Chapter 1 - The Four O'Clock Shadow
The grand marble hallway of the Falcone estate was silent except for the heavy, rhythmic footsteps of Dante Falcone.
Dante, a late-30s handsome mafia boss in a sharp black suit over an unbuttoned black shirt, paused abruptly during his daily four o'clock walk. Warm light from the gold wall sconces flickered across the gold-framed portrait of his late wife hanging near a bouquet of fresh white roses. Behind him, armed guards in dark suits stood rigid along the corridor.
Dante turned around slowly, his piercing dark eyes locking onto a tiny figure standing just steps behind him.
Three-year-old Sophia, wearing a pink floral dress, white socks, and blonde pigtails tied with pink bows, stood innocently on the polished marble floor.
A few feet away, Rosa Bennett—a young 20s maid in a black housemaid dress with a white apron and her brunette hair pulled back in a neat bun—gasped in pure terror, her hands trembling as she clutched her apron.
"Mr. Falcone... please forgive her! She doesn't know!" Rosa pleaded in a terrified whisper, bowing her head in sheer panic as she expected the ruthless Don to snap.
Instead of ordering his men to throw them out, Dante slowly crouched down to eye level, his icy expression softening just a fraction as Sophia stepped forward without a shred of fear, reaching her tiny, warm hand out to touch his cheek.
"Why were you following me, little one?" Dante asked in a low, soft rumble that echoed through the silent corridor.
Sophia smiled sweetly, looking straight into the feared mafia boss's eyes. "Because you look lonely when you walk alone."
Dante froze, his eyes shifting toward his late wife's portrait as emotional shock washed over his hardened features. "Lonely...?" he whispered softly.
Sophia leaned closer to Dante's ear, placing her little hand beside her mouth as she whispered a quiet secret while Rosa watched in agonizing terror from behind.
"My mommy cries at four o'clock too," Sophia whispered clearly.
Dante’s jaw clenched tight as he slowly turned his gaze directly onto Rosa, his voice dropping into an intense, quiet rumble: "Rosa... is that true?"
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Before Rosa could answer, Dante stood up to his full height, his unreadable, powerful eyes fixed on the trembling maid as he uttered a chilling, decisive command: "Starting today, neither of you will ever walk alone again."
👉 Read Part 2 to discover why Rosa cried every day at four o'clock.
