Chapter 7 - The True Lady of the House
By the following afternoon, the Moretti mansion had undergone a complete transformation.
The dark cloud that had hung over the estate for months had evaporated. Teresa was sitting in the grand conservatory, bathed in warm afternoon sunlight, holding hands with Sofia for the first time in three decades. The two elderly women were laughing through their tears, sharing memories of Naples and looking at old photograph albums that had been retrieved from the attic on West Addison.
A team of top-tier private physicians and nurses moved through the house, attending to both women with the utmost care and respect.
Down in the city, Luca’s loyal captains had already seized Michael’s assets, freezing every rogue account and securing the perimeter of all Moretti properties. Michael was locked in a high-security holding facility beneath the family docks, awaiting Luca’s final judgment.
At four o'clock, a knock sounded at the door of my new suite on the second floor.
"Come in," I called out.
The door opened, and Luca stepped inside, followed by two women carrying massive velvet garment bags and several elegant jewelry cases.
"Mr. Moretti," I said, standing up from the vanity chair. "What is all this?"
"I told you," Luca said, gesturing for the attendants to lay the bags on the king-sized bed. "Tonight is the Drake Hotel gala. Vanessa and her father, Don Antonio, believe they are hosting an engagement party to finalize the shipping port contracts. They don't know Michael has been captured, and they don't know Sofia is safe."
The attendants unzipped the garment bags.
I gasped.
Lying on the bed was a breathtaking emerald-green evening gown made of pure Italian silk, featuring a modest, sweetheart neckline, delicate hand-embroidered silver beadwork along the bodice, and a flowing skirt that looked like liquid jewel. Beside it sat a velvet case containing a vintage diamond necklace with matching teardrop earrings.
"Luca... I can't wear this," I stammered, shaking my head. "This is worth more than my mother's entire house. I'm just Hannah Collins from the south side. People will laugh at me."
Luca walked across the room until he was standing directly in front of me. He reached out, his warm hands resting gently on my shoulders.
"Listen to me, Hannah," he said, his voice deep and filled with unwavering conviction. "You stood up to Vanessa when thirty-six powerful men looked at their plates in cowardice. You wrapped a blanket around a freezing mother when everyone else treated her like a ghost. There is not a single woman in that ballroom tonight who possesses one fraction of your grace, your courage, or your beauty."
Tears pricked the corners of my eyes. No one had ever spoken to me like this. My whole life had been an endless struggle of unpaid bills, double shifts, and cleaning up after wealthy people who looked through me as if I were made of glass.
"What do you want me to do tonight, Luca?" I asked in a whisper.
"I want you to hold your head high," Luca replied, his fingers lightly brushing my cheek. "I want you to show the Bellinis what real nobility looks like. And when the truth is revealed tonight, I want you standing next to me when the new chapter of this family begins."
May you like
He stepped back and smiled—a genuine, dazzling smile that took my breath away. "The car leaves at seven. Don't be late, Director Collins."
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