Chapter 5 - The Shadow in the Hall
The calm was short-lived. Dominic’s world—the world of shipping lanes, corrupt judges, and brutal territorial disputes—began to bleed into the estate.
Beatrice noticed the subtle changes first: the increase in security patrols, the way Dominic’s bodyguards became more agitated, and the way Dominic started carrying a weapon openly.
One night, she woke to the sound of hushed, intense shouting. She crept into the hallway and saw Dominic in the study, his face contorted in a way that made him look like a stranger.
“I don't care what they offer!” he roared, his voice hitting the glass walls of the house. “If they touch my family, I will burn their entire network to the ground! I don't give a damn about the peace treaty!”
Beatrice retreated to her room, her heart hammering against her ribs. She was a nanny, not a soldier. But she realized with a sinking feeling that in Dominic’s world, there was no difference.
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She walked over to Leo’s room, checking the locks. She stood by his bed, watching him breathe, the orange-and-yellow sun they had drawn together tacked to the headboard.
She realized then that she wasn't just here to watch a child; she was here to protect the last piece of light in a man who had forgotten how to shine.
