Chapter 17 - AFTER THE STORM|
By autumn, the Chicago mob war was officially over.
The Moretti family was completely dismantled, its territory absorbed into Vincent’s empire. The street gangs were quiet, the city was peaceful, and Don Vincent Torino’s position as the undisputed king of Chicago was absolute.
Yet, the man who walked through the front doors of Elena’s Flowers on a crisp October morning looked different.
He didn't wear dark suits anymore; he wore a simple charcoal coat. He walked without an armada of bodyguards trailing behind him.
The bell chimed as he entered.
Sophie was sitting at her little desk in the back, working on a school project with watercolors. When she saw him, her face lit up with absolute joy.
"Vincent!" she cheered, jumping out of her chair and running into his arms.
Vincent lifted her effortlessly, swinging her around before setting her down. "How's my favorite artist?"
"Look!" she said proudly, pointing to her painting on the wall.
It was a family portrait. But this time, it wasn't just Elena and Sophie. Sitting right in the middle, drawn in bold, bright colors, was a tall man in a black jacket holding a huge bouquet of yellow roses.
Elena walked out from the back room, wiping her hands on her apron. She caught Vincent looking at the painting and offered a soft, beautiful smile.
May you like
"She spent three hours on it," Elena said softly. "She insisted on getting your jacket color right."
Vincent looked at the painting, then at Elena, feeling an unfamiliar warmth filling his chest—a feeling he hadn't experienced in over twenty years.
