Chapter 7 - A New Foundation
The following weeks felt like stepping out of a dark tunnel into blinding sunlight.
Stellan moved us out of the cramped apartment in Bridgeport and into a secure, sunlit penthouse overlooking Lincoln Park. He hired the best private tutors, medical specialists for Fern’s weak lungs, and provided every comfort imaginable. But more than the luxury, it was his presence that changed everything.
The feared mafia boss of Chicago turned out to be a surprisingly gentle father figure. Every evening, no matter how late meetings ran, Stellan would return home, wash his hands meticulously, and spend an hour reading bedtime stories to Fern while she played with his fingers.
One evening, as I stood in the kitchen brewing chamomile tea, strong arms wrapped around my waist from behind.
"You're working too late again, Nora," Stellan’s warm breath brushed against my neck.
"I'm just organizing the grocery receipts," I smiled, leaning back against his chest. "Unlike you, I'm used to keeping track of every penny."
Stellan turned me around in his arms, his gaze tender and intense. "You don't ever have to worry about money again, Nora. Everything I have belongs to you and Fern. Do you understand that?"
"Stellan... we're not..." I hesitated, feeling my heart race against my ribs.
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"Not what?" He raised an eyebrow, a rare, teasing smile playing on his lips. "Not a family? Because looking at the way Fern screams whenever I leave the room, and the way you look at me when you think I'm not paying attention... I'd say we're much more than business partners."
My face burned crimson. I couldn't deny it. Over the past few weeks, the cold, untouchable boss had completely melted away in front of us, replaced by a man who loved my daughter as his own and looked at me with a devotion that terrified and thrilled me in equal measure.
