Chapter 10 - Dawn Over the Fortress
The morning sun rose over the Long Island Sound in a brilliant explosion of gold and crimson, burning away the coastal fog and painting the stone towers of the Bellini estate in warm, living light.
Down at the boathouse, the heavy iron doors creaked open, and a very disheveled, freezing Dante Moretti stumbled out into the fresh air, muttering threats of absolute vengeance against anyone and everyone who crossed his path before calling his driver with a shaking hand.
Inside the manor, however, the atmosphere was considerably more cheerful.
In the grand kitchen, Rosa Alvarez was flipping pancakes on a massive iron griddle while humming an old Sicilian folk tune.
Footsteps padded down the grand hallway—fast, light, and entirely unauthorized.
Before Rosa could even turn around, a pale blue dress and a pair of pink socks flashed past the kitchen island, followed closely by a seven-year-old girl laughing hysterically.
"You're it!" Sophia yelled, tagging Mia on the shoulder before sprinting toward the dining room.
"No fair! You have longer legs!" Mia protested happily, clutching her gray rabbit by one ear as she scrambled after her sister.
Standing in the doorway of the kitchen, leaning casually against the doorframe with a cup of black coffee in one hand, was Nico Bellini.
He wasn't wearing a suit today. He wore a simple dark sweater, his dark hair slightly messy, and hanging loosely from his neck—secured with a piece of purple scotch tape—was the paper crown Sophia had made him the day before.
Rosa looked over her shoulder, pausing with a spatula in mid-air, and raised an eyebrow at the paper crown. "Good morning, Mr. Bellini. I see the royal wardrobe has been updated."
Nico took a slow sip of his coffee, looking down the hallway where his two daughters were currently staging a very noisy rescue mission involving a stuffed rabbit and an armchair.
"It's about protocol, Rosa," Nico said, a faint, genuine smile touching his lips. "A king has to look his part."
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Rosa laughed, turning back to her pancakes. "Well, Your Majesty, breakfast is served whenever you and the royal guard are ready."
Nico nodded, walking down the hall toward the sound of laughter, his shoulders straight, his heart light, and the heavy shadows of the past finally chased away by the bright, unstoppable noise of children playing in the house.
