Chapter 6 - A Table for Four
Six months later.
The Moretti estate was bathed in warm spring sunshine. The dark, intimidating atmosphere that had once defined the manor was completely gone. The iron gates were open, flowers bloomed along the driveway, and the sound of children’s laughter filled the gardens.
In the backyard, a vast white wooden terrace overlooked a rolling lawn.
A large round table was set with fresh orange juice, warm croissants, and fruit.
Theo, Miles, and Nora—now two years old—were running around on the soft grass, chasing a golden retriever puppy. They were healthy, energetic, and happy, their laughter echoing through the trees.
Sitting at the terrace table was Elena, wearing an elegant summer dress, reviewing the estate's management portfolio on a laptop. She was no longer a timid, fearful maid; she was a confident, respected woman who ran the entire estate with grace and efficiency.
Beside her sat Adrien, dressed in a comfortable linen shirt, reading the morning paper.
Suddenly, tiny footsteps pattered across the wooden deck.
Sophie, now five, ran up to the table carrying a large drawing pad. She wore a bright yellow dress that matched the lucky button Adrien still kept inside his wallet every single day.
"Look, Adrien! Look what I drew!" Sophie shouted excitedly, climbing onto the chair beside him.
Adrien set his newspaper down immediately. He took the drawing and held it up.
The drawing showed four figures standing in front of a giant house with a big yellow sun. There were three small babies at the bottom, a little girl with a cloth doll in the middle, a pretty woman, and a tall man in a suit holding everyone's hands.
Written at the top in messy, five-year-old handwriting was: MY FAMILY.
Adrien looked at the drawing for a long moment. The man who had once been known only as a ruthless mob boss felt a warmth in his chest that no amount of money or power could ever buy.
He looked across the table at Elena, who smiled at him warmly, then down at Sophie, who was watching him with eager, hopeful eyes.
"Is it good?" Sophie asked softly.
"It’s perfect, Sophie," Adrien said, his voice thick with genuine emotion.
He picked her up, setting her gently on his lap, and wrapped his arm around her. Out on the lawn, the three triplets saw them and came charging up the terrace steps, babbling happily, scrambling to climb onto Adrien’s legs and arms.
Adrien laughed—a loud, happy, real laugh that echoed across the gardens.
He had spent his life fighting wars, building walls, and living in the cold darkness of his underworld empire. But a quiet little girl with a cloth doll had shown him that true strength wasn't about fear or power.
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It was about protecting the people you love.
And for the first time in his life, Adrien Moretti knew that his home was finally safe.
