Chapter 1 - The Locked Doors
The heavy iron gates of the Westchester estate slammed shut with a finality that echoed through the silent ballroom.
Dominic Moretti stood like a statue amidst the shattered porcelain and ruined cake.
His dark eyes swept over the terrified faces of the elite security team he paid millions to protect his son.
I held my three-year-old daughter tightly against my chest.
Lily buried her small face into my housekeeper uniform.
The air in the room felt so thick that I could barely draw breath.
Dominic finally turned his terrifying gaze toward the head of his security detail.
Marcus was a man built like a tank, but he visibly trembled under his boss's stare.
"Lock down every single exit and cut the phone lines," Dominic commanded in a voice that left no room for debate.
"Nobody leaves this house until I find out who tried to murder my eight-year-old son."
I smoothed Lily's blonde hair and prayed that we would survive the night.
Working for a mafia boss meant I knew exactly what happened to people who betrayed him.
Dominic walked slowly toward the service corridor where the kitchen was located.
He signaled for Marcus and two other heavily armed guards to follow him.
I wanted to take Lily back to our small room in the staff wing, but I knew better than to move without permission.
Ethan sat in a velvet chair nearby, clutching his emergency inhaler while Dr. Harris monitored his pale face.
"Mommy, I'm scared," Lily whispered into my collarbone.
"I know, baby, but you did such a brave thing," I murmured back.
A sudden, blood-curdling scream echoed from the kitchen hallway.
It was a sound so full of pure terror that it made my blood run completely cold.
Dominic burst back through the swinging doors with his gun drawn.
His expensive suit jacket was now stained with fresh blood.
Marcus stumbled out right behind him, looking perfectly horrified.
"We found the head chef in the walk-in freezer," Marcus gasped out to the room.
Dominic locked eyes with me from across the marble floor.
"The chef is dead, and his throat was slashed just minutes ago," Dominic said.
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My heart stopped completely.
The man who had touched the cake was still inside the house.
