Chapter 4 - The Healing Room and the Confession in the Dark
The private medical suite on the third floor of the Moretti mansion was a sterile, quiet sanctuary filled with modern diagnostic equipment and soft lighting.
Dr. Harris, the family's trusted private physician, was quietly packing his black leather medical bag as Luca pushed the door open and stepped inside.
I sat upright on the examination table, a cold compress pressed lightly against my swollen cheekbone, my heart skipping a beat as Luca entered.
“How is she, Doctor?” Luca asked immediately, his voice cutting through the quiet room.
Dr. Harris turned around, adjusting his wire-rimmed glasses with a professional air.
“She suffered a severe blunt-force trauma to the zygomatic arch, Mr. Moretti,” the doctor reported formally.
“There is a deep contusion, minor localized swelling around the orbital bone causing temporary visual distortion, and a superficial laceration above the eyebrow that required three sterile sutures.”
Luca’s jaw tightened into a rigid line as he looked directly at me.
“Will her vision fully recover?” Luca demanded, stepping closer to the examination table.
“Yes, given forty-eight hours of absolute rest, zero physical strain, and proper anti-inflammatory medication, she will make a full recovery,” Dr. Harris assured him.
“Thank you, Doctor. You are dismissed for the evening,” Luca instructed quietly.
Dr. Harris nodded respectfully, picked up his bag, and slipped out of the suite, closing the heavy oak door behind him with a soft click.
The room descended into a heavy, suffocating silence, broken only by the hum of the air purifier.
Luca walked slowly toward the edge of the examination table, resting his hands on the sterile paper lining.
He looked down at my bruised face, his gray eyes filled with a complex mix of guilt, anger, and fierce protection.
“You lied to my face downstairs, Julia,” Luca noted softly, his voice devoid of anger, carrying only quiet inquiry.
I lowered my gaze, the tears threatening to spill over my lashes once more.
“I had no choice, Mr. Moretti,” I whispered, my voice cracking.
“Vanessa threatened to fire me instantly and ensure no other employer in Chicago would ever hire me if I told the truth.”
“And why did she assault you in the conservatory in the first place?” Luca asked, leaning in slightly closer.
I took a shaky breath, realizing there was no point in maintaining the charade any longer.
“I walked in to deliver clean pruning shears to the back counter,” I began, my voice trembling.
“That was when I heard an elderly woman crying and arguing with Miss Bellini.”
Luca listened intently, nodding for me to continue.
“Miss Bellini was screaming at the top of her lungs, demanding the older woman pack her suitcase and get off the property immediately,” I explained, wringing my hands in my lap.
“When I tried to intervene and ask Miss Bellini to calm down, she flew into a rage, grabbed the heavy suitcase by the handle, and shoved it hard toward the door.”
“And it struck you directly in the face,” Luca finished the sentence for me.
“Yes,” I whispered, looking up into his intense gray eyes.
“She told me if I ever mentioned the old woman or the argument to anyone—especially you—she would ensure my father’s medical bills went unpaid and we were thrown out onto the street.”
Luca stood completely still, his silence more terrifying than any outburst of rage.
He reached out slowly, his large, warm hand gently touching my uninjured shoulder.
“Your rent is paid in full for the next three years, starting tonight, Julia,” Luca stated calmly, his voice leaving no room for argument.
“And your father’s medical prescriptions will be fully covered by the Moretti family foundation, permanently.”
My breath caught in my throat, and tears finally broke free, streaming down my cheeks.
“Mr. Moretti… I can't accept that, it's too much—” I stammered, overwhelmed by the sudden salvation.
“You took a blow meant for Rosa Alvarez to protect an innocent elderly woman in my home, Julia,” Luca interrupted softly, his gaze unwavering.
“In the Moretti family, loyalty and courage are rewarded tenfold, while betrayal is punished without mercy.”
Before I could process his words, Luca turned sharply toward the door.
“Get some rest in the guest wing tonight, Julia,” Luca instructed over his shoulder.
May you like
“Do not return to the banquet hall, and do not worry about Vanessa Bellini ever threatening you again.”
He strode out of the medical suite, leaving me alone with my racing thoughts and a profound, terrifying sense that the world I knew was about to explode.
