Chapter 8 - The Crayon Masterpiece
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Three days later, the fever finally broke.
Elena woke up feeling weak, but her chest no longer rattled with every breath. She sat up in bed, looking around the small room. Fresh flowers sat on the windowsill. The refrigerator had been fully stocked with expensive, nutritious food.
The heavy wooden door creaked open, and Nora ran in, her face smeared with chocolate.
“Mama!” Nora cheered, scrambling up onto the bed and throwing her arms around Elena’s neck.
“Careful, piccolina,” a deep voice rumbled from the doorway.
Elena’s breath hitched. Luca Ferraro stood there, dressed in a bespoke charcoal suit, looking completely out of place in her modest bedroom. He held a small, silver tray carrying a bowl of hot soup and a cup of tea.
“Mr. Ferraro,” Elena gasped, instantly trying to fix her tangled hair. “You shouldn’t be serving me.”
“Mrs. Bell is busy preparing dinner for my guests, and I have two perfectly functioning hands,” Luca said smoothly, setting the tray on her lap. “Eat.”
Elena looked at the soup, a blush creeping up her cheeks. “I don't know how to thank you. For the doctor. For keeping us.”
“You can thank me by eating your soup and getting your strength back,” he replied, leaning against the wall, crossing his arms over his broad chest.
Nora dug into her pocket and pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. She proudly held it out to Luca.
“For you. For fixing Mama.”
Luca took the paper carefully. It was a crayon drawing. It depicted a very tall man in a black suit holding hands with a tiny girl in a yellow dress. Above them, a massive, jagged blue blob dominated the page.
“It is a masterpiece,” Luca said seriously. “But what is the blue cloud?”
“It’s the ink spot!” Nora beamed. “You made the sad spot go away.”
Luca stared at the drawing, a sudden, profound ache tightening his throat. He looked up, his eyes meeting Elena’s. She was watching him with a soft, understanding gaze that made him feel entirely exposed. She didn't see the ruthless monster the rest of the city feared. She just saw the man who had caught her daughter.
“I will have it framed for my office,” Luca promised the little girl.
Before Elena could speak, a sharp, deafening explosion rocked the entire estate.
May you like
The windows of the carriage house shattered inward, showering the floor with broken glass. The ground violently shook beneath their feet.
The alarms Luca had never wanted to hear finally began to scream.
