Chapter 5 - Dawn on the Driveway
The gray light of dawn was just beginning to bleed over the wrought-iron gates of the Moretti estate when I stepped out onto the grand stone driveway. I carried a single canvas duffel bag containing my clothes and my service tablet, the screen locked and displaying the audio file of Vanessa's bribe safely stored in the cloud. The rain had started overnight, leaving the cobblestones slick and reflecting the pale morning sky.
Behind me, the heavy oak front doors of the mansion creaked open. I didn't turn around. I knew the silhouette standing in the doorway even before the heavy footsteps crunched against the wet gravel.
"Emma."
Mrs. Gable, the head housekeeper, stood with her arms folded across her severe gray cardigan, her face pinched into an expression of habitual disapproval. "Where do you think you're going? Mr. Moretti gave strict instructions that the staff remain on property until the board meeting."
"I'm leaving, Mrs. Gable," I said, my voice steady as I pulled the hood of my coat over my dark hair. "My contract was for housekeeping. I'm resigning."
"You think you can just walk out after causing a scene in the foyer?" A harsh voice cut across the courtyard from the side entrance. Vanessa appeared in a silk bathrobe, her blonde hair loose around her shoulders, her face pale and drawn without the benefit of studio lighting. She marched toward me through the drizzle, her bare feet stepping recklessly into the puddles. "You stole that dress from the family archives, and you're not leaving until security searches your bag."
"I didn't steal anything," I said, turning to face her directly. "Mr. Moretti knows exactly where it is. And he knows who put it in the laundry bin."
Vanessa’s face twisted into a mask of pure panic. She lunged forward, her fingernails clawing at the zipper of my canvas duffel bag. "Give me that bag, you little thief! You have no idea who you're dealing with—"
"Step away from her, Vanessa."
The voice cut through the morning air like a whip. Luca strode down the front steps, having shrugged off his suit jacket to reveal a simple black shirt rolled up at the forearms, exposing the dark ink sprawling across his hands. He didn't look at Vanessa as he walked past her, his dark eyes fixed entirely on me standing at the edge of the drive.
Vanessa stumbled back, her chest heaving as she glared between the two of us. "You're defending a maid over your fiancée? After everything my family has done for this estate?"
Luca stopped right in front of me, ignoring Vanessa entirely. He reached out and gently took the strap of my duffel bag from my shoulder, sliding it onto his own hand.
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"You're not leaving alone," Luca said, his voice low and firm, loud enough to carry across the damp courtyard. "We're going inside to talk to the board. And you're going to help me restore every single stitch of my mother's work."
I looked up into his eyes, the morning rain cool against my face, and for the first time since I stepped into the mansion, I didn't look away.
