Chapter 6 - the memory of six years ago
The quiet master suite was illuminated by the warm amber glow of the fireplace as Adrian sat in his heavy leather chair, reading his late brother's final words:
My dear brother Adrian,
If you are reading this, it means Dante Russo has finally exposed his true colors, and my beloved Elena has brought our daughter home to you.
Six years ago, when the Russo family ambushed my motorcade in Venice, it was Dante who leaked our transport route. I survived the attack with Elena's help—she was the young trauma nurse who hid me in her apartment and nursed my wounds for three months.
We fell in love, and she gave birth to our sweet daughter, Sophia. But when Dante's men tracked us to Milwaukee, I knew my time was short. I sent Titan to protect them, and I instructed Elena to wait until Sophia was five years old before bringing her to the Lake Shore estate.
Sophia carries the Moretti bloodline, Adrian. She has my heart... and she has your eyes. Protect them from the Russo syndicate.
Your brother, Julian.
Adrian closed the letter, his dark chest rising and falling in heavy, ragged hitches of emotion. He looked up from the parchment, staring at five-year-old Sophia sitting on the rug, happily playing with her teddy bear while Titan rested his broad head in her lap.
The math, the timing, the strange, immediate bond between the terrifying guard dog and the little girl—everything made complete, undeniable sense.
Sophia wasn't just a maid's daughter. She was Julian's child. She was a Moretti.
Adrian stood up from his armchair, walking over to Elena. He reached down, taking her fair hand gently in his broad palm, pulling her up from the floorboards with profound, unshakeable respect.
"You carried my brother's legacy through the dark for six years, Elena," Adrian whispered softly, his rugged face filled with intense devotion. "You will never wear a maid uniform in this house again."
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Elena looked into his dark eyes, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "I just wanted Sophia to be safe, Adrian. I didn't care about the money or the estate."
"She is safe," Adrian declared, turning his dark gaze toward the doorway where his senior captain, Marco, stood waiting. "Marco! Assemble the entire High Council at the Lake Shore estate by midnight."
