Chapter 12 - THE BIRTHDAY THAT FINALLY BELONGED TO HIM|
Friday evening arrived with the kind of clear October sky Benjamin loved.
There wasn't a cloud above Chicago.
The air was cool.
The stars would be visible after sunset.
And for the first time since the canceled engagement dinner, the Moretti mansion felt like a home instead of a place where everyone was afraid to speak.
Mrs. Carter had spent the afternoon decorating the small family dining room.
Not the enormous ballroom.
Not the formal dining room with the gold chairs.
Just the warm little room overlooking the garden.
Blue streamers hung above the windows.
Paper stars covered the walls.
And in the center of the table stood a birthday cake.
Chocolate.
With blue frosting.
Nine silver candles.
And a tiny telescope made of sugar.
Benjamin hadn't seen it yet.
He'd spent the afternoon with Caroline at the planetarium.
Luca had taken the entire day off.
That fact alone seemed to surprise half the household.
At four, he came downstairs wearing jeans and a dark sweater.
I was arranging napkins when he entered.
"Rachel."
I looked up.
"Good afternoon, sir."
He smiled.
"You can stop calling me sir every time I enter a room."
I laughed nervously.
"It's a habit."
"Understandable."
He looked around the dining room.
"This is beautiful."
"Mrs. Carter did most of it."
"She'll receive the credit."
He smiled.
Then his expression became serious.
"How's your mother?"
"Much better."
"Good."
"She was nervous about coming tonight."
"Why?"
I hesitated.
"She's never been to a house like this."
Luca looked around.
Then smiled sadly.
"Neither had I when I was growing up."
I blinked.
He continued.
"My father worked construction."
I stared at him.
"Really?"
He nodded.
"We lived in a two-bedroom apartment on the South Side."
I looked toward the chandeliers.
Luca followed my gaze.
"All this came later."
For a moment, he seemed far away.
Then he added, "My mother used to bake birthday cakes from boxed mixes."
I smiled.
"Mine still does."
He laughed softly.
"Those were my favorites."
I looked down at the table.
"Benjamin will love this."
"I hope so."
Luca hesitated.
"Rachel, there's something I'd like to tell you."
My heart began pounding.
"Yes?"
"Elena has reviewed your employment agreement."
I froze.
For one terrible second, I thought he was about to tell me that keeping me at the mansion had become too complicated.
Then he continued.
"We're updating the household policies."
I nodded.
"Okay."
"And Mrs. Carter will be taking on a more formal management role."
"That's wonderful."
"She deserves it."
He smiled.
"She also recommended you for a position with more responsibility."
I stared at him.
"What?"
"Assistant household coordinator."
I couldn't speak.
Luca continued.
"It would involve scheduling, guest arrangements, and supervising some of the newer employees."
I blinked.
"Me?"
"Yes."
"But I've never—"
"Mrs. Carter says you've already been helping her with most of those tasks."
I looked down.
That was true.
I organized inventory.
Helped train new employees.
Managed linen orders when Mrs. Carter was busy.
But I'd never considered those responsibilities a qualification.
Luca continued.
"The position would come with an appropriate salary increase and training."
My eyes filled.
"I don't know what to say."
"You don't have to decide tonight."
He smiled.
"Take some time."
I nodded.
"Thank you."
"And Rachel?"
"Yes?"
"The offer has nothing to do with Benjamin."
I looked up.
He held my gaze.
"It's because you're good at your job."
For a moment, I couldn't breathe.
Then I smiled through my tears.
"That means a lot."
He nodded.
"It should."
Before I could answer, the front door opened.
A familiar voice echoed through the hallway.
"Rachel?"
I turned.
My mother stood beside Frank.
She wore her favorite navy dress and the pearl earrings she'd saved for special occasions.
She held a small wrapped gift.
I hurried toward her.
"Mom!"
She smiled nervously.
"Oh, sweetheart."
I hugged her.
"You look beautiful."
She laughed.
"Don't start."
I took her hand.
"Come on."
She looked around the mansion.
Her eyes widened.
"Good heavens."
I smiled.
"I know."
Then Luca approached.
"Mrs. Morgan?"
My mother straightened immediately.
"Mr. Moretti."
He held out his hand.
"Luca, please."
She shook it.
"It's lovely to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine."
He paused.
"And thank you for coming."
My mother smiled.
"Rachel tells me your son is quite a young man."
Luca's expression softened.
"He is."
A moment later, the front door opened again.
