Chapter 2 - The Command

The silence in Room 402 was heavy, broken only by the rhythmic beeping of the heart rate monitor.
Mr. Gallo took a slow, deliberate step forward, his polished leather shoes clicking against the hospital tiles.
Linda turned her head sharply in sudden panic. She gasped, frantically wiping her tear-stained face as she recognized her formidable employer standing over her. Her instincts kicked in, filled with terror that she would lose the only job keeping her child alive.
"Mr. Gallo..." Linda stammered, her voice shaking violently as she stood up trembling. "I—I swear I'll be back at work tomorrow morning! I cleaned the study... I just needed to check on him..."
Mr. Gallo didn't yell. He didn't scold her.
Instead, he reached the bedside and placed a heavy, reassuring hand firmly on Linda's shoulder, pinning her gently in place. His dark eyes burned with an unyielding, protective intensity.
He pulled out his high-end phone, tapping the screen once as he pressed it against his ear.
"Transfer one million dollars to this hospital immediately," Mr. Gallo spoke into the receiver in a deep, commanding tone that brooked no argument. "Get the head of pediatric surgery in this room within five minutes. If anyone asks, this child belongs to the Gallo family."
Linda stared at him in complete shock, her breath hitching in her throat.
Before she could process his words, a faint rustle came from the hospital bed.
Keo's heavy eyelids slowly opened. With trembling weakness, the small boy raised his thin hand, pointing his tiny finger directly at Mr. Gallo's tattooed arm.
Through his oxygen mask, Keo gasped faintly, his raspy whisper cutting through the room like a lightning bolt.
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"Mommy..." Keo whispered, his weak eyes wide with recognition. "...that's the man who saved me from the fire..."
👉 What tragic fire was the little boy talking about, and why had Mr. Gallo kept it a secret for years?