Chapter 8 - The True Owner
Papa G wiped his flour-covered hands on his apron, bowing his head respectfully. "Mr. Cain. I... I apologize. I should have intervened."
Wesley looked at the older man. "You hesitated because you were afraid of the consequences to your business. I understand that. But courage requires action."
Wesley reached into his pocket and pulled out a heavy set of keys. He placed them on the nearest table.
"This building is fully paid off," Wesley told Papa G. "The deed will be transferred to your name by morning. You no longer pay rent. But you will make Cora a full fifty-percent partner in this restaurant."
Papa G gasped, his eyes wide with shock. "Sir... I... thank you! Yes, absolutely!"
Cora’s jaw dropped. "Wesley, no, I can't accept that! It's too much!"
"It’s exactly what you deserve," Wesley said, looking down at her with a gentle, reassuring smile. "You have worked tirelessly in a world that took everything from you. It’s time you owned a piece of it."
Wesley didn't ask for a date. He didn't demand a kiss. He respected her trauma too much to push. He simply nodded, turned around, and walked out the front doors into the cold Boston night, leaving her safe and entirely free.
Over the next six months, everything changed.
Thaddius was never seen or heard from again. Cora used the money from the cowardly patrons to completely remodel Il Farro, turning it into the most exclusive, successful restaurant in the North End.
And every Thursday night, at exactly 7:00 PM, table 6 was always reserved.
Wesley would come in quietly. He would order his red wine. But he didn't sit alone anymore. When her shift was over, Cora would take off her apron, sit across from the terrifying mafia boss, and smile—a real, genuine smile that reached her eyes.
May you like
The waitress and the king of the Boston underworld. The man who had watched from the shadows, and the woman who finally learned she never had to stand alone again.
Do you think Wesley's punishment for Thaddius was justified, or did the mafia boss go too far by sending him away forever?
