Chapter 4 - The Venom in the House
Liana gently lifted Nico’s small hand, turning his arm over to reveal his inner wrist. A faint red rash was blooming beneath the skin.
"When I was working in the linen room earlier," Liana explained, her voice steadying as her maternal instincts took complete control, "I noticed a strange, bitter almond scent lingering on the baby's clothes and the velvet blankets in the nursery. My mother was a nurse before she passed away. She taught me about heavy metal toxicity and contact poisons."
Matteo looked at Dr. Hayes. "Test the baby’s formula and the nursery linens immediately."
Dr. Hayes pulled out a chemical testing strip and swabbed Nico’s collar where the rash was most prominent. Within five seconds, the reagent strip turned a dark, sickening shade of violet.
"Cyanide compound," Dr. Hayes gasped, dropping the strip in horror. "A micro-dosed skin-absorbent toxin. It wouldn't kill an adult, but on an infant... it causes severe abdominal pain, high blood pressure, hoarseness, and eventually heart failure within a month. Whoever is dressing him or nursing him is poisoning him."
Matteo’s eyes turned cold as ice. The air in the study felt dangerous enough to spark a fire.
"Nurse Victoria," Matteo whispered, his voice dripping with venom.
Victoria Sterling was the elite head nurse Beatrice had recommended to care for Nico three weeks ago. She was also the daughter of Richard Sterling, Matteo’s chief political rival in the city council.
"Marcus," Matteo said quietly.
"Yes, Boss?"
"Bring Victoria to the basement. Do not let her scream."
Within ten minutes, the mansion was locked down. Every guard was posted at the gates, and the estate was put on absolute red alert. Matteo walked over to Liana, who was sitting on the couch, holding Nico tightly against her chest.
"Liana," Matteo said, his voice softer than she had ever heard it. He knelt beside her again. "You saved his life. If you hadn't walked across that foyer tonight... my son—your son—would have died in a matter of days."
Liana looked into Matteo’s dark, pain-filled eyes. Beneath the ruthless mafia persona, she saw a man who had lost his wife, lost his biological child, and had been living in a web of cruel lies engineered by the people he trusted most.
"I’m not letting him go, Mr. Varric," Liana said firmly, her voice leaving no room for negotiation. "He is my flesh and blood. I spent twenty-two days believing I was broken and alone. I will die before anyone takes him from me again."
Matteo looked at her, respect shining through his grief. "I don't want you to let him go, Liana. But right now, you and this child are in the middle of a war zone. Beatrice and the Sterlings tried to destroy my life and murder this boy to take over my territory. If you walk out those doors, you won't be safe."
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"Then what do we do?" Liana asked.
"You stay here," Matteo said, placing a gentle hand over hers. "As my guest. As Nico's mother. And together, we are going to make every single person who touched this child pay."
