Chapter 19
The following morning, the news broke quietly through the underworld channels. The Moretti family had ceded their southern ports, and Bianca Moretti had vanished completely from high society.
She had not been murdered. True to his word, Alessandro had simply erased her. She had been stripped of her jewelry, her bank accounts, and her family name. She was dropped in a random, dilapidated city hundreds of miles away with nothing but the torn silk dress on her back and a heavily monitored warning that if she ever contacted her former life, the punishment would be fatal.
Alessandro sat in his pristine, sun-drenched office at the Rizzano estate. The bright, cinematic lighting illuminated the flawless marble and heavy mahogany furniture. He poured himself a glass of expensive bourbon, taking a slow sip.
The heavy oak doors opened softly. Rosalie stepped into the office, holding a silver tray with a cup of espresso. Her fair, rosy cheeks flushed slightly as she approached his desk.
"The new stylist just finished with Livia, Mr. Rizzano," Rosalie reported, her voice respectful and warm. "She gave her a beautiful, short bob. Livia absolutely loves it."
"Bring her in," Alessandro requested, a rare, genuine smile touching the corners of his lips.
Livia ran into the office a moment later, her new, stylish haircut framing her adorable face perfectly. The uneven, traumatic chops from the electric clippers were entirely gone.
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"Daddy! Look at my new hair!" Livia cheered, spinning in a circle.
Alessandro walked around his desk and scooped her up, his deeply masculine presence transforming into a fortress of pure, paternal love. "You look incredibly beautiful, my little bird."
