Chapter 6 - A New Dawn for the Estate
The golden light of sunrise was beginning to filter through the frost-covered windows of the Manhattan estate, painting the polished marble floors in brilliant shades of amber and rose.
In the grand dining hall—usually reserved for tense syndicate summits and high-society banquets—the atmosphere was entirely different.
Mama sat at the heavy mahogany table, looking bewildered and clutching a cup of hot chamomile tea in her hands as if she might wake up and find it was all a dream. She wore her clean, simple housekeeping uniform, but standing behind her chair was Alejandro Moretti himself, pouring a fresh cup of coffee into her porcelain saucer.
"Mr. Moretti, really, you don't have to—" Mama stammered, looking up in sheer terror.
"Please, Martha. Call me Alejandro," the mafia boss insisted gently, setting the coffee pot down with practiced grace. "After what you and your daughter did for me last night, calling me anything else would be an insult."
I sat in a plush velvet armchair across from them, swinging my legs happily while eating a stack of fresh blueberry pancakes dripping in maple syrup. My pink rabbit backpack rested safely on the chair beside me, now containing not just my emergency EpiPen, but a sleek new medical kit and a handwritten voucher signed by Alejandro himself, ensuring my medical care for the rest of my life.
The massive double doors opened softly, and Dante Cruz walked into the room carrying a thick stack of legal documents and a leather-bound ledger.
"Boss," Dante reported, setting the papers down on the table. "The federal authorities have formally taken Victoria into custody. Her assets have been frozen, and the preliminary hearing is set for Monday morning. Her co-conspirators in the corporate office have already started resigning."
Alejandro nodded slowly, not taking his eyes off Mama and me. "Good. Ensure that her legal team has no loopholes to exploit. I want her locked away where she can never threaten this household again."
"Understood," Dante said, glancing at the documents before looking up with a faint, rare smile. "Also, the restructuring of the estate staff is complete. As per your instructions."
Mama looked up nervously, wringing her hands in her apron. "Mr. Moretti... Alejandro... what does that mean for us? Do we need to pack our bags?"
Alejandro pulled out a chair and sat down directly across from Mama, his dark eyes filled with a profound, unshakeable sincerity.
"Martha, for seven years you have worked tirelessly in this house, raising your daughter with quiet dignity while surrounded by vipers," Alejandro said, his voice steady and warm. "Last night, while my own wife tried to murder me in cold blood, your four-year-old daughter walked into my study and traded her only lifeline to save my life."
He slid a heavy, leather-bound folder across the table toward Mama.
"Effective immediately," Alejandro continued, "you are no longer a member of the housekeeping staff. I have appointed you as the Director of Estate Operations for all Moretti properties in the Tri-State area. That comes with a full executive salary, complete ownership of the residential cottage by the Hudson River where you currently live, and a trust fund established in Emma’s name that will cover her education through any university of her choosing."
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Mama stared at the folder, her breath catching in her throat. Tears welled up in her eyes, spilling over her lashes and tracking down her cheeks. She looked from the legal documents up to Alejandro, completely unable to form words.
"You don't have to clean another floor ever again unless you genuinely want to," Alejandro added softly. "You saved my empire, Martha. Now let me help you build yours."
