Chapter 9 - The Debt Repaid
Luca knelt down on the ruined marble floor, right in front of the sobbing widow.
He gently took Rosa's frail, shaking hands in his.
“Rosa,” Luca whispered, his voice incredibly soft and filled with genuine, profound sorrow. “I am so incredibly sorry. I failed Frank. I failed to protect him in my own home. But I promise you, the people who did this to him will never see the light of day again.”
Rosa nodded slowly, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand. The crushing weight of the lies had finally been lifted. She knew the truth. Frank hadn't been drinking. He hadn't been reckless. He had died an honest man.
“You are never working another day in your life, Rosa,” Luca declared firmly. “Frank’s pension is tripled. The mortgage on your house is completely paid off as of tonight. You will have private security outside your home, and you will never want for anything ever again.”
Rosa let out a beautiful, relieved sob, squeezing Luca’s hands. “Thank you, Mr. Luca. Thank you.”
Luca stood up and turned his sharp gaze toward me.
I stiffened, terrified that I had overstepped by exposing his brother. I fully expected to be fired on the spot.
Instead, Luca walked over to me.
“Claire,” Luca said, his voice ringing with absolute respect. “You stood up to a monster to protect a grieving widow. You risked your own livelihood because it was the right thing to do.”
I swallowed hard. “I just couldn't let her treat Rosa like that, sir.”
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“You are exactly the kind of loyalty this family actually needs,” Luca smiled, a rare, genuine expression. “You are no longer a housekeeper, Claire. As of tomorrow morning, you are the Head Estate Manager. You will oversee all operations, your salary is quadrupled, and I will personally cover every single medical bill for your brother’s recovery.”
👉 What happens to the treacherous family members, and how does the story end?
