No One Wanted to Care for the Paralyzed Crime Boss Until the Maid’s Three-Year-Old Daughter Walked Into His Office With a Broken Cookie

The next morning, the mansion smelled of bleach and cold air.

Julian sat in his office. Across from him sat Dante and two capos from the New York families who had flown in overnight.

"Marcus overstepped," one of the capos said gruffly. "The Commission will handle him, Julian. But this proves what we've been saying. You're a target. You need to step down."

Julian looked at the men. He looked at the wall of drawings behind his desk.

"I am stepping down," Julian said softly.

Dante’s head snapped up. "Boss?"

"Liquidate my legitimate holdings into blind trusts," Julian ordered, his voice completely steady. "Hand the territories over to the Commission. I want out. Completely."

The capos exchanged surprised looks. "Julian, nobody just walks away."

"I do," Julian said. "Because if you don't accept my retirement, I will burn the entire East Coast syndicate to the ground from this desk. I have the ledgers. I have the offshore accounts. Let me walk, or we all go to prison."

The room went dead silent. They knew he wasn't bluffing.

When the men left, Julian called Claire into his office.

She walked in, twisting her apron in her hands. She looked exhausted, but her eyes were bright.

"You're firing me, aren't you?" she asked quietly.

Julian’s chest tightened. "I'm selling the estate, Claire. I'm leaving the life. All of it."

Claire’s breath hitched. "Where are you going?"

"Away," Julian lied, the word tasting like ash in his mouth. "It's the only way to keep you and Ellie safe. Marcus is handled, but someone else will always come. I have set up an account for you. It has enough money for you to buy a house, send Ellie to college, and never work another night shift again."

"I don't want the money, Julian!" Claire yelled, tears finally spilling over. "Why do you keep pushing us away?"

"Because look at me!" Julian shouted back, slamming his fists into the armrests of his wheelchair. "I'm broken, Claire! I can't walk you down the street! I can't chase Ellie in the park! I can't protect you the way a man should!"

Claire marched across the room. She didn't hesitate. She dropped to her knees in front of his wheelchair, grabbed his face in her hands, and kissed him.

It was a desperate, fierce, undeniable kiss.

Julian froze for a second, then his hands tangled in her hair, pulling her closer, kissing her back with two years of pent-up starvation.

When she pulled away, they were both breathless.

"You're not broken," Claire whispered fiercely against his lips. "You're the strongest man I know. But if you tell me to leave, I will."