Chapter 4 - THE SILVER CHAIN
Elena slowly stood up from the marble floor, her arms outstretched, her eyes wide with shock as she watched the feared syndicate leader awkwardly cradle her child.
"I'll take her, Mr. Duca," Elena said softly, stepping closer to his desk. "I'm so sorry for disturbing your meeting. I will pack our things right now... I'll leave before nightfall..."
Alessandro didn't look at Elena. He remained staring down at the back of Mia’s small head, feeling the gentle, rhythmic rise and fall of her breathing against his ribs.
"You don't need to leave," Alessandro said, his tone quiet, lacking any of its previous lethal sharpness. "Just keep her out of the main hallway during business hours."
Relief washed over Elena’s face so intensely that her knees almost buckled. "Thank you, Mr. Duca... thank you so much..."
She reached forward with both hands, gently slipping her arms beneath Mia’s armpits to lift her away from Alessandro’s chest.
As Mia shifted in her mother's arms, turning her body back toward Elena, the soft pink collar of her small dress snagged slightly against Alessandro’s cufflink. The delicate fabric pulled back, revealing a thin silver chain hidden beneath her collar.
SLIP.
The thin silver chain glided free from beneath her neckline. Attached to its end was a small, uniquely shaped silver pendant that fell against the front of Mia’s pink dress, glinting brightly under the warm afternoon sunlight.
Alessandro’s eyes immediately locked onto the piece of jewelry.
May you like
His dark pupils dilated instantly. The soft, bewildered expression on his sharp face vanished, replaced by a sudden, intense shock so profound that he stopped breathing entirely.
"Elena..." Alessandro whispered, his voice suddenly hollow, stripped of all color and authority.
