Chapter 3 - A Viper in the Shadows
Della was discharged from the hospital three days later. To her utter shock, she wasn't driven back to her cramped, damp studio apartment. Instead, a fleet of armored black sedans brought her to the Calloway Estate—a sprawling, fortress-like mansion surrounded by miles of private woodlands and high concrete walls.
"This is too much, Royce," Della said as they walked through the grand foyer, her hand instinctively resting on her pregnant belly. "I appreciate what you're doing, but I can't live like a princess in a fortress. I need to work. I have a baby to prepare for."
"You will never work a day in your life again unless you want to," Royce said firmly, guiding her to a plush velvet sofa. "And as for the baby, this house has already been outfitted with everything a child could ever need."
As if on cue, Mrs. Petrova, the former manager of the Ashworth Grand, stepped out of the kitchen wearing a warm smile. Royce had reassigned her to be Della's personal caretaker and companion.
"It’s an honor to look after you, Miss Marsh," Mrs. Petrova said gently, handing her a cup of warm chamomile tea.
For the first few days, the estate felt like a paradise. Royce, despite his brutal reputation in the city, treated Della with an almost reverent gentleness. He dined with her every evening, listening intently as she talked about her dreams of opening a small bakery, his cold gray eyes softening only when he looked at her.
But the peace was shattered on a Tuesday evening.
Royce was away in the city handling a turf dispute when the estate's perimeter alarms began to blare. The red emergency lights flashed across the walls of Della’s bedroom.
Within seconds, Mrs. Petrova rushed into the room, her face pale. "Della, we have to go to the safe room. Now."
"What’s happening?" Della gasped, her heart hammering.
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"Someone breached the eastern gate," Mrs. Petrova whispered, ushering her down a hidden staircase behind the library. "It’s not the Vances. They don't have this kind of firepower. It's someone from the Old Syndicate."
As they descended into the concrete bunker beneath the mansion, the distant sound of automatic gunfire echoed through the vents. The mafia war that Royce had kept hidden from Della had finally knocked on their front door.
