaced by sheer shock. His eyes widened, the color drained from his sharp jawline, and his face turned deathly pale. The dragon tattoo across his knuckles flexed as his hand began to tremble.
Marco noticed the sudden shift in his master's posture and immediately took a step forward, his hand drifting beneath his black suit jacket. "Boss? What is it? Is the necklace rigged?"
Dominic ignored his bodyguard completely. Abruptly, he pushed back his chair, the heavy wood scraping loudly across the marble floor. He stepped directly toward Mara, staring intensely at the silver pendant swinging beneath the light. His heavily tattooed hand slowly reached toward the necklace, visibly trembling with an overwhelming emotion.
Mara, terrified by his sudden aggression, instinctively covered the pendant with one hand while holding baby Nico protectively with the other.
"Don't... please," Mara pleaded, her expressive brown eyes wide with terror. "It's not worth anything! It's just a family heirloom!"
"Where..." Dominic started, his deep voice rough, shaken, and completely stripped of its usual icy authority. He swallowed hard, struggling to maintain his composure as his dark eyes flicked from the hidden pendant up to Mara’s delicate, terrified face. "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT NECKLACE?!"
The sudden, desperate intensity of his demand echoed through the soundproofed room. Nico stirred slightly against Mara's chest, letting out a small, sleepy sigh, but remained peaceful.
Marco took two steps forward, his stern face tight with alert suspicion. "Boss, what is that crest? Is she a operative sent by the Moretti-Bancroft council?"
"Shut up, Marco!" Dominic barked without looking back, his voice exploding with a desperate, terrifying fury that made the remaining five bodyguards straighten into rigid, military alignment.
Dominic leaned closer to Mara, his dark eyes searching every feature of her pale face—her soft jawline, her chestnut-brown hair, her expressive brown eyes. It was as if he were trying to reconstruct a face from a long-buried memory that had haunted his empire for decades.
"Answer me," Dominic commanded softly, his trembling hand hovering in the air between them. "Who gave you that symbol?"
Mara looked up at Dominic with frightened, confused eyes. Nico remained peacefully nestled in her arms, completely unaware of the terrifying tension. Mara nervously explained that the pendant belonged to her mother.
Dominic suddenly froze, his expression transforming from suspicion into sheer, absolute horror. His eyes locked onto Mara's face as his breathing became rapid and unsteady.
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"My mother gave it to me," Mara repeated, her voice a fragile, frightened whisper.
Dominic leaned down, his piercing dark eyes burning with desperate urgency. "WHAT'S YOUR MOTHER'S NAME?!"
