Chapter 10 - THE THREAT|
Rosa lowered her gaze, her knuckles turning white under the tablecloth.
Before she could answer, Silas slammed his hand onto the table, making the wine glasses chime softly.
"Enough!" Silas growled. "One more disrespectful word from either of you, and you will leave this table and this estate tonight!"
Dante smirked, raising his hands in fake surrender. "Just asking a question, Father. After all, security is important, isn't it? Especially now that the Genovese family knows we have a new heir."
Rosa looked up, her heart pounding with terror. "The Genovese family?"
"Ignore him," Silas reassured her, his voice softening. "You and Lily are completely safe inside this fortress. I have forty armed guards surrounding these grounds."
"Forty guards didn't save Julian six years ago," Dante muttered under his breath, taking another long drink of his wine.
The dinner ended in cold, heavy silence.
Later that night, as the estate fell quiet, Rosa stood near the window of her second-floor suite, watching the rain strike the glass. Lily was fast asleep in the massive bed, clutching her teddy bear.
A soft knock sounded at the door.
Rosa opened it carefully, finding Marcus standing in the hallway, holding a thick leather jacket over his arm.
"Marcus," Rosa whispered. "Is something wrong?"
"No," Marcus said gently, stepping inside and closing the door behind him. "I just wanted to apologize for my brother and stepmother tonight."
Rosa let out a tired sigh. "They're right to be angry, Marcus. I don't belong here. Lily doesn't belong in this world."
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Marcus looked over at the sleeping three-year-old, his face softening into a warm, genuine smile.
"She has Julian's eyes, Rosa," Marcus said softly. "You belong here because she is family. And as long as I am breathing, no one in this house will ever hurt either of you."
