Chapter 4 - The Strike at Dawn
By 4:00 AM, the blood on the grand hall marble had been scrubbed clean.
The atmosphere inside the Moretti estate had transformed from defensive panic into an organized, lethal war machine. The thirty guards, realizing their boss was completely restored and more ruthless than ever, fell into strict military formation.
In the basement safe room, the heavy steel door unlocked softly.
Alejandro walked into the brightly lit room.
Sophia was sitting on a plush armchair, resting her head against the wall, while Emma sat on the floor, using a pack of crayons that Elena had brought her to color a picture of a giant pink rabbit on a piece of white printer paper.
When Emma saw Alejandro walk in, she didn't flinch. She jumped up, holding her drawing proudly.
“Look, Mr. Moretti!” Emma giggled. “I drew my backpack!”
Alejandro looked down at the drawing, his cold, hardened features melting slightly. He dropped to one knee on the carpet, taking the drawing into his large hands with absolute care.
“It’s very beautiful, Emma,” Alejandro said softly. “Thank you.”
He turned his eyes toward Sophia, who stood up nervously, smoothing her maid’s apron.
“Sophia,” Alejandro said. “In three hours, my men will launch a full takeover of the Valetti family’s commercial properties downtown. The streets will not be safe for the next few days.”
Sophia’s heart hammered against her ribs. “What’s going to happen to us?”
“You are moving,” Alejandro declared calmly. “I have owned a private estate in Lake Forest—twenty miles north of the city. It has twenty acres of land, a private pool, security guards, and a top-tier private school nearby.”
Sophia blinked, her jaw dropping. “Mr. Moretti... I can’t live in a place like that! I’m a maid! I clean houses!”
“You were a maid yesterday, Sophia,” Alejandro corrected her, standing up to his full, towering height. “Today, you are the head of the Moretti Educational Foundation. You will receive a salary of two hundred thousand dollars a year, full healthcare coverage, and a trust fund established in Emma’s name that will pay for her housing, private schooling, and university tuition through graduate school.”
Sophia staggered back slightly, clutching her chest, tears streaming down her face. “Why... why would you do this for us? We’re nobody!”
Alejandro looked down at little Emma, who was now leaning against his knee, looking at his shining black shoes.
“Because three hours ago, when thirty armed men stood by and watched me die, this little girl walked into my room with a pink rabbit backpack and saved my life,” Alejandro said, his voice thick with emotion. “She gave me her last breath. I am giving her the world.”
He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a sleek, gold-plated emergency auto-injector case, laying it gently in Emma’s small hands.
“This one is custom made, Emma,” Alejandro smiled warmly. “It has a little gold rabbit engraved on the side. And from today on, wherever you go, two of my best men will be standing twenty feet behind you, making sure nobody ever hurts you again.”
Emma beamed, clutching the gold case to her chest like a prized toy. “Thank you, Mr. Moretti!”
At 5:00 AM, three heavy armored black SUVs pulled into the estate driveway.
Alejandro personally walked Sophia and Emma down the front steps, opening the door of the middle SUV himself. He helped Emma into her child safety seat, buckling her in securely, and handed her the pink rabbit backpack.
“Will you come visit us at the new house?” Emma asked, looking up at him with her wide, innocent eyes.
“Every Sunday, little one,” Alejandro promised, leaning down and kissing her forehead gently. “We’ll have chocolate cake.”
He closed the SUV door, stepped back, and raised his hand toward the lead driver. “Take them to Lake Forest under heavy escort. Do not stop for any reason.”
As the convoy sped away through the iron gates, disappearing into the early morning mist, Elena walked up behind Alejandro, holding a satellite phone.
“Boss,” Elena reported. “The captains in Zone 1, 2, and 3 are in position. Dominic Valetti is currently at his harbor warehouse, entirely unaware that Marco is dead or that the video was recovered.”
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Alejandro pulled his leather gloves onto his hands, clicking his knuckles together.
“Tell the captains to move in,” Alejandro growled, his dark eyes flashing with lethal intent. “By sunrise, the Valetti name will exist only in history books.”
