Chapter 3 - The Audit of the Estate
By midnight, the guests had fled like rats from a sinking ship, leaving the grand dining room scattered with half-eaten meals and abandoned crystal flutes.
Luca did not join them in the parlor. Instead, he retreated to his private study on the third floor, taking Lily with him to ensure she felt safe. Mr. Bruno, the elderly butler who had served three generations of Morettis, immediately organized the household staff to clear the mess, while I remained in the service pantry, helping sort the catering linens.
Knock. Knock.
I looked up from the folding table to see Mr. Bruno standing in the doorway, his silver hair neatly combed, his posture as impeccable as ever at midnight.
"Claire," Mr. Bruno said quietly. "Don Moretti requests your presence in the study immediately."
My stomach flipped. "My presence? Mr. Bruno, did I do something wrong? If it's about walking into the dining room with Lily..."
"You protected his daughter when everyone else in this house looked away," Bruno interrupted, a faint, approving smile touching the corners of his mouth. "Go on up, child. He isn't going to fire you."
With a trembling heart, I climbed the grand staircase, walked down the familiar carpeted corridor, and knocked twice on the heavy walnut door of Luca’s study.
"Enter."
I pushed the door open. The room smelled of old leather, expensive bourbon, and cedarwood. Luca was sitting behind his massive desk, his suit jacket discarded, his shirtsleeves rolled up to his forearms, staring down at a digital tablet displaying security logs. Lily was fast asleep on the leather sofa in the corner, covered by a cashmere throw blanket.
"You wanted to see me, sir?" I asked, standing respectfully near the doorway.
Luca looked up. In the warm lamplight, the ruthless mafia boss of Chicago looked exhausted—not just physically, but spiritually. The hard lines of his face softened as he looked at me.
"Sit down, Claire," he said, gesturing to the leather armchair across from the desk.
I hesitated, then walked over and sat down, keeping my hands neatly folded in my lap.
"I checked the security logs from the service entrance and the west wing hallways for the past six months," Luca began, his voice low and steady. "I found out that Vanessa didn't just manipulate Lily today. She threatened you, didn't she? She told you that if you intervened, you would lose your job."
I looked down at my shoes. "She... she knew about my mother's surgery, Mr. Moretti. My mother’s mortgage payment was due, and I couldn't afford to lose my position here. I felt trapped."
"You shouldn't have had to feel trapped in my house," Luca said, his voice carrying a heavy weight of self-reproach. "For a year, you’ve kept this household running with absolute dedication. You’ve looked after my daughter when my own judgment was clouded by business and a toxic engagement. And I let a snake into my home because I trusted titles over character."
He slid a heavy manila folder across the mahogany desk toward me.
"Open it."
I picked up the folder and flipped it open. Inside was a formal corporate employment contract, along with a cashier's check made out in my name.
I gasped. The amount on the check was enough to pay off my mother’s entire remaining mortgage, with thousands left over.
"Mr. Moretti... I can't accept this," I stammered, pushing the check back slightly. "It's too much."
"It's not a gift, Claire. It's back pay for hazard duty, and a formal promotion," Luca said firmly. "Effective immediately, you are no longer just a housekeeper. You are the Chief Estate Administrator and Lily’s official personal guardian within the household. Your salary is quadrupled, full medical coverage for your mother is added to the corporate policy, and your word inside this house carries executive authority second only to my own."
I stared at him, tears stinging the corners of my eyes. "Why are you doing this? You don't even know me—not really."
"I know that when thirty elite guests sat in my dining room like cowards, a twenty-eight-year-old housekeeper was the only person with the courage to stand up for my child," Luca said, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my breath hitch. "In my world, Claire, loyalty like that is rarer than diamonds. And it must be protected at all costs."
"Thank you, sir," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.
May you like
"Call me Luca," he said softly. "At least when we're off duty."
Little did we know, while we sat in the quiet safety of the study, the first shockwaves of Vanessa’s expulsion were already rippling through the dark underworld of Chicago.
