Chapter 8 - The Aftermath in the Sunroom
Two weeks later, the rain had finally stopped, replaced by a crisp, golden autumn afternoon that warmed the glass panes of the sunroom at the Moretti estate.
Cecilia Moretti sat in a comfortable wingback chair, wrapped in a pale blue cashmere shawl, sipping chamomile tea from a delicate bone-china cup. Her color was back, and her hazel eyes—though tired—were clear and sharp as she watched the autumn leaves drift across the manicured lawn.
Leah Mercer sat on the opposite sofa, wearing a simple cream sweater and black slacks, her hospital bag packed and sitting neatly by the door.
The door opened, and Gabriel walked in. He had changed out of his usual charcoal business suits into an open-collared white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his forearms. The dark circles under his eyes were gone.
“The federal prosecutor’s office just finalized the paperwork,” Gabriel said, walking over to pour himself a cup of tea. “Victor Sayegh has been formally charged with financial fraud, extortion, and the attempted murder of an elderly citizen. His assets have been seized, and his legal team is currently competing to see who can confess first.”
Cecilia gave a soft, satisfied huff, setting her teacup down on the saucer with a gentle click. “It took you long enough, Gabriel. Your grandfather would have had him tied to the back of a truck by lunchtime.”
Gabriel smiled—a genuine, rare smile that completely transformed his face. “Times have changed, Nonna. We use federal indictments now. It’s cleaner.”
He turned his gaze toward Leah.
“And as for you, Nurse Mercer,” Gabriel said, walking over and stopping beside the sofa. “The hospital board at Mercy General called me this morning. They said you’ve been marked absent for two weeks, and they wanted to know if you were ever coming back.”
Leah looked up at him, her heart doing a strange, unfamiliar flutter against her ribs. “I assume you told them I was busy doing pro bono work for a billionaire’s grandmother?”
“I told them you’d been appointed as the director of the Moretti Family Foundation’s medical outreach program,” Gabriel corrected smoothly, pulling a heavy silver key card from his pocket and placing it gently on the glass coffee table between them. “A full salary, a newly renovated clinic on the north side, and security detail that ensures nobody ever bothers you in a parking garage again.”
Leah stared at the key card. She looked at Cecilia, who gave her a conspiratorial wink over the rim of her teacup.
“And if I say no?” Leah asked, raising an eyebrow with a teasing smile.
May you like
Gabriel leaned down slightly, his slate-gray eyes locking onto hers with intense, undivided warmth.
“Then I’ll just have to keep hiring you as my private nurse every time I jump into a canal,” Gabriel whispered, his voice dropping into a register meant only for her. “And trust me, Nurse Mercer... the water is freezing this time of year.”
