Chapter 1 - The Shadow of Sofia
The air in the dark study hung thick with silence as Cameron stared at the photograph resting on the polished mahogany desk. The woman in the picture—Sofia—smiled with a soft, haunting beauty, her features an impossible mirror image of Cameron’s own face.
"I don't have a sister," Cameron whispered, her voice barely audible over the hum of the city below. "I was raised in an orphanage in upstate New York. I have no family."
Matteo leaned against the heavy desk, his dark eyes fixed on Cameron with an intensity that felt almost physical. "Sofia was an only child, born in Florence, Italy. Her parents died when she was young. There were no records of a twin, no hidden adoption papers, nothing."
"Then this is a coincidence," Cameron insisted, her hands trembling as she smoothed Leo’s dark curls. The little boy had fallen into a deep, exhausted sleep against her side, his small fingers still tightly knotting the edge of her gray cleaning apron. "A cruel, bizarre coincidence."
"I don't believe in coincidences," Matteo said coldly. He stepped around the desk, his presence towering and imposing. "Thirteen women walked through that door. Thirteen trained professionals. Leo bit them, threw things at them, made them run away in tears. You walk in, he attacks you, and instead of defending yourself, you bow down to his level. And then he calls you 'Mama.'"
"He's a grieving child," Cameron said softly, meeting Matteo’s sharp gaze without flinching. "He doesn't remember a face—he remembers a feeling. He felt safe with her, and somehow, through whatever instinct children have, he decided he could feel safe with me."
Matteo looked down at his son, his rigid posture softening for a fraction of a second before hardening again. "You're bleeding."
Cameron looked down at her knee. The thin gray fabric of her uniform had torn slightly where she had fallen on the marble, revealing a bruised, bloody scrape. She hadn't even noticed the pain.
"I'll clean it in the staff bathroom," she said, making a move to gently dislodge Leo from her side.
"No," Matteo commanded. He walked to the door and spoke into an intercom. "Anna, bring the medical kit to the master suite. And prepare the blue guest room."
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Cameron frowned, holding Leo close. "Mr. Duca, I am a day worker sent by the cleaning agency. My shift ends at five."
"Your shift ended the moment my son kissed your cheek," Matteo replied, his voice leaving no room for argument. "You aren't going back to that agency, Cameron. You stay here."
