Chapter 9 - The Ghost from the Past
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Spring arrived, melting the snow and revealing the lush, green grounds of the estate. Nora was eight months pregnant, glowing and healthy, surrounded by a staff that treated her with the utmost respect.
One afternoon, Nora was sitting in the sunroom, reading a book aloud to Giovanni, who was resting comfortably in his customized, state-of-the-art wheelchair.
Lorenzo’s head of security, a massive, scarred man named Dante, walked briskly into the room. He didn't look happy.
"Excuse me, Miss Nora," Dante said politely, bowing his head slightly to Giovanni. "The boss requested I move you and the Don to the secure inner wing. Immediately."
Nora frowned, closing her book. "Dante, what's wrong?"
"We have a perimeter breach, ma'am," Dante replied grimly. "Someone triggered the outer gate alarms. The tactical teams are intercepting them now."
Nora’s heart hammered against her ribs. She carefully stood up, helping the nurses maneuver Giovanni’s chair toward the secure corridor.
Meanwhile, Lorenzo stood in the grand foyer, surrounded by six heavily armed guards. He watched the security monitors as a battered, rusted pickup truck sped erratically up the long, winding driveway toward the mansion.
The truck slammed to a halt at the bottom of the grand steps.
Lorenzo signaled his men. They rushed out the front doors, raising their assault rifles, surrounding the vehicle in seconds.
"Step out of the vehicle with your hands up!" the lead guard roared.
The driver’s side door creaked open. A man stepped out, raising his hands in terrified surrender. He was thin, unkempt, and reeked of cheap alcohol and desperation.
Lorenzo walked out onto the porch, looking down at the pathetic intruder with cold, calculating eyes.
"Who are you, and why are you trespassing on my property?" Lorenzo demanded.
The man swallowed hard, looking at the heavily armed guards. "My name is Brody. I'm looking for a girl named Nora. I heard she works here."
Lorenzo froze. Brody. The man who had abandoned Nora, leaving her pregnant and penniless to face his gambling debts alone. The man she had cried about to his silent father months ago.
"Why are you looking for her?" Lorenzo asked softly, descending the marble steps like an apex predator stalking its prey.
"Because she’s my girlfriend!" Brody spat defensively, trying to muster some fake bravado. "And I know you rich snobs are keeping her here! I want my kid! I have a right to see my kid!"
Lorenzo let out a dark, humorless laugh that made the guards tense. Brody wasn't here for his child. He was here because he smelled money.
"You don't have a child, Brody," Lorenzo stated coldly, stopping inches from the terrified man. "You abandoned a pregnant woman to save your own pathetic skin."
"You can't keep her from me!" Brody yelled, taking a foolish step forward. "I'll go to the cops! I'll tell them you're holding her hostage!"
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Lorenzo didn't blink. He simply nodded to his head guard.
"Take him to the soundproof basement," Lorenzo ordered softly. "He wants to discuss family rights. Let's have a discussion."
