Chapter 9 - The Order Restored
Three weeks later.
The Moretti estate had returned to a state of absolute, unbreakable order—but it was an order far different from the cold, paranoid regime that had existed before.
The corrupt security guards hired by Victor had been quietly replaced by former military operatives loyal directly to Marco. The dead security camera above Kennel 12 had been replaced with a state-of-the-art panoramic system connected to Dominic’s personal phone.
Leo was gone. A official statement released to the media announced that Leo Moretti had stepped down from all corporate boards to pursue private real estate investments in Southern Italy. The Bellandi family had completely withdrawn their shipping vessels from the Long Island docks, ceding two major trade routes back to the Moretti syndicate to avoid a full-scale Commission war.
It was a Tuesday afternoon.
Dominic sat behind his massive mahogany desk in his private study on the second floor, reviewing the quarterly earnings for Moretti Logistics.
The heavy double doors of the study were propped open.
Lying on the plush Persian rug near the fireplace was Bruno. The old shepherd had gained nearly fifteen pounds over the last three weeks. His black-and-tan coat was shiny once more, his ribs fully covered, his strength restored. He slept peacefully in the warmth of the crackling fire.
A soft knock sounded at the doorframe.
Dominic looked up.
Standing in the doorway was Maya, wearing a blue school uniform—a pleated plaid skirt, a dark blazer, and shiny black dress shoes. Behind her stood Elena, dressed in an elegant gray business suit, holding a leather clipboard.
“She just got back from her third day at St. Jude’s Academy, sir,” Elena said with a proud smile. “She insisted on showing you her star before we went down to the garden.”
Maya marched into the room with complete confidence, stepping right up to Dominic’s desk. She reached out and placed a small piece of blue construction paper onto his polished wood desk.
Glued to the center of the paper was a bright gold foil star, surrounded by uneven crayon drawings of a dog, a rabbit, and a tall man in a black suit.
“Teacher gave me a star because I shared my turkey sandwich,” Maya announced proudly, pointing her small finger at the gold foil.
Dominic picked up the paper, examining it with the same intense scrutiny he usually reserved for fifty-million-dollar shipping contracts.
“This is exceptional work, Maya,” Dominic said solemnly.
He pulled a small silver frame from his desk drawer—one that had previously held an old corporate certificate—removed the document, slid the blue construction paper inside, and set the silver frame right beside his desktop monitor.
Maya beamed with joy, clapping her hands.
“Is Bruno awake?” she whispered, looking toward the fireplace.
At the sound of her voice, Bruno’s ears pricked up. The old dog lifted his head, let out a happy tail-thump against the rug, and slowly stood up, walking over to nudge his wet nose against her hand.
Maya laughed, pulling a small plastic bag from her school pocket containing two small dog biscuits. She fed them to Bruno one by one, letting him lick her palm clean.
Elena walked over to the desk, handing Dominic a signed schedule for the estate’s upcoming maintenance.
“The security perimeter is fully updated, Mr. Moretti,” Elena reported quietly. “Marco verified the gate logs ten minutes ago.”
“Good,” Dominic said, looking at Elena. “And how are you settling into the east house?”
May you like
“It’s wonderful, sir,” Elena said, her voice filled with warmth. “Maya loves the garden. She spends every evening looking for rabbits.”
Dominic nodded, satisfied. He looked down at Maya, who was now sitting on the rug with Bruno, gently brushing the dog’s back with a small wooden brush.
