Chapter 3 - The Safe Haven
Dominic refused to let Elena return to her cramped apartment in the suburbs. Despite her protests, his security team loaded the children’s car seats into a fleet of armored SUVs.
"Where are you taking us?" Elena demanded as the convoy sped through the rainy Chicago streets.
"To the penthouse on Michigan Avenue," Dominic replied, staring out the window. "It’s the most secure residential building in the city. No one gets in without my biometric clearance."
"Dominic, I don't want them in that world," she pleaded, looking back at the three children who had fallen asleep, exhausted by the night’s drama.
"They are already in it, Elena. The moment I saw them, the clock started ticking," Dominic said, his voice laced with an underlying dread. "My cousin, Matteo, has been looking for a vulnerability in my leadership for two years. If he finds out I have three legitimate heirs, he will strike. I am keeping you close because it’s the only way I can guarantee you all breathe tomorrow."
When they arrived at the penthouse, the children woke up, marveling at the massive floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city lights. Sophie ran to the glass, her eyes wide. "Look, Mommy! It’s the whole world!"
Dominic watched them from the doorway, a strange, overwhelming emotion filling his chest. For five years, his life had been empty, defined only by numbers, power, and cold rooms. Now, his home was filled with the noise of children.
He walked up behind Elena as she guided Noah to the bathroom. "They don't know who I am, do they?"
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Elena paused, looking at him with a mixture of sadness and regret. "I told them their father was a hero who lived far away. I didn't know how to tell them the truth, Dominic. I was afraid."
"I am no hero, Elena," Dominic whispered, his hand hovering over her shoulder but not quite touching her. "But I will be their fortress."
