Chapter 6 - The Villa of Second Chances
Alexander's "estate" was not merely a house. It was a sprawling, centuries-old villa perched on a hill overlooking the eternal city, surrounded by high stone walls and iron gates that opened instantly for our convoy.
Fountains bubbled in the courtyard. Cypress trees lined the immaculate driveway.
When we stepped out, a small army of staff was waiting.
Maya hid behind my legs, overwhelmed. I stood my ground, eyeing the staff suspiciously. I had learned the hard way that smiles could hide cruelty.
A warm, older woman with kind eyes stepped forward.
"This is Maria," Alexander introduced her. "She runs the house. She is going to draw a warm bath for you both and bring you some real Italian pasta."
"I don't have money to pay for this," I stated bluntly.
Alexander stopped, looking at me with a mixture of sadness and respect.
"Lily, your currency here is the peace you gave my son today. You have unlimited credit."
That night, Maya and I were given a suite larger than our entire old house in Chicago. The bed was like a cloud, and the bathroom had a tub so big Maya thought it was a swimming pool.
After scrubbing the grime of travel and fear from our bodies, we sat by a massive fireplace in oversized fluffy robes. Maria brought us plates of handmade spaghetti carbonara. Maya ate so fast she almost choked, and I had to force myself to slow down.
Later, as Maya slept soundly in the giant bed, I crept out into the hallway.
I found Alexander in his sprawling study, pouring over legal documents. The door was ajar.
He looked up. "Can't sleep?"
I shook my head, stepping inside. "Is Leo okay?"
"Sleeping," Alexander smiled slightly. "Four hours straight. A new record."
I approached his desk. "Mr. Sterling... why are you doing this? You could have just thanked me on the plane and let the police take us. We are strangers."
Alexander leaned back in his leather chair, steepling his fingers.
"When Elena died, I felt completely helpless. I had billions of dollars, and I couldn't buy a single extra breath for the woman I loved. Today, I watched my son suffering, and I felt that same exact helplessness."
He paused, his eyes locking onto mine.
"Then a ten-year-old girl walked through a curtain, risking her own freedom, just to stop the pain of a child she didn't know. You stepped out of the shadows to save us, Lily. I am simply returning the favor."
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
May you like
"But Richard..."
"Richard is currently discovering that there are monsters in this world far bigger than he is," Alexander said, a chilling, predatory smile touching his lips. "And I am the biggest monster of them all."
