Chapter 10 - The Debt Repaid
Maria looked up at the towering, intimidating mafia boss. She pulled Leah behind her, slightly terrified of the powerful man who had ordered the raid.
"Thank you," Maria whispered, her voice shaking with immense gratitude. "Thank you for saving my life."
"I didn't save your life, Maria," Vincent said softly, a faint, genuine smile touching his lips. He looked down at the brave ten-year-old girl. "Your daughter saved mine. I am entirely in her debt."
He reached into his black suit jacket and pulled out a heavy, embossed business card. He handed it to Maria.
"You can't go back to your old life," Vincent stated firmly. "The Barones are finished, but you need a fresh start. By tomorrow morning, a two-million-dollar trust fund will be established in Leah's name. I am moving you both to a secure, private estate in the suburbs. You will have permanent security, and Leah's education will be fully funded at any academy she chooses."
Maria gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Mr. Moretti... I can't accept that. It's too much."
"It's not enough," Vincent corrected her. "Your daughter is a hero. Nobody will ever touch your family again."
Leah stepped forward, her light blue bow shining in the sun. She looked up at the mafia boss and smiled, completely fearless.
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Vincent and his son boarded a waiting helicopter, leaving the darkness of the mafia war behind them. Leah and Maria started their new, beautiful life, safe in the knowledge that they had earned the absolute protection of the city's most powerful man.
Do you think Vincent's punishment for the treacherous nanny was enough, or did she deserve a much harsher fate in the underworld?
