Chapter 4 - The Golden Chain
Samantha Wells sat in the center of a massive, opulent guest room on the third floor of the east wing. It was a room she had previously only seen while holding a duster—a space of silk drapes, antique mahogany, and a private balcony overlooking the long driveway.
She was no longer wearing the gray maid's uniform. Mrs. Gable, the estate’s housekeeper, had brought her a set of soft, dark blue silk loungewear and a pair of white leather slippers that fit perfectly. Her wet clothes had been taken away, and a fire had been lit in the hearth to chase away her chill.
But the luxury felt like a trap.
A soft knock sounded at the door, and Anthony walked in. He had changed out of his damp trousers into a tailored charcoal suit, looking every bit the cold, untouchable Don of the Pellagrini syndicate. Behind him stood Russo, carrying a thick leather folder.
"How is Luca?" Samantha asked immediately, standing up from the velvet armchair.
"He is sleeping," Anthony said, walking over to the fireplace. "The doctor cleared him. He has a slight cough, but his lungs are clear. He keeps asking for 'the girl from the water.'"
"I can go see him," she offered.
"Later," Anthony said, turning to look at her. "Right now, we need to talk about you."
He nodded to Russo, who placed the leather folder on the writing desk.
"This is your new contract," Anthony said. "You are no longer an agency maid. You are Luca’s personal guardian and companion. Your salary is ten times what the agency was paying you. Your sister’s tuition at the boarding school in Boston has been fully paid for the next three years, and a private security team has been assigned to her perimeter."
Samantha stared at him, her breath catching. "My sister? Why would you... how do you even know about Ashley?"
Anthony’s lips curved into a tiny, humorless smile. "I know everything about you, Samantha. I know you left your last job because the father tried to touch you, and you broke his nose with a crystal vase. I know you have forty-two dollars in your checking account, and I know your father died in a state penitentiary five years ago."
Samantha felt her face turn hot with shame and anger. "You had no right to dig into my life like that."
"I have every right when you are holding my son," Anthony said, stepping closer until she could smell his high-end cologne—leather and expensive tobacco. "I don't trust easily, Samantha. But you proved yourself today. You didn't hesitate. You didn't look for a guard. You jumped into a deep pool for a child that wasn't yours."
He reached out, his long fingers gently lifting her chin so she had to look into his dark eyes. "The world is dangerous, Samantha. My enemies are constantly looking for a weakness. Today, they almost found one because a nanny took a bribe to leave a door unlocked."
"The nanny?" Samantha whispered, horror dawning on her.
"She has been... handled," Anthony said flatly, his tone sending a chill through the room. "From today, Luca’s safety is entirely in your hands. You will eat with him, play with him, and sleep in the adjoining room. You will not leave the estate without my personal security escort."
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"This is a prison," Samantha said, her eyes flashing with defiance.
"It is a golden cage, Samantha," Anthony corrected, his thumb lightly tracing her lower lip. "But it is the safest place in this city. And as long as you are inside it, nobody will ever touch you again."
