Chapter 4 - Shadows of the Past
By three o'clock that afternoon, Dr. Aris Thorne, the city’s leading pediatric orthopedic surgeon—a man who usually required a six-month waiting list—was sitting on the plush leather sofa in my private drawing room.
He had brought an array of diagnostic tools, soft physical therapy bands, and digital scanning tablets. Lily sat on the couch beside her mother, sipping warm chocolate milk that the kitchen staff had prepared with an excess of whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.
Dr. Thorne removed Lily’s rigid plastic-and-metal brace with gentle, practiced hands. I stood near the window, sipping black coffee, observing every movement.
"Who fitted this brace?" Dr. Thorne asked, his brow furrowed as he inspected the heavy plastic mold.
Anna spoke up nervously. "It was provided by the state clinic six months ago. We... we couldn't afford the custom adjustments at the private pediatric center."
Dr. Thorne sighed, gently rotating Lily's ankle. Lily winced slightly, but didn't cry. "This brace was designed for an adult ankle deformity, reduced down in scale," Thorne explained, his tone laced with professional disapproval. "It’s far too heavy, the hinges are locked at an improper angle, and it’s causing micro-fractures in her growth plate. She isn't just stumbling because of thresholds, Mr. Moretti. She’s stumbling because this brace is actively causing her muscle atrophy."
I felt a cold rage settle behind my ribs once more. "Can it be fixed?"
"Fixed? No. It needs to be thrown in the trash," Dr. Thorne said flatly. "She needs a lightweight carbon-fiber orthotic, custom-molded to her leg structure, coupled with six months of targeted physical therapy. With the right support, she won't even need a brace by the time she turns seven."
Anna let out a shaky breath, covering her mouth with her hand. "How much will that cost?"
"It costs nothing," I said before the doctor could answer. "It's already paid for."
Anna turned to me, her eyes filled with overwhelm. "Mr. Moretti, this is too much. You've already done so much today. I can't accept—"
"Anna," I interrupted gently. "When your late husband worked for my father's logistics network, he died protecting a shipment that kept this family alive. You never asked for compensation. You took a housekeeping job here to earn an honest living and keep your daughter safe. I didn't know about your husband's connection until I pulled your file an hour ago."
Anna froze. "You... you knew David?"
"I knew his name," I admitted softly. "My father was a hard man who didn't express gratitude easily, but he kept detailed ledgers of debts owed—not financial debts, but debts of honor. Your family was owed a debt that was ignored while I was managing international operations. That ends today."
Lily looked up from her chocolate milk, her little mouth covered in white foam. "Am I getting a new leg?"
Dr. Thorne chuckled, his harsh demeanor melting into a warm smile. "Not a new leg, sweetheart. A magic boot. It’s light like a feather, and you’ll be able to run as fast as a rabbit."
Lily’s eyes lit up. She lifted her plush stuffed rabbit. "Faster than Barnaby?"
"Much faster than Barnaby," Dr. Thorne promised.
While Dr. Thorne began taking digital 3D scans of Lily's leg, Marco stepped into the drawing room and gave me a subtle nod. I stepped out into the hallway, shutting the door quietly behind me.
"What did you find?" I asked Marco.
Marco handed me a leather-bound folder. "Evelyn Crane wasn't working alone, Boss. The $8,400 she embezzled from the household accounts wasn't just greed. She was transferring funds to a bank account linked to Don Carmine’s organization."
I stilled. Don Carmine was the head of the rival syndicate in the southern district—a man with whom I had maintained a tense, cold truce for three years.
"Carmine?" I asked, my voice dangerously calm. "Why would a rival boss care about eight thousand dollars from my domestic maintenance fund?"
"It wasn't about the money," Marco said grimly. "It was about access. Evelyn was accepting payments to funnel floor plans, security shift rotations, and staff background files to Carmine’s men. She was looking for a vulnerability in the estate."
I looked down at the folder, then back at the door where Lily’s laughter echoed faintly through the wood.
"They were looking for a way in," I whispered. "And they used an old, cruel woman and a little girl's broken leg to keep everyone looking the other way."
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"What are your orders, Boss?" Marco asked, his hand resting near his holster.
"Tell the men to double the perimeter guard," I replied, my eyes hardening into steel. "And tell Don Carmine’s liaison that I want a meeting tonight at the neutral docks. It’s time to settle all outstanding accounts."
