Chapter 4 - A New Foundation
Three months later, the Rossi estate felt entirely transformed.
The cold, intimidating marble halls now echoed with the sound of laughter. The staff who had once turned up their noses at Beatrice had been quietly replaced by people who understood loyalty, respect, and basic human decency.
The trial of the Kensington family’s financial collapse had made the front page of the Tribune, but inside the mansion, nobody cared about the high-society gossip.
On a bright Saturday morning in spring, sunlight poured through the conservatory windows.
Lily sat on the plush velvet rug, stringing together colorful buttons and old trinkets into a long, glittering necklace. She wore a bright yellow dress—chosen by Beatrice—and her cheeks were rosy with health.
Across the room, at the mahogany writing desk, Leo sat reviewing shipping manifests. But every few minutes, his eyes drifted away from the paperwork to watch Beatrice and his daughter laughing over a spilled jar of buttons.
The door opened softly, and Mateo walked in, holding a fresh stack of documents.
“Boss, the final transfer of the Newport properties is complete. The Kensingtons have officially vacated.” Mateo paused, looking at Leo, then across the room at Beatrice, who was currently helping Lily pin a blue star button to her collar. “You know... the house actually feels like a home now.”
Leo closed his file folder, a deep, peaceful expression settling over his features—a look no one had seen on the crime boss in over two years.
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“Yeah,” Leo said quietly, standing up from his desk. “It took a lot of broken buttons to find the right ones, Mateo.”
He walked over to the rug, lowering himself onto one knee right beside Lily and Beatrice, perfectly content to be exactly where he was.
