Chapter 5 - A Mother's Haven
"You didn't have to do that," I stammered, stunned by the sheer speed of his authority. "My mom has some spare formula at the apartment—"
"Your baby skipped a meal because of a woman living under my roof," Luca cut in, his dark eyes fierce with protective certainty. "Nothing is too much. You are going home now, Hannah. My personal driver will take you."
"I have dishes to finish—"
"You will never wash another dish in this house," he stated firmly.
I blinked. "Are... are you firing me too?"
A faint, self-deprecating smile touched the corner of Luca's lips, softening the harsh angles of his scar-lined jaw. "No, Hannah. You are not a maid anymore. Tomorrow morning, you will report to the Moretti Foundation offices downtown. You will manage the community outreach funds for the dockworkers' families. Regular hours, full benefits, a nursery on the second floor where Leo can stay with you while you work."
My breath caught in my throat. "I... I don't know how to run a foundation."
"You have honesty," Luca said simply. "In my world, that is rarer than gold and harder to find than diamonds. The rest can be taught."
Before I could find the words to thank him, the heavy mahogany doors creaked open again.
Dante stepped inside, his expression grim. "Boss. We have a problem."
Luca’s warmth vanished in an instant, replaced by the calculating predator who ruled the city. "What did she do?"
"Vanessa didn't go to the Hamptons," Dante reported, lowering his voice. "Our surveillance tail saw her vehicle pull into the warehouse district by Pier 17. She just met with Julian Castiglione."
The temperature in the room plummeted again.
Julian Castiglione was Luca’s deadliest rival—a vicious, opportunistic boss who had been trying to seize control of the Moretti shipping lanes for three years.
"She wants revenge," Luca muttered, his eyes narrowing into slits. "She knows our gate codes, our guard rotation schedules, and the private transport routes."
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"Worse than that, boss," Dante added, shooting a cautious glance at me. "She knows who Hannah is now. She heard you say Gabriel Vance took three bullets for you. If Castiglione wants to hit you where your honor lives, he won't come for you first."
Dante looked right at me. "He'll come for the girl and the baby."
