Chapter 4 - Secrets in the KitchenDown in the massive industrial kitchen, the atmosphere was thick with tension. Celia and the other cooks spoke in hushed whispers, glancing nervously toward the heavy oak doors leading to the main hall. Rosa sat at the wooden prep table, holding a warm cup of chamomile tea that Mr. Bruno had personally insisted she drink, while Lily played quietly with a wooden spoon in the corner.
“You have a target on your back now, Rosa,” Celia whispered, leaning over the counter. “Isabella is a viper. Her father controls half the judges in Manhattan. You think Alessandro can protect you, but men like him always sacrifice the pawns when the board gets crowded.”
“I didn't ask for this,” Rosa murmured, staring down into the amber liquid of her cup. “I hid for four years. I kept my head down. I never asked Alessandro for a dime, a favor, or a glance.”
“Men like Alessandro Moretti don't care about what you ask for; they care about what belongs to them,” Mr. Bruno added gently, walking over to pat Rosa’s shoulder with a wrinkled hand. “And whether you like it or not, that little girl out there carries the Moretti bloodline in her veins. In our world, blood is either a crown or a target.”
Suddenly, the kitchen service door swung open with a sharp bang.
Two of Alessandro’s elite security guards stepped inside, their expressions grim. Behind them stood Vince, adjusting the cuffs of his tailored suit.
“Rosa Mendez?” Vince asked, scanning the room.
Rosa stood up slowly, stepping in front of Lily as a defensive instinct kicked in. “I’m Rosa.”
“The Boss wants you and the child in the private study,” Vince said, his tone professional but respectful. “Immediately.”
The walk through the winding corridors felt longer than usual. Every shadow seemed to stretch toward them, and the framed ancestors of the Moretti dynasty seemed to peer down from the walls with cold, judgmental eyes. When Vince unlocked the heavy mahogany doors of the study, Alessandro was standing by the window, watching the gray fog roll over the Hudson River.
May you like
He turned as they entered. His dark eyes bypassed Rosa entirely and settled on Lily, who stared back up at him with unblinking curiosity, holding her wooden spoon like a scepter.
“Rosa,” Alessandro said quietly, walking toward them. “We need to talk about your future in this house.”
Related Stories
