Chapter 2 - Shadows of the Northern Star
The following morning, the Castellano mansion was wrapped in a suffocating, tense quiet. The news of the previous night’s disaster had already rippled through the Boston underground. By 7:00 AM, Delia was in the industrial-sized kitchen, preparing a fresh pot of black coffee and layout trays for the morning meetings. Her hands moved with practiced efficiency, but her mind was entirely consumed by the memory of Salvatore’s pale, terrified face from the night before.
As she lifted a silver tray, the elderly butler entered the kitchen. Salvatore looked as if he hadn't slept a single minute. His usually immaculate posture was slumped, and his pale blue eyes darted nervously toward the security cameras mounted in the corners of the ceiling.
"Miss Vance," Salvatore whispered, his voice cracking with age and anxiety. He stepped close to her, pretending to inspect the silver spoons. "You need to leave this house. Immediately. Pack your things and take the first bus back to Gloucester."
Delia stopped, looking at the old man carefully. "Why, Salvatore? Because of Bianca?"
"Bianca is a spoiled child with a dangerous father, yes, but she is the least of your concerns," Salvatore muttered, his hand gripping her forearm with a surprising, desperate strength. "Your brother, Danny. I knew him, Delia. I knew him when he came to this house six years ago, before he went out on The Northern Star. He didn't just work the boats. He was running a specialized high-value courier route for Victor Castellano—Rafael’s father."
Delia’s heart skipped a beat. "What was he carrying?"
"Evidence," Salvatore hissed, his eyes widening in panic as a floorboard creaked in the hallway outside. "Victor was paranoid. He was collecting leverage on every judge, every politician, and every rival boss in New England, keeping it all in an encrypted ledger. Danny discovered what he was transporting. He tried to run. The captain of The Northern Star didn't throw him overboard because of a storm, Delia. He did it on Victor’s direct orders. And your mother knew it."
Before Delia could ask another question, the heavy swing door of the kitchen pushed open, and Rafael stepped into the room. He wore a dark blue tailored suit, his tie perfectly knotted, looking every bit the cold, supreme ruler of the Castellano syndicate. He looked at Salvatore’s hand on Delia’s arm, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Salvatore," Rafael said calmly, though the underlying authority in his tone made the old butler instantly drop his grip and step back. "Leave us. I will take my morning coffee in the conservatory."
"Yes, Mr. Castellano," Salvatore squeaked, bowing his head quickly before scurrying out the back exit toward the gardens.
Delia picked up the silver coffee tray, her face carefully neutral as she followed Rafael down the long, sunlit corridor toward the conservatory—a massive glass structure filled with exotic green plants and overlooking the misty harbor. Rafael sat down in a wrought-iron chair, watching her as she poured the steaming black coffee into his porcelain cup.
"You look pale this morning, Delia," Rafael noted, his gaze tracking the subtle movement of her hands. "Did Salvatore say something to upset you?"
"He was just advising me to do my job efficiently, sir," Delia lied smoothly, keeping her eyes lowered. "Given the tension with Miss Rossi."
Rafael let out a short, dark chuckle. "Do not worry about Bianca. The Rossi family has officially called an emergency meeting at the waterfront warehouses for two o'clock today. Her father, Silvio Rossi, demands an apology for the insult to his daughter. He thinks he can bully me into submission because I am younger than his contemporaries."
He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his cool eyes locked onto hers. "I am taking you with me, Delia."
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Delia froze, the silver coffee pot hovering in mid-air. "Sir? I am a maid. I have no place in your business meetings."
"You have a place because you are the center of the conflict," Rafael stated, his voice dropping into a dangerous whisper. "Silvio thinks this is about an unruly servant. I want him to see the woman who completely shattered his daughter’s control with six quiet words. I want him to know that under my rule, the Castellano family does not bow to arrogance, no matter how much gold it wears. Go change into something clean. We leave in one hour."
