Chapter 7 - The Little Boss Returns
Three days later, the mansion was quiet again.
The shattered glass had been swept away, the elite guests had fled back to their respective empires, and the estate had returned to its deep, echoing stillness.
Elena was recovering in her private room in the east wing—a room Luca had personally ordered upgraded, featuring plush carpets, a large bay window overlooking the gardens, and a medical monitor to ensure her health remained stable.
She sat propped up against several pillows, sipping warm broth, when a soft knock sounded at the door.
"Come in," Elena said softly.
The heavy wooden door pushed open, and Luca Moretti stepped inside. Without his custom suit jacket, wearing only a crisp white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, he looked less like an untouchable mafia boss and more like an ordinary man carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.
In his hand, he held a small, colorful plate of sliced strawberries and crackers.
Elena immediately tried to sit up straight, panic flashing in her eyes. "Mr. Moretti—you shouldn't be here. I can get up, I’m fine, really—"
"Stay down, Elena," Luca interrupted gently, walking over to set the plate on her bedside table. He pulled up a wooden chair and sat down, resting his large hands on his knees.
Elena looked down at her hands, still wrapped in soft white bandages. "Thank you... for what you did in the ballroom. And for saving me."
"I didn't save you, Elena," Luca said quietly.
Elena looked up, confused. "Sir?"
"Three days ago, someone sat in my chair," Luca said, a faint, rare smile touching the corners of his lips. "She looked me in the eye and gave me her first command."
Elena’s breath hitched. "Mia..."
"She told me she wanted nobody to make her mommy cry anymore," Luca continued, his dark eyes holding hers with an intense, unwavering sincerity. "I failed that command once. I let someone hurt you under my own roof. That is a mistake I will never, ever repeat."
Before Elena could find the words to respond, the door to the adjoining room swung open with a happy squeak.
Mia walked in, wearing her favorite yellow dress, holding a worn-out teddy bear by its ear. She marched right up to Luca’s chair, climbed onto his knee without an ounce of fear, and looked up at him with big, solemn eyes.
"Boss Mia," Luca greeted her formally, his expression softening entirely as he adjusted her collar. "Reporting for duty."
Mia reached out, gently patting Luca’s broad cheek with her tiny hand.
"You did good, Mr. Moretti," she announced seriously.
May you like
Luca let out a deep, genuine laugh—a sound that had not escaped his lips in years. He wrapped his arm securely around the little girl, looking across the room to meet Elena’s tear-filled, grateful eyes.
The castle had changed. The iron walls had finally let the light in. And for the first time in their lives, neither Elena nor Mia would ever have to cry alone again.
