Chapter 5 - The Ambush at the Park
Three weeks passed. The dust from the corporate purge began to settle, but the emotional scars left on Livia required time, patience, and love to heal.
With Bianca completely removed from their lives, the lakeside estate felt warm and peaceful once again. Rosalie had moved into the guest house temporarily to help care for Livia, bringing laughter and delicious home-cooked meals back into the dining room. Livia was slowly regaining her joyful spirit, her ruined hair now styled into a sweet, modern cut that she proudly showed off to her classmates.
On a sunny Saturday afternoon, Alessandro took Livia to a quiet public park near the botanical gardens. Livia ran across the green grass, holding a colorful dragon kite high above her head while Alessandro watched from a wooden bench nearby, a cup of coffee in his hand.
For the first time in months, Alessandro felt a genuine sense of hope for their future.
Suddenly, a shadow fell over the bench.
Alessandro looked up. Standing in front of him was Victoria Sterling—Bianca’s mother.
Victoria was a formidable woman in high-society circles, known for her sharp tongue, massive wealth, and ruthless social climbing. She wore dark oversized sunglasses, a fur coat despite the mild weather, and carried a leather handbag like a weapon.
“Alessandro,” Victoria said, her voice dripping with venom.
Alessandro stood up slowly, stepping between Victoria and the open field where Livia was playing with her kite. “You shouldn't be here, Victoria. There is an active restraining order against your family.”
“That order applies to Bianca, not me!” Victoria snapped, taking off her sunglasses to reveal cold, angry eyes. “You have publicly humiliated my daughter! Her engagement is ruined, her social standing is destroyed, and she is facing criminal charges because you threw a temper tantrum over a little hair!”
“Your daughter physically assaulted a child and attempted to steal her inheritance,” Alessandro replied, his voice rising just enough to command authority. “She is lucky she isn't in a federal prison cell right now.”
“It was a misunderstanding!” Victoria argued loudly, stepping closer. “Bianca was trying to establish order in your household! That girl is unmanageable, Alessandro! She’s obsessed with her dead mother, and you enable her sick little grief routine! Bianca was going to fix this family!”
Before Alessandro could respond, Livia noticed the raised voices and ran over, holding her kite string tightly.
“Daddy?” Livia asked, her eyes wide with sudden fear as she looked at Victoria’s angry face. “Is that Bianca’s mommy?”
Victoria looked down at Livia, her lip curling into a sneer. “You little brat. You ruined everything for my daughter. If you had just behaved yourself and let her trim your hair like a normal child, none of this would have happened!”
Alessandro’s control snapped.
He stepped forward, his tall frame towering over Victoria, his eyes burning with a fierce, protective fire.
“Get away from my daughter,” Alessandro growled, pointing a finger directly at Victoria’s chest. “If you speak another word to her, if you even look in her direction again, I will buy every debt obligation your family firm holds and bankrupt you before the weekend is over.”
Victoria froze, the arrogance on her face instantly turning to shock. She knew Alessandro had the financial power to execute that threat without breaking a sweat.
“You… you wouldn't dare,” she whispered nervously.
“Try me,” Alessandro spat back. “Now get out of this park.”
Victoria took a step back, clutching her handbag tightly, realization dawning on her that the Vance family was no longer a target she could intimidate. She turned on her heel and hurried toward her parked car without looking back.
Alessandro immediately knelt down on the grass, gathering Livia into a tight hug.
“Are you okay, sweetheart?” he asked, checking her face.
Livia hugged him around the neck, buried her face in his shoulder, and then did something that surprised him. She let out a small, sweet giggle.
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“She was scary, Daddy,” Livia whispered. “But you were scarier.”
Alessandro chuckled softly, kissing her cheek. “I will always protect you, Livia. Always.”
