Chapter 1 - Shadows in the Living Room
The bright, sprawling living room of the Hale mansion was an oasis of white marble, crystal chandeliers, and tall arched windows overlooking rolling green estates. But despite its luxury, an icy tension hung heavy in the air.
Near the grand staircase, hidden partly in the deep shadows of the hallway, stood Roman Hale. Mid-thirties, tall, imposing, and dressed in a fitted navy suit with an open-collar white shirt, the mafia kingpin watched silently. His stoic, dangerous composure was razor-sharp, his dark eyes locked on the center of the room.
There sat Ethan Hale, Roman’s paralyzed twin brother, resting in a high-tech wheelchair. Ethan wore a light grey long-sleeve shirt and black trousers, a grey fleece blanket covering his motionless legs. For two years, top neurological specialists from across the world had declared Ethan completely brain-damaged, trapped in an unresponsive vegetative state following a tragic car accident.
Kneeling right beside Ethan was Claire Dawson, a warm-faced, plus-size woman in her early thirties. Her blonde hair was tied in a neat bun, and she wore a black housekeeping dress under a clean white apron. In one hand, Claire held a soft white cloth. In her other hand, she held a laminated alphabet board.
Roman stepped out abruptly from the shadows, his heavy shoes echoing against the marble floor.
Claire gasped violently, jumping back as her face drained of all color. She dropped the alphabet board onto Ethan’s lap, her hands trembling uncontrollably as she looked up into the formidable gaze of the most feared man in the city.
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"Mr. Hale... I wasn't doing anything wrong, I swear!" Claire cried out, her breathless voice laced with terrifying panic.
👉 Read on to discover what Roman saw on that laminated board that made his blood run cold.
