Chapter 3 - Poison in the Formula
Two weeks passed, and the Rossi mansion was transformed by a miracle.
Leo’s pale skin filled out with healthy pink chubby cheeks. His weak, desperate rasps turned into strong, loud cries that echoed down the marble corridors. He gained nearly three pounds, his heart rate stabilized, and the terrifying monitors were finally disconnected from his tiny body.
Hunter lived in luxury she had never dreamed of, but her world remained small: the sunlit nursery, the plush connecting bedroom, and the balcony overlooking the sea. Lorenzo visited every evening at eight o'clock sharp. He would strip off his bloodied suit jacket, sit in the rocker across from Hunter, and silently watch her feed his son.
Those silent hours bred a thick, simmering tension between them—a unspoken bond forged over the life of the child they were both protecting.
However, peace in a mafia dynasty is always an illusion.
On a rainy Tuesday afternoon, Dr. Gallagher returned to the estate. He had been ordered by Lorenzo to perform a routine blood check on Leo to ensure his nutritional markers were holding steady.
Hunter watched like a hawk from the doorway as Gallagher drew a minute drop of blood from Leo’s heel. The doctor seemed visibly nervous, his hands shaking slightly as he stored the vial in his medical kit.
"He's doing remarkably well, Miss Vance," Gallagher said, wiping sweat from his forehead. "A true biological anomaly. His body seems to have adapted to your... milk."
"It's not an anomaly, Doctor," Hunter said coolly, holding a swaddled Leo close to her chest. "It's nature."
As Gallagher packed his bag, Hunter’s sharp eyes caught a subtle movement. The doctor reached into his pocket and pulled out a tiny glass dropper, attempting to discreetly squeeze a clear liquid into the bottle of distilled water used for Leo's oral rinses.
"What is that?" Hunter demanded instantly, stepping forward.
Gallagher jumped, nearly dropping the vial. "It's—it's just a mild pediatric saline solution, Miss Vance. For his dry throat."
"I didn't authorize any drops," Hunter said, her voice rising in panic. "Mr. Rossi said no medicines without his explicit approval!"
"I am the head of pediatrics at Mount Sinai!" Gallagher snapped, his professional demeanor cracking into anger. "You are a maid! Do not tell me how to—"
Before Gallagher could finish his sentence, the nursery door burst open. Lorenzo entered, flanked by Marco. The heavy atmosphere in the room shifted instantly to sub-zero temperatures.
"Is there a problem here?" Lorenzo asked, his eyes darting between Hunter's protective stance and Gallagher's pale face.
"Lorenzo, thank goodness," Gallagher stammered. "This girl is interfering with standard medical procedures—"
"He tried to put something in Leo's water!" Hunter interrupted, pointing at the doctor's pocket. "He tried to do it while my back was turned!"
Lorenzo didn't hesitate. He made a subtle gesture with his chin. Marco lunged forward, slamming Dr. Gallagher against the wall and forcing his arms behind his back. The tiny glass vial clattered to the carpet.
"Analyze it," Lorenzo ordered Marco coldly. "Now."
Ten minutes later, Marco returned to the room, holding a printed lab readout from the estate's subterranean testing facility. His expression was grim.
"It's a synthetic enzyme inhibitor, Boss," Marco revealed. "Invisibly breaks down stomach lining in infants. It mimics severe infant failure-to-thrive syndrome. It doesn't show up on standard toxic screens unless you specifically test for synthetic peptides."
Hunter gasped, clutching Leo tighter. "He was poisoning him... all along?"
Lorenzo stepped up to Dr. Gallagher, who was now weeping and trembling on his knees. The mafia boss lowered his voice to a whisper that chilled the air in the nursery.
"Who paid you, Gallagher?" Lorenzo asked softly. "Was it the Moretti syndicate? Was it my uncle?"
"They—they had my daughter, Lorenzo!" Gallagher sobbed. "Moretti... he said if I didn't wipe out your heir, he'd send her back to me in pieces! I had no choice! The baby was supposed to die slowly! No one was supposed to know!"
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Lorenzo looked over at Hunter, who was standing fiercely in front of the crib, acting as a human shield for his son.
"Take him to the basement," Lorenzo ordered Marco casually, as if ordering out for dinner. "And send a team to retrieve Gallagher's daughter. Once she is safe... dispose of the doctor."
