Chapter 12 - A Household Reborn|
That evening, while Luca and Matteo handled the final legal and corporate dismantling of the Bellini syndicate, the mansion remained peaceful.
A team of private physicians attended to Samuel and me, treating my minor scrapes and ensuring Samuel suffered no trauma.
By nine o’clock, Samuel was tucked beneath his blue fleece blanket, clutching his father’s old brown coat like a prized talisman.
I sat in the armchair beside his bed, reading him an adventure novel until his breathing slowed into a deep, restful sleep.
I quietly closed the bedroom door and walked down the grand staircase toward the kitchen to brew a pot of chamomile tea.
To my surprise, Luca was already standing by the counter, holding two ceramic mugs with steam curling into the warm air.
He had showered and changed into comfortable clothes, though exhaustion was etched deeply around his dark eyes.
“How is he?” Luca asked softly, handing me a mug of tea with a tired, grateful smile.
“Sleeping like an angel,” I replied, taking the warm mug between both hands.
“He’s stronger than you think, Mr. Moretti.”
Luca leaned back against the marble counter, staring down at his tea thoughtfully.
“He shouldn't have to be strong, Hannah,” Luca whispered with deep remorse.
“He’s only fourteen years old. He should be worrying about batting averages and school dances, not kidnappers.”
“You protected him,” I said firmly, stepping closer to meet his troubled gaze.
“His whole life, he felt like an inconvenience to people who should have loved him.”
“Tonight, he saw that you would tear down the entire city before letting anyone harm a single hair on his head.”
Luca looked up, his dark eyes locking onto mine with an intensity that made my heart flutter in my chest.
“And what about you, Hannah?” he asked softly, taking a step toward me.
“What about me?”
“You didn't run away,” Luca murmured, reaching out and gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
His touch was surprisingly warm and tender, contrasting completely with the ruthless titan the world feared.
“You threw yourself in front of danger for a boy who isn't even your own blood.”
“He is my family too, Luca,” I whispered, using his first name for the very first time.
Luca smiled, a breathtaking, genuine expression that erased every trace of darkness from his handsome face.
“Then this house is your home, Hannah,” Luca promised, his voice soft yet unyielding.
“Not as an employee. Never again as a servant.”
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“You are the heart of this family now.”
Standing in the quiet kitchen, with the rain tapping gently against the glass, I knew our lives had changed forever.
