Chapter 3 - THE GOLDEN CAGE
The Vance estate stood on a cliff overlooking the ocean, protected by ten-foot stone walls, security towers, and dozens of heavily armed guards. It was a fortress of marble, mahogany, and steel.
When the SUV pulled into the courtyard, a woman in a dark dress stepped out to meet us. She was Julian’s older sister, Beatrice—a sharp-featured woman with cold blue eyes and an posture that demanded submission.
"Julian!" Beatrice called out as we stepped out into the night air. "Reports say Bellagio was hit! Is Leo—"
She stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes landed on me.
Her face drained of color, her hand clutching her pearl necklace so tightly the string nearly snapped. "My God... Sophia?"
"It’s not Sophia, Beatrice," Julian said, taking Leo from my arms gently, though the baby whimpered at the separation. "This is Mara. Sophia’s twin."
Beatrice’s expression hardened from shock into immediate suspicion. "A twin? Sophia never mentioned a sister. Julian, this is dangerous. A random girl from a restaurant who looks like a ghost? It could be a D'Angelo trap! A surgically altered assassin!"
"She saved Leo during the shootout," Julian snapped, his authority cutting off his sister's protest instantly. "She stays in the East Wing. Assign two guards to her door, but treat her as a guest of the family."
Beatrice glared at me with pure venom, but she bowed her head. "As you wish, Don Julian."
I was led up a sweeping marble staircase to a suite that was larger than my entire apartment building. It featured a plush king-sized bed, floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the crashing waves below, and a private balcony.
An hour later, a maid brought up a tray of warm tea, fresh pasta, and a soft velvet robe. Shortly after, the door opened softly, and Julian stepped inside carrying a sleeping Leo.
He placed the baby gently into the crib that had been set up beside my bed. Leo rolled over, let out a soft sigh, and sucked his thumb.
"He won't sleep in the nursery anymore," Julian murmured, standing beside the crib. "Ever since his mother passed, he’s been restless. Tonight is the first time his breathing has been steady."
I sat on the edge of the bed, hugging my knees. "My mother told me my father died in an accident. She lied about everything, didn't she?"
Julian sat down in the leather chair across from me. "She was trying to protect you. Your father was Carlo D'Angelo—the former Don of the rival family. When he was murdered, your mother took you and ran, while Sophia was taken in by a loyal lieutenant. Your mother knew that if the D'Angelo family found you, they would use your bloodline to claim power."
I looked at Julian, seeing the deep lines of fatigue around his eyes. Beneath the cold mafia Don was a grieving husband and a desperate father trying to keep his child safe.
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"Why didn't you tell me this at the restaurant?" I asked softly.
"Because I hoped I was wrong," Julian admitted, his dark eyes meeting mine. "I hoped you were just a stranger. But the moment my son reached for you, I knew the universe wasn't that kind."
