Chapter 5 - The Healing Room
Two weeks later, the sun finally broke through the heavy winter clouds, casting a warm, golden light across the estate's private sunroom. The smell of fresh lavender and hot tea filled the air.
Mia sat on the plush white sofa, a thick cashmere blanket wrapped around her legs. The swelling around her eyes had gone down, though faint yellow bruises still lingered on her wrists like faded bracelets. She looked vastly different out of her uniform—wearing a simple, elegant green sweater that Dominic’s personal shopper had brought for her.
Harper was sitting on the floor nearby, intently building a massive tower out of wooden blocks. She wasn't wearing the wrinkled yellow nightgown anymore; she had on a bright blue outfit, her hair neatly brushed and tied with a matching ribbon.
The heavy glass door slid open, and Dominic stepped inside. He had discarded his usual dark suit jacket, wearing only a black cashmere sweater with his sleeves rolled up. He carried a small silver tray with a fresh pot of chamomile tea.
"You don't have to serve me, Mr. Vale," Mia said, her voice still holding a trace of that quiet, respectful cadence she had used for three years as his employee. She tried to sit up straighter, but the deep muscle aches in her shoulders made her wince.
"Sit down, Mia," Dominic said, placing the tray on the table and pouring her a cup. He didn't sit in the chair across from her; instead, he dropped down to one knee on the carpet next to Harper, helping the little girl balance a difficult block at the top of her tower. "And stop calling me Mr. Vale. I think we're past that."
Mia looked down at her teacup, her lips curving into the first genuine smile Dominic had seen on her face since his return. "Thank you. For listening to her. Nobody else would."
"She has her mother's eye for detail," Dominic said, looking up at Mia. His dark eyes, usually so cold and unreadable, held a warmth that surprised them both. "Marcus tells me the townhouse in Hoboken has been officially seized under the asset forfeiture order. I had my real estate attorney buy the title from the state auction yesterday morning."
Mia blinked, her hand stopping halfway to her mouth. "Why?"
"It’s registered under a private trust now," Dominic explained, standing up and dusting off his slacks. "The sole beneficiary is Harper Carter. When she turns eighteen, it's hers. Until then, the rental income will be directed into a private tuition fund for her. You won't ever have to worry about where she goes to school, Mia. Or if she’s safe."
Mia’s eyes filled with sudden, heavy tears. She reached out, her fingers trembling as she touched Dominic’s forearm. "Dominic... I don't know how to repay you for this. I was just doing my job. I didn't want him to hurt you."
"You saved my life, Mia," Dominic said softly, covering her small hand with his own. "Nathan was planning to trigger an explosive device on the Atlantic City expressway if the merger didn't go through his way. The software you found on my car... it wasn't just a tracker. It was a detonator interface."
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Mia gasped, her face going pale as she looked over at her daughter, who was currently laughing as the block tower came crashing down around her.
"You aren't my employee anymore, Mia," Dominic continued, his voice steady and resolute. "You and Harper are staying here. Not in the servant’s quarters. The western wing is being remodeled for you both. You’re family now. And in this house, family actually means something."
