Chapter 2 - The Scratches on the Stone
Mr. Moretti stopped right in front of the little girl. The terrifying reputation he carried across the city meant nothing in this moment as he crouched down to her eye level.
His dark eyes softened as he looked at Lily’s small, shaking frame.
"For what, little one?" Mr. Moretti asked softly, his deep voice carrying a strange, gentle warmth. "Why are you apologizing for getting hurt?"
Lily held her stuffed rabbit closer, pointing a tiny finger down at the raised threshold. "Miss Evelyn said the floor costs more than my mommy makes in a month. She said my heavy brace is a nuisance."
Anna trembled near the doorway, bowing her head in shame and fear. "I'm so sorry, sir... I'll buff out the scratch myself during my break."
Mr. Moretti reached out, his tattooed fingers gently brushing a stray lock of blonde hair behind Lily's ear. Then, he adjusted his posture and examined the threshold closely.
His eyes narrowed. Beneath the fresh, faint streak left by Lily’s brace were dozens of deep, jagged grooves and splintered wood edges. This threshold had been dangerous for months.
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His gaze shifted slowly from the wooden beam up to Evelyn Crane, whose smug smile was beginning to waver.
👉 What did Mr. Moretti notice sticking out of the black clipboard on the kitchen counter?
