Chapter 14 - The Sovereign of the EstateThree weeks passed. The news of Gianna Moretti's sudden demise and the total consolidation of the Naples shipping ports under the Costa flag had sent shockwaves across Europe. No rival syndicate dared speak Damian Costa's name without quiet reverence.
Yet, inside the high stone walls of the cliffside estate, a far quieter transformation was taking place.
Tessa no longer lived in the guest cottage; she had been permanently relocated to a luxurious private apartment adjacent to the master suite on the third floor. She managed Beatrice's care with absolute authority, coordinating with top neurologists from Rome while continuing her daily, gentle routines that kept the old woman grounded and peaceful.
On a warm Thursday evening, Damian hosted a formal dinner in the grand reception hall for his senior captains and business partners from Milan.
Fifty powerful men in dark suits sat around the massive mahogany table. But at the head of the table, sitting directly to Damian’s right in an elegant emerald silk gown, was Tessa.
In the past, servants were invisible. Now, when Tessa spoke, the entire room fell dead silent.
Paul Ferrell leaned over to Damian’s left, whispering softly, "The Milan delegates were skeptical about a former housekeeper sitting at the head of the table, boss."
Damian didn't take his eyes off Tessa, who was currently laughing at a quiet joke shared with the estate's chief physician.
"And what did you tell them, Paul?" Damian asked smoothly.
"I told them that the last person who questioned her presence on this estate was buried in a unmarked grave in Pozzuoli," Paul replied with a dry chuckle.
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Damian raised his crystal wine glass, catching Tessa’s eye across the table. She looked stunning—the emerald silk complementing her porcelain skin and dark hair, her posture radiating a natural, quiet dignity that money could never buy.
She met his gaze, offering him a secret, radiant smile that belonged only to him.
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