CHAPTER 6: A New Beginning
Three months later.
The city had returned to a state of peace, but things around Il Nido had changed significantly. The dark, brooding atmosphere of the restaurant had softened just a bit.
Elena Vance had been given a fresh start. Vincent had used his extensive connections to wipe out her late husband's fraudulent debts entirely. Furthermore, he hired Elena as the head accountant for his legitimate hospitality businesses, providing her with a handsome salary and a beautiful, secure apartment in the safest neighborhood in the city.
It was a bright Sunday afternoon. The restaurant was closed to the public for a private event. Inside, the tables were stacked with platters of fresh spaghetti, garlic bread, and cannoli.
Lily ran through the dining room, her split shoes replaced with brand-new, polished patent leather ones. She was laughing, chasing Frankie, who was pretending to be terrified of her.
Vincent sat at his usual corner table, watching the scene with a rare, genuine smile. Elena walked over, placing a fresh espresso in front of him.
"I don't think I will ever be able to thank you enough, Vincent," Elena said softly, looking at her happy daughter. "You saved our lives. You gave us a future."
"It was just business," Vincent replied smoothly, though the warmth in his eyes betrayed him.
Lily stopped running and walked over to Vincent's table. She reached into her little pocket and pulled out a shiny, brand-new five-dollar bill. She slid it across the table to him.
"What's this?" Vincent asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Interest," Lily said proudly, mimicking the words she had heard the older guys use. "And a retainer. Just in case I need the toughest man in the world again."
Vincent chuckled—a sound his men hadn't heard in a decade. He picked up the five-dollar bill, folded it neatly, and placed it in his wallet next to the original crumpled one he kept as a reminder.
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"Contract renewed, kiddo," Vincent said, tapping her nose playfully. "Now go eat your dessert."
As Lily ran back to her mother, Vincent looked out the window at his city. He was still a feared man, a boss of the underworld. But for one little family, he was something entirely different: a guardian angel.
