Chapter 10 - THE DEED
The next morning, the estate was completely transformed.
The white tents were gone. The florists had packed up.
The heavy, oppressive atmosphere that Vanessa had draped over the house for months had vanished with her.
I knocked on the heavy oak door of Luca’s study.
“Come in.”
I opened the door.
Luca was sitting behind his desk, wearing a simple gray sweater. He looked exhausted, but peaceful.
Aunt Teresa was sitting in the leather armchair by the fire, reading a children’s book to little Leo, who was curled up against her side.
When Luca saw me, he stood up immediately.
“Julia. How is your shoulder?”
“Much better today, sir,” I lied smoothly, though the sling was still tight.
I walked forward and placed a small stack of folded uniforms on his desk.
“I came to return these,” I said quietly. “And to collect my final paycheck.”
Luca looked at the uniforms.
Then he looked at me, his brow furrowing.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m resigning, Mr. Moretti.”
My throat felt tight. “The wedding is canceled. You don’t need extra staff anymore. And after everything that happened… I think it’s best I move on.”
Teresa stopped reading. Leo looked up at me with sad eyes.
Luca walked around his desk until he was standing inches away from me.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thick, sealed envelope.
He handed it to me.
“Open it,” he commanded softly.
My hands shook as I broke the seal.
Inside wasn’t a paycheck.
It was a property deed.
I read the address. I read it twice, sure my eyes were playing tricks on me.
“Mr. Moretti…” I gasped. “This is… this is my mother’s apartment building.”
“Not just her apartment,” Luca corrected gently. “The entire building. I bought it this morning. It’s fully paid off, and the deed is in your name.”
Tears instantly blurred my vision. “I… I can’t accept this! It’s worth millions!”
“You can, and you will,” Luca said firmly. “You saved my nephew’s life. You saved my family’s legacy. Your mother will never have to worry about rent or medical bills ever again.”
I covered my mouth, a sob escaping my lips.
“Thank you,” I whispered, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of his generosity.
But as I pulled the deed fully out of the envelope, something heavy clattered onto the floor.
It was an ancient, tarnished brass key.
I bent down and picked it up. It was heavy, ornate, with a strange floral pattern carved into the bow.
I looked up at Luca in confusion.
“What is this?”
Luca’s expression shifted. A deeply vulnerable look crossed his face.
“That,” Luca said softly, “is the reason I really called you in here today.”
He turned to Teresa. She gave him a gentle, encouraging nod.
“Julia,” Luca said, stepping closer. “When I ran the background check on you to make sure Vanessa hadn’t hurt your mother, I found something. Something you never told me on your resume.”
My heart skipped a beat.
“Come with me,” Luca said.
He didn’t lead me to the front door.
May you like
He led me toward the sealed, locked double doors at the end of the long hallway—the West Wing greenhouse.
A room that hadn’t been opened in eighteen years.
