Chapter 5 - The Glass Castle
At 11:30 PM, the convoy pulled into a private estate in Gold Coast, Chicago.
It wasn't just a house; it was a gated fortress surrounded by twelve-foot stone walls, security cameras, and private armed guards. The main mansion was a stunning white-marble estate overlooking Lake Michigan.
Giovanni carried a fast-asleep Lily upstairs into a massive, warm master suite that had been rapidly outfitted with plush toys, silk sheets, and a small adjoining bedroom.
I stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows of the study, watching the rain strike the glass, still wearing my purple dress.
Giovanni walked into the study, carrying two glasses of amber scotch. He handed one to me.
"I don't drink scotch," I said quietly.
"Tonight you do," he replied, taking a small sip from his own glass. "It takes the shock away."
I took a tiny sip. The liquid burned down my throat, but it brought heat back into my frozen chest.
"What are the rules of this fake marriage, Giovanni?" I asked, looking up at him. "Because I am a nurse. I have shifts at St. Jude’s tomorrow. I have a life."
"Rule number one," Giovanni spoke, leaning against the edge of his oak desk. "You and Lily live here. My security detail will escort you to your hospital shifts and bring you back. Rule number two: Tyler Vance will be financially dismantled by Friday. Rule number three: You wear that ring everywhere you go."
"And what do you get out of this?" I asked, stepping closer to him. "You give me protection, wealth, and safety. What does a mob boss get from a pediatric nurse?"
Giovanni set his glass down. He took one step toward me, his tall frame blocking the light from the fireplace.
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"I get to tell the Moretti family that I am unavailable," he said softly. "And for the first time in five years... I get to come home to a house that doesn't feel like a cemetery."
I looked into his eyes, seeing a deep, hidden sorrow beneath his cold exterior—a grief that mirrored my own broken past.