Benjamin burst inside.
"Mommy, hurry!"
Caroline followed, laughing.
"Benjamin, slow down."
He stopped when he saw the decorations.
His mouth fell open.
For several seconds, he didn't move.
Then he whispered, "Daddy?"
Luca smiled.
"Happy birthday, buddy."
Benjamin stared at the blue streamers.
The paper stars.
The cake.
The little telescope.
Then he looked toward his mother.
"Did you know?"
Caroline smiled.
"I helped choose the frosting."
Benjamin turned back toward Luca.
"All this is for me?"
His father's eyes filled.
"Every bit of it."
Benjamin looked around again.
"But it's not anybody else's party?"
Luca shook his head.
"No."
The boy swallowed.
"Just mine?"
"Just yours."
Benjamin slowly smiled.
Then ran into his father's arms.
I looked away.
Because sometimes happiness can be so simple that it hurts to remember how close someone came to taking it away.
At dinner, Benjamin sat between his parents.
Mrs. Carter joined us.
My mother sat beside me.
Luca had invited Frank, too, but he preferred to stop by for cake after finishing his shift.
There were no business partners.
No photographers.
No expensive speeches.
Just seven people sitting around a table while a nine-year-old talked excitedly about Saturn's rings.
My mother told him about the first time she saw the moon through a telescope.
Caroline shared a story about Benjamin trying to name a star when he was five.
Luca laughed so hard he nearly spilled his water.
Then Mrs. Carter brought in the cake.
We all stood.
Benjamin stared at the candles.
His eyes filled.
"Can everybody sing?"
Luca smiled.
"That's the plan."
And we did.
Not beautifully.
Not professionally.
Mrs. Carter was slightly off-key.
My mother started too early.
And Luca sang louder than anyone.
But Benjamin smiled through the entire song.
When we finished, he leaned toward the candles.
Then stopped.
"Daddy?"
"Yes, buddy?"
"Can I say my wish out loud?"
Luca smiled.
"Of course."
Benjamin looked around the table.
At his mother.
His father.
Mrs. Carter.
My mother.
And me.
Then he took a deep breath.
"I wish nobody ever has to be scared to ask for their birthday again."
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Caroline covered her mouth.
Luca's eyes filled.
Mrs. Carter looked away.
My mother squeezed my hand.
Then Benjamin blew out all nine candles.
We clapped.
He laughed.
And I realized I was crying.
Later, we went into the garden.
Luca had arranged a small telescope on the patio.
Benjamin placed his mother's wooden telescope beside it.
Then he showed us Orion.
He explained the three stars in the belt.
Pointed out Betelgeuse.
And insisted that everyone take a turn looking.
When my mother bent toward the telescope, Benjamin carefully adjusted the height.
"Is that better, Mrs. Morgan?"
She smiled.
"Perfect, sweetheart."
He beamed.
Luca stood beside me.
For a long moment, we watched them.
Then he spoke quietly.
"I owe you more than an apology."
I looked up.
"Mr. Moretti—"
"Rachel."
I stopped.
He smiled slightly.
"Luca."
I swallowed.
"Luca."
He nodded.
"Better."
We stood in comfortable silence.
Then he said, "I thought providing for Benjamin was enough."
I looked toward the little boy.
Luca continued.
"I kept telling myself I'd spend more time with him after the next contract."
He shook his head.
"After the next deal."
"After the wedding."
His voice softened.
"There's always an after."
I looked at him.
"And now?"
He smiled sadly.
"Now I'm learning that childhood doesn't wait."
I felt my chest tighten.
Before I could answer, Caroline called from the patio.
"Luca!"
He turned.
"Yes?"
"Benjamin wants to show you something."
Luca smiled.
"Coming."
He started toward them.
Then stopped.
"Rachel?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you for staying."
I smiled.
"Thank you for listening."
He nodded.
Then walked toward his son.
I watched Benjamin take his father's hand and guide it toward the telescope.
They looked at the stars together.
And for a few beautiful minutes, everything felt exactly as it should.
But when I returned to the kitchen, my phone buzzed.
An unknown number had sent me a link.
I opened it.
My stomach dropped.
It was a public video.
Someone had uploaded a recording from the engagement dinner.
The caption read:
MAFIA BILLIONAIRE HUMILIATES FIANCÉE AFTER HOUSEMAID INTERFERES.
May you like
The video already had thousands of views.
And beneath it, hundreds of strangers were arguing about me.
