Chapter 2 - The Mansion of Shadow
I didn’t have a choice. When Damian Caruso tells you to get into his armored SUV, you don't argue. The ride was suffocatingly silent. Leah refused to let go of my hand, sitting on my lap with her tiny fingers wrapped tightly around mine. Every time I tried to shift my weight, she whimpered, burying her face into my chest. I didn't know what to do; my heart was pounding so hard I thought it would break my ribs.
Damian sat across from us, watching my every move. His dark eyes were unreadable, calculating. He wasn't looking at me like a waitress anymore; he was looking at me like a puzzle he was determined to solve. "What is your name?" he finally asked, his voice a low rumble over the engine's hum. "Clara," I answered, my throat dry. "Clara," he repeated, testing the sound of it. "Tell me about Zurich, Clara."
I flinched at the memory. "It was a private clinic. Very exclusive. I... I was young, alone, and scared. A wealthy family offered to help me through the pregnancy." Damian leaned forward, prompting me to continue. "And when the baby came?" I swallowed the lump in my throat. "I woke up from the anesthesia, and the doctor told me her heart had stopped." A tear escaped my eye, tracing a hot path down my cheek. "They wouldn't even let me see her. They said it was better that way."
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Damian’s jaw tightened, the muscles in his neck straining against his tailored collar. "Two years ago," he muttered. "The exact time my men raided a human trafficking ring connected to my enemies." My breath hitched in sheer panic. "What?" I asked. "I found Leah in a warehouse," Damian explained, his voice turning dangerously cold. "She was a newborn. Hidden in a crate. Destined to be sold or used as leverage. I tore the city apart looking for her parents. I found nothing. So, I took her in. She became mine."
We pulled up to a massive iron gate that slowly swung open, revealing an estate that looked more like a fortress. Guards with earpieces patrolled the grounds. "We are going to run a DNA test," Damian declared as the car stopped. "Tonight. My personal physician is already waiting." I looked down at Leah, who was already asleep against my shoulder, breathing softly. Could it be true? Could this little girl, the daughter of the city's most feared man, actually be the baby I mourned every single day? I held her a little tighter. "Okay," I whispered. "Do the test."
