Chapter 3 - The Threat Awakens
The news of what happened in the medical bay spread through the internal channels of the Moretti household like wildfire.
The next evening when I arrived for my shift, Leo and Marcus—now resting in the guards' quarters—nodded to me with profound, silent respect. In the mafia world, loyalty and genuine care were rare commodities. By tending to them when no one else cared, I had accidentally earned the fierce protection of Dante’s inner circle.
But with protection came a far deadlier consequence: visibility.
Dante’s behavior toward me changed completely. He no longer left his morning coffee untouched. When I brought his espresso at 7:00 AM, he was awake, sitting at his desk, watching me enter.
"Good morning, Serena," he would say in that deep, gravelly voice.
"Good morning, Mr. Moretti," I'd reply, keeping my distance.
"Is your mother doing well after her latest treatment?"
I froze the first time he asked that. I had never told anyone in the penthouse about my mother’s medical condition.
"She... she is managing, sir. Thank you for asking," I faltered.
"If she needs a specialist at Northwestern, let me know. I sit on the board," Dante said smoothly, taking a sip of his espresso without breaking eye contact. "And call me Dante."
My heart pounded violently in my chest. I nodded quickly and backed out of his office, my face burning.
Dante was paying attention to my personal life. He was breaking his own rules of cold detachment. And Celeste Bowmont saw every bit of it.
Two days later, Celeste trapped me in the grand pantry while the rest of the household was occupied with Valentina’s afternoon nap. She stepped inside, locking the heavy wooden door behind her with a sharp click.
Her face was twisted into a mask of pure, aristocratic rage. Gone was the polished high-society debutante; in her place was a cruel, desperate woman.
"You think you're clever, don't you?" Celeste hissed, stepping into my personal space. The heavy scent of her expensive perfume was suffocating. "Playing the innocent, sweet little nurse to his wounded men. Batting your eyes at Dante over coffee."
"Miss Bowmont, I don't know what you're talking about," I said, backing against the pantry shelves. "I was just doing my job."
"Your job is to clean, you pathetic little pest!" Celeste barked, striking her palm against the shelf right next to my head. I flinched. "Dante belongs to me. Our families have had an alliance for a decade. We are getting married in six months. Do you honestly think a mob king like Dante Moretti would ever choose a broke, nameless maid from Little Village over me?"
"I am not trying to take anything from you," I said firmly, finding my courage. "I just want to earn my paycheck and take care of my family."
Celeste leaned in close, her eyes glittering with malice. "Then listen to me very carefully, Serena. If I see you talking to Dante again outside of basic orders, or if I catch you slinking around his mother, I won't just get you fired. I know who your brother is. I know where Mateo goes to school. It would be a tragedy if his scholarship was suddenly revoked—or if he had an accident on campus."
A wave of icy terror washed over me. Threatening me was one thing, but bringing Mateo into this was a line I couldn't tolerate.
"Leave my brother out of this," I whispered, my teeth clenched.
"Then know your place," Celeste sneered. She turned around, unlocked the door, and walked out, leaving me trembling in the darkness of the pantry.
I stood there for ten minutes, trying to catch my breath. Celeste wasn't just arrogant; she was dangerous. She was losing her grip on Dante, and a cornered, wealthy woman with mob ties was capable of anything.
When I stepped back into the hallway, I found Valentina sitting in the living room, holding her teacup. Her sharp eyes immediately caught my pale face and my trembling hands.
"Serena," Valentina called out gently. "Come here, child."
I walked over to her slowly. "Yes, Mrs. Moretti?"
Valentina reached out and took my hand in her soft, wrinkled ones. She squeezed firmly. "Celeste has been talking to you, hasn't she?"
I lowered my eyes, unable to answer without crying.
"Listen to me, Serena," Valentina said, her voice dripping with absolute authority. "Celeste Bowmont is a snake. She does not love my son. She loves his power, his money, and the prestige of the Moretti name. Dante knows it, and I know it. She thinks she can bully you because she believes you are weak."
Valentina looked me straight in the eyes with fierce conviction. "You are not weak, Serena. You have a good heart, and in this house, a good heart is the rarest, most powerful thing of all. Do not let her drive you away."
"She threatened my brother, Mrs. Moretti," I choked out, a single tear escaping my eye.
"She has no power here," Valentina declared coldly. "As long as I am alive, no one in this family will touch you or your brother. I give you my word."
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I felt a ray of hope warm my chest, but as I looked at Valentina’s fragile frame, a sinking feeling of dread took root in my stomach. Valentina was strong in spirit, but her heart was weak.
And Celeste was already planning her next move.
