Chapter 15 - Dawn Over the Estate
The morning sun broke over the eastern horizon, washing the grand facade of the Moretti mansion in golden light and turning the dew on the sprawling lawns into glittering diamonds. The air was crisp and cool, carrying the faint scent of pine and wet earth from the surrounding woodlands. I walked down the sweeping marble staircase with my medical bag slung over my shoulder, my boots clicking softly against the stone steps. The mansion was preternaturally quiet, the nervous tension that had gripped the hallways for days replaced by a sense of calm order and renewed discipline.
At the base of the stairs, Leo Romano stood waiting, dressed immaculately in his black suit and black shirt. His imposing frame was relaxed, his arms crossed lightly over his chest as he watched me descend. There was no hostility in his gaze now, only a quiet, professional respect that had been forged in the fires of our shared investigation. As I reached the last step, he dipped his head in a subtle gesture of farewell.
"The car is waiting by the front fountains, Dr. Rossi," Leo said, his deep voice carrying a tone of genuine warmth. "I'll make sure your bag is placed securely in the trunk. If you ever need anything—transportation, assistance, or just a quiet word—you know who to call."
"Thank you, Leo," I replied, offering him a small nod. "You kept things from falling apart when everything else was collapsing. I appreciate that."
"Just doing my job, Doctor," he said simply, turning to lead the way toward the massive double doors of the front entrance.
As the heavy doors swung open, the bright morning light flooded the entryway, chasing away the last remaining shadows of the weekend. Stepping out onto the stone veranda, I saw Dante standing near the edge of the terrace. He wasn't in his wheelchair this time; instead, he stood upright, leaning slightly against a heavy carved stone balustrade for support, wearing a dark wool coat over his white dress shirt. The extensive tattoos on his hands were visible as he rested them against the stone, his posture firm and unyielding as he looked out over his restored domain.
He turned his head as I approached, a faint, respectful smile touching the corners of his mouth. "You're leaving before the estate fully wakes up, Camilla. I had hoped to offer you a proper breakfast before you drove back into the city."
"I think it's better this way, Dante," I said, stopping a few feet away from him and taking a breath of the fresh morning air. "The city has its own rhythm, and my patients will be wondering where their nurse has been."
"I understand," Dante said, stepping closer with a slow, deliberate stride that proved his strength was returning day by day. He extended a hand toward me, his grip warm, firm, and steady. "You saved my life, Camilla. More than that, you showed me who I could trust when my own world was crumbling around me. That is something I will never forget."
"Just take your medicine, follow the diet plan I left on your desk, and stay away from suspicious floral arrangements," I teased gently, feeling the tension of the past forty-eight hours finally dissolve into the morning breeze.
"You have my word," Dante replied, his dark eyes holding mine with absolute sincerity.
May you like
I turned and walked down the steps of the veranda toward the waiting car, the gravel crunching softly beneath my shoes. Leo opened the passenger door for me, and I slid into the comfortable leather seat, tossing my medical bag onto the floorboards. As the engine purred to life, I looked back one last time through the rearview mirror. Dante was still standing on the terrace, watching the car with a quiet, commanding presence, a man who had reclaimed his empire and his life.
I shifted the car into gear and pulled away from the grand estate, driving down the long, tree-lined driveway toward the highway and the rising sun. The weekend of secrets, poison, and fear was behind me, and as the open road stretched out ahead, I felt the steady, reassuring weight of my own life returning to my hands.
