Chapter 6 - THE GHOST IN THE HOUSE
With the Moretti empire collapsing under the weight of federal investigations and Dominic's sudden refusal to fight the charges, the grand estate in Manhattan was cleared out. The high-society friends who had once clamored for invitations to Dominic's galas disappeared overnight.
Dominic spent his final days of freedom living in the empty estate alone.
The servants had been dismissed. The furniture was covered in white sheets, similar to a field of snow indoor. Dominic didn't sleep in his master bedroom. Instead, he slept on the floor of Sophie's old playroom, surrounded by discarded drawing pads, broken crayons, and half-finished puzzles.
He realized now the terrible nature of his arrogance. He had believed that building a fortune was the ultimate form of protection for his family. He had convinced himself that every dirty bribe, every backroom deal, and every neglected family dinner was a sacrifice made for his daughter's future.
But Sophie hadn't wanted a future built on blood and blood money. She had just wanted her father.
One evening, a week before his formal arraignment, Dominic received an unexpected visitor.
Grace walked into the bare playroom, her footsteps echoing off the uncarpeted floorboards. She looked at him—sitting on the floor in a wrinkled shirt, staring at a drawing of a bright yellow sun with three stick figures holding hands.
"You look terrible," Grace said softly.
"I deserve worse," Dominic replied without looking up. "Is she okay?"
"She's quiet," Grace said, sitting down on a wooden toy chest opposite him. "She spends most of her time reading. She doesn't ask about you."
Dominic swallowed hard, the silence stretching between them like an ocean. "I transferred the non-syndicate assets to you and Sophie yesterday. The legitimate real estate, the clean tech investments, the trust accounts. It's enough to ensure neither of you ever has to work a day in your lives. It's totally clean. The feds can't touch it."
"We don't want your money, Dominic."
"Take it anyway," he pleaded, finally looking up at her, tears brimming in his dark eyes. "Please, Grace. Let me give her something that doesn't hurt her. It's all I have left."
Grace looked at the man she loved for fifteen years—the man who had traded his soul for power, only to realize its worthlessness when he had already lost everything that mattered.
"The federal prosecutor offered a plea deal today," Grace said quietly. "If you turn over the remaining cartel connections and plead guilty, they'll cap your sentence at seven years."
"I took the deal this morning," Dominic revealed. "I started my sentence in three weeks."
Grace paused, surprised. "You didn't try to negotiate?"
May you like
"No," Dominic whispered. "Seven years is nothing compared to what I took from her. I just... I just want to know if I can see her once before I go. Just to say goodbye."
Grace looked down at her hands, her voice barely audible. "I'll ask her. But Dominic... don't expect a miracle. You broke something inside that little girl that money can't buy back."
