Chapter 4 - The Reunion in the Shadows
Inside the stark, sterile kitchen, surrounded by stainless steel counters and racks of copper pots, a young woman stood wiping down the heavy wooden prep table.
She wore a simple grey maid's uniform, her soft brown hair pulled back in a loose clip. Despite the exhaustion evident in her slumped shoulders, her grace was unmistakable.
Hearing the heavy door swing open, Sophia Carter turned around, wiping her soapy hands on her apron. "I'm almost finished, ma'am... I just need to collect my daughter—"
Sophia’s voice died in her throat. Her breath hitched, and the wet dishcloth slipped from her trembling fingers, hitting the floor with a soft thud.
Standing before her was Dominic. He was older, broader, his jaw lined with dark stubble, and his neck adorned with the dark tattoos of the syndicate supreme commander. But his eyes were the exact same eyes that had looked at her with unconditional love five years ago.
"Sophia..." Dominic breathed, his voice cracking with an emotion he hadn't felt in four years.
Sophia took a hasty step back, her hands flying to her mouth as tears instantly filled her dark brown eyes. She looked frantically from Dominic to Victoria, who stood glaring behind him, and then to little Lily, who was holding Dominic's hand without fear.
"Dominic..." Sophia whispered, her voice trembling violently. "Please... don't hurt her. She didn't mean to wander into the ballroom. I told her to stay hidden... I just needed the holiday pay for her medicine."
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Dominic crossed the distance between them in three heavy strides. Ignoring her soapy apron and the dirt on her hands, he cupped her face gently in his large, tattooed palms.
👉 Click to continue reading as Dominic uncovers the truth about Sophia's return.
