Chapter 8 - Out of the Shadows
Two weeks later, the snow had settled into a quiet, peaceful blanket over the city.
The transition of power within the Russo family had been bloodless after Vincent's removal. But Dominic had no intention of keeping things the way they were. He had spent the last fortnight dismantling the illegal operations, transitioning the family’s massive wealth into legitimate, clean enterprises.
He sat in his new office, not in the dark social club, but in a high-rise building overlooking the Chicago skyline.
The door opened, and Grace walked in.
She wasn't wearing the worn cream sweater anymore. She wore a beautiful dark green wool coat, her hair shining in the winter sun. She looked around the bright, modern office with a soft smile.
"It suits you," she said. "No smoke. No dark corners."
Dominic stood up from his desk and walked over to her. "I'm stepping down, Grace. Marco is taking over the day-to-day operations of the legitimate business. I’ve set up a trust for Noah, and I've transferred my assets."
Grace looked at him, surprised. "You're leaving it all behind?"
"I lived in the dark because I thought I had nothing else," Dominic said, taking her hands in his. "But I have you. And I have Noah. I don't want him growing up looking over his shoulder. I want to be the father he deserves. A real father."
May you like
Grace’s eyes filled with tears, but this time, they were tears of joy. "You already are, Dominic. He hasn't stopped talking about you. He wants to know if you can teach him how to build a real snow fort."
Dominic smiled, a genuine, radiant expression that erased seven years of lines from his face. "I can do that. I can do anything you want me to."
