Chapter 5
Victor called it necessity.
I asked him to explain necessity without using words like family, strength, or tradition.
He could not.
That amused me.
Carlo managed better.
“Several capos think your attention has shifted.”
“To what?”
“People beneath your office.”
There.
Elena stiffened.
I looked at her.
Then back at Carlo.
“Say it clearly.”
He hesitated.
“Staff.”
“Children.”
“Yes.”
“Animals.”
He looked annoyed.
“Yes.”
I almost laughed.
“You think noticing people makes me less capable.”
“We think a boss cannot carry every problem personally.”
That was almost reasonable.
Almost.
Then I looked at Sophia.
A maid’s daughter had just prevented my guard dog from delaying medical help long enough for Victor’s plan to work.
“What did you call her?”
Carlo frowned.
“Who?”
“Sophia.”
Silence.
No one had.
That was the point.
She was invisible to them.
A child attached to staff.
No political value.
No threat.
No reason to notice.
Victor had counted on that.
He had been wrong.
I turned toward Elena.
“How long have you worked here?”
“Four years.”
“Did Victor ever question you?”
She looked at him.
“Yes.”
My jaw tightened.
“When?”
“Last month.”
“About?”
Her daughter.
Victor asked why Sophia wandered near the kennel.
Why Elena brought her to the estate.
Why she could not arrange childcare.
None of his business.
Except apparently he was measuring risk.
“He told me children don’t belong around serious men.”
Sophia frowned.
“I’m serious.”
The room almost broke.
Even Dante looked away to hide a smile.
Victor did not.
He stared at her.
Too hard.
I stepped between them.
“Elena.”
“Yes?”
“What else?”
She hesitated.
“He asked if Sophia ever came near your study.”
My eyes narrowed.
“When?”
“Three days ago.”
Same day as the hidden council meeting.
Victor had already noticed her.
Not because he valued her.
Because he feared what she might accidentally see.
I looked at Sophia’s notebook again.
Cheap paper.
Crayon.
Random-looking drawings.
Maybe not random.
“What did you draw three days ago?”
Sophia flipped slowly.
A man.
A desk.
Two glasses.
And a silver case on the floor.
Dante stared.
“My security case.”
Victor closed his eyes.
There.
May you like
The child had drawn the moment someone accessed Dante’s equipment.
And the man beside it wore Carlo’s family ring.
