Chapter 4 - The House on the HillBack at the main manor, the atmosphere had undergone a radical, healing transformation.
The extravagant white orchids and silver wedding decorations that Claire had spent months ordering were currently piled in massive black garbage bags on the gravel driveway, waiting for municipal pickup. In their place, the grand hall was filled with the quiet, warm hum of normal life.
Mia sat at the oak dining table in the east wing, wrapped in a soft cashmere blanket while the estate doctor finished checking her vitals. Her wrists were bandaged in clean gauze, and color was slowly returning to her cheeks.
Sitting right beside her, swinging her legs on a large dining chair, was Harper. The little girl was currently attacking a massive plate of scrambled eggs, bacon, and toasted brioche prepared personally by the head chef.
Dominic stood near the tall bay window, watching them with an expression that had not graced his face in years—a look of quiet, unburdened peace.
“Your blood pressure is stabilizing nicely, Mrs. Carter,” the doctor said, packing his black leather bag. “Just keep the bandages dry, take the prescribed anti-inflammatories, and get plenty of rest for the next week. No heavy lifting.”
“Thank you, Doctor,” Mia said softly.
Once the physician left the room, Dominic walked over to the table and pulled out the chair opposite Mia.
“Are you warm enough?” he asked.
Mia looked up, her gray eyes meeting his with a mixture of lingering trauma and deep gratitude. “I’m warm. The room feels... lighter today.”
“It is lighter,” Dominic agreed. He glanced at Harper, who was currently trying to feed a piece of bacon to her stuffed blue rabbit. “Mia... I need to apologize to you.”
Mia blinked in surprise. “For what, Mr. Vale?”
“For not seeing it,” Dominic said, his voice heavy with self-reproach. “For bringing people like Claire and Nathan into this house under the illusion that my name alone could keep everyone safe. You kept this estate running for three years. You took care of my home, my guests, my schedule. And when monsters wore my colors, you were the one who paid the price.”
Mia reached across the table, her bandaged hand resting gently over his knuckles. The touch was warm, grounding, and entirely sincere.
“You didn't know, Dominic,” she said, using his first name for the very first time. “People like Miss Claire... they wear expensive masks. They know how to smile while holding a knife behind their backs. But you listened to Harper. That’s all that mattered.”
Dominic looked down at her hand on his, feeling a strange, unfamiliar warmth settle deep in his chest. For years, he had believed that survival in his world required suspicion, isolation, and emotional armor. But looking at Mia and her daughter, he realized that true strength wasn't about keeping people out—it was about knowing who was worth fighting for when the walls came down.
“You don't have to work as head housekeeper anymore, Mia,” Dominic said quietly.
Mia pulled her hand back slightly, a flicker of pride crossing her features. “If you’re firing me because of what happened—”
“I’m not firing you,” Dominic interrupted with a soft smile. “I’m offering you a promotion. I need someone I can actually trust to oversee the entire estate restructuring—finances, staff management, community outreach. Someone with integrity, intelligence, and backbone. Starting today, you’ll be the Director of Estate Operations. And your salary will reflect the fact that you’ve practically been running this place anyway.”
Harper stopped chewing her bacon and looked up with wide eyes. “Does that mean Mommy gets a bigger office?”
May you like
Dominic laughed—a deep, resonant sound that made the chandelier above them chime softly.
“It means your mommy gets whatever she wants, captain,” Dominic said, winking at the little girl.
