Chapter 1 - The Weight of Silence
Dominic Russo stood paralyzed in the center of the sunlit kitchen, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. The atmosphere was thick with the scent of melted butter, vanilla, and sweet sugar—a scent that used to fill the house when Isabella was alive. But the smell of domestic happiness only mocked him.
Mia’s small, warm fingers remained locked around Elena’s neck. The little girl’s brown eyes were wide with sudden fear, darting from the towering, dark-suited figure of her father back to the soft-faced young woman holding her. Valentina and Lucia had pulled their small legs up onto the wooden bench, pressing their backs against one another like frightened birds.
"Mr. Russo," Elena said, her voice remaining steady despite the terrifying aura rolling off the billionaire. She lowered Mia gently to the floor, keeping herself slightly angled between Dominic and the children. "I didn't expect you back."
"Clearly," Dominic’s voice was a low, dangerous rumble. He took a step forward, the expensive leather of his shoes clicking sharply against the tile floor. "You were hired to clean the estate, Miss Vasquez. Not to play mother to my children."
"I wasn't playing," Elena answered, her chin lifting slightly. There was no arrogance in her posture, only a quiet, unyielding dignity that baffled Dominic. "The girls wanted to bake. They wanted to sing. I simply kept them company."
"They don't sing," Dominic snapped, his voice cracking slightly before he caught himself. "They don't talk. They don't laugh. Not for doctors, not for therapists, and certainly not for strangers."
"They aren't strangers anymore," Elena whispered.
May you like
Dominic wanted to scream. He wanted to tear the kitchen apart, to throw the bowls of batter against the wall, to demand why his daughters could give their words to a penniless maid while treating him like a ghost. But as he looked down at Lucia’s trembling lower lip, the rage choked in his throat.
"Get out," Dominic said coldly, staring straight into Elena’s dark, tired eyes. "Pack your things. You're fired."
