Chapter 3 - The Tears of a SovereignThe silence inside the grand library exploded into a quiet, overwhelming storm.
My broad shoulders began to shake violently. I turned my head toward the dark window, desperate to hide my face, but it was too late. Heavy, hot tears spilled over my lashes, tracking down my face, dropping onto Lily’s soft fleece collar.
For three years, I had not wept. I had buried my grief under work, security protocols, and cold vengeance.
"Okay," I whispered, my voice breaking into a raw, fractured thread as my large, calloused hands slowly, gently wrapped around Lily's small frame, holding her against my chest with a fierce, protective warmth. "But I don't want to be your father for only one day."
Lily pulled back slightly, her small thumb reaching up to gently wipe a tear from my cheekbone.
"Don't cry, mister," Lily piped up softly. "I can share my rabbit with you."
Elena stood five feet away, her hands pressed against her mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks as she watched the feared, untouchable crime boss holding her daughter like a lifesaver in a dark ocean.
"Mrs. Carter," I said, my voice steadying into a quiet, absolute register as I looked up at her. "What happened to your husband?"
Elena swallowed hard, her hazel eyes holding a deep, ancient pain. "He was an engineer at the Hudson Shipping Docks, Don Adrian. Three years ago, he was killed in an offshore platform collapse... an accident that was officially ruled an equipment malfunction."
My mind performed a rapid, terrifying connection:
Hudson Shipping Docks.
Three years ago.
The same month my car exploded.
"Who was the regional managing director of the Hudson docks three years ago, Elena?" I asked, my gray eyes narrowing into razor-sharp slits.
May you like
Elena looked down at the floorboards, her voice dropping into a frightened whisper.
"Marcus Vale."
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