Chapter 6 - Dominic Shut Down the Empire His Father Built and Discovered Clara Was the First Person Who Could Make Him Believe in a FutureOver the following six months, Dominic dismantled everything.
Illegal accounts.
Hidden warehouses.
Secret partnerships.
Corrupt officials.
Every piece connected to his father's criminal legacy was removed.
Some men left.
Others resisted.
A few tried to kill him.
But Dominic no longer fought for power.
He fought for a future.
Clara became the legal trustee.
She hired outside auditors.
Lawyers.
Accountants.
Investigators.
The woman who had once been his secretary now signed documents worth hundreds of millions.
She remained the same.
Still drank black coffee.
Still corrected Dominic's grammar when he wrote emails.
Still complained when he left jackets over chairs.
One evening, she walked into his office.
“You're working too late.”
“So are you.”
“I have paperwork.”
“So do I.”
She looked at him.
“You're impossible.”
“You knew that.”
“I knew you were intimidating.”
“And?”
“You're worse.”
He smiled.
She smiled back.
Something had changed.
The distance between them had disappeared.
Neither knew when.
But they both felt it.
Dominic finally asked:
“Are you happy?”
Clara hesitated.
“Yes.”
“With what?”
She looked around.
“With this.”
“This chaos?”
“With having a family.”
He looked down.
“So am I.”
Then she saw something on his desk.
A letter.
Her mother's handwriting.
She picked it up.
“What is this?”
Dominic frowned.
“Found it in the trust.”
She read it.
Clara,
If you ever see this, then you survived.
Her hands shook.
I am sorry for the lies.
I am sorry for the years I was not beside you.
But I need you to know one thing.
Dominic will protect you.
Clara looked up.
The letter continued.
He may not know it yet, but he is the only man in the family I trust.
Clara's eyes filled.
She handed it to him.
“You knew she trusted you.”
“No.”
He looked at the letter.
“I wish I had.”
She smiled.
“She was right.”
“About what?”
“You.”
He looked at her.
“I'm not very good at this.”
“At what?”
“Feelings.”
She laughed softly.
“You don't have to be.”
He stepped closer.
“What if I want to be?”
Her breath caught.
“Then try.”
He reached for her hand.
She didn't pull away.
That was all.
No kiss.
No dramatic declaration.
Just a hand held in silence.
It was enough.
Until the next morning.
Someone attacked Clara's foundation.
Three people were injured.
One of them was a child.
Clara went pale.
Dominic blamed himself.
“I should have known.”
She shook her head.
“This isn't your fault.”
“It is.”
“You can't protect everyone.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“But I can protect you.”
She touched his face.
“I don't need a bodyguard.”
“What do you need?”
“You.”
He froze.
She whispered:
“Not the Mafia boss.”
“Not the protector.”
“Just you.”
The words broke something inside him.
He kissed her.
Slowly.
Carefully.
She kissed him back.
When they separated, she smiled.
“That wasn't so hard.”
“For me, it was.”
She laughed.
Then Dominic's phone rang.
He answered.
His expression changed.
“What?”
He listened.
Then looked at Clara.
“Matteo disappeared.”
Her smile vanished.
“How?”
“From the hospital.”
“Who took him?”
Dominic didn't answer.
The call had ended.
Then a message appeared.
You saved Clara.
Now save her father.
Dominic stared at the screen.
The past wasn't finished.
May you like
Someone else was still moving the pieces.
And this time, they were coming for Matteo.
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