Chapter 49
Alessandro carried Livia up the grand staircase, the cinematic light casting long, protective shadows around them. He tucked her into her plush bed, pulling the soft covers up to her chin. He read her a story, his deep, raspy voice soothing and hypnotic.
When her breathing slowed and her eyes drifted shut, Alessandro gently closed the book. He pressed a warm, lingering kiss to her forehead.
"I love you, Daddy," Livia murmured sleepily.
"I love you more than life itself," Alessandro promised softly.
He stepped out into the hallway, quietly pulling the heavy oak door shut. The elite guards stationed outside nodded respectfully. Alessandro walked down the corridor toward his private balcony.
He stepped out into the cool night air, looking over the dark, sprawling expanse of his estate. The security floodlights cast a brilliant, pristine glow over the manicured lawns, completely devoid of any yellow tint.
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He leaned against the stone balustrade, the breeze shifting the loose strands of hair on his forehead. He had built an empire of blood and iron. He had executed traitors, burned rival compounds to ashes, and crushed international coalitions to secure his throne.
He was a monster to the world, a terrifying apex predator who ruled with absolute, sociopathic detachment.
