Chapter 4 - Unraveling the Threads
The silence in the study fractured into sharp, jagged pieces. Dominic rose slowly from his chair, his tall frame towering over the child, yet his movements were measured so as not to frighten her. He knelt on one knee until he was eye-level with Lily.
"Show me, Lily," he said softly, the harsh edge of the mafia boss completely absent from his tone.
With trembling fingers, Lily pointed a small, pink-nailed finger at the plastic tube nestled inside Mr. Buttons. Dominic reached out, his calloused fingers—scarred from decades of violence—gently pulling the object free from the synthetic stuffing.
He held it up to the light. It was an identical twin to the syringe resting on Dr. Thorne's tray. Both bore the same blue crescent moon logo stamped onto the plastic barrel—a specialized batch of pharmaceutical-grade compound, unmarked and untraceable.
Dominic stood up slowly, the transition from gentle protector to ruthless syndicate leader happening in the space of a single breath. His eyes locked onto Dr. Aris Thorne.
"Explain," Dominic said. The single word carried the temperature of an avalanche.
Aris stepped backward until his spine hit the mahogany bookshelves. "Dominic... it’s a mistake. A mix-up in the medical supplies—"
"You told me this compound was a custom restorative peptide," Dominic interrupted, his voice dangerously quiet. "Imported exclusively for my regimen. So why is an identical dose hidden inside a child's toy in the nursery?"
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Before Aris could stammer a defense, Marcus Vance stepped in, his expression tight and defensive. "Dominic, the doctor is rattled. The girl is hallucinating, or the maid put it there. You can't listen to the rambling of a four-year-old child over established medical protocol."
"Marcus," Dominic said without turning around. "Shut your mouth."
