Chapter 4 LORD MONTANARI

Carmine's POV

The low purr of the engine was the only sound that filled the car. I sat in the back seat next to my daughter. Her small frame was rigid and stubborn, as she crossed her arms tightly across her chest, her face turned away from me staring out the window.

The driver, up front remained silent as he navigated the streets with ease. I glanced at her, taking in the unyielding glint in her eyes. She was only eight, yet she had already mastered the art of silent rebellion.

We continued the drive in silence for what felt like hours, the tension between us as palpable as the steady hum of the engine. She had run off to some place without informing anyone, and the panic I felt when I realized she was gone had only just begun to subside.

And this was not the first time. Just last week, she had gone out of the house with the housekeeper without asking me for permission and if she hadn't had bodyguards assigned to her, she would have been taken away by that vile woman.

Today also, she had run away from school, and it had taken quite a bit of effort to find her at a mall some distance away from her school.

Finally, I broke the silence. "What did I say about going out without permission, Lilianna?" My voice was calm, measured. Even though I felt angry. I couldn't take it out on her, so I kept it tightly in check.

She didn't turn to look at me, but I could see her shoulders stiffen. "You said not to," she muttered, her voice barely even audible.

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "And yet, here we are," I said softly. I wanted to say more, to lecture her about the importance of rules and safety, but I held back. The look on her face told me she already knew all of that. What I needed to find out was why she had gone in the first place.

After a few moments of silence, I took a deep breath. "You know why I don't want you going out like that," I began, my voice gentler now. "It's not just about rules. It's about keeping you safe."

She turned slightly, her eyes meeting mine for the first time since we got in the car.

"There's someone out there," I continued, choosing my words carefully. "Someone who wants to hurt you. Until we figure out who they are and stop them, you need to stay in the mansion where it's safe. Do you understand?"

She still wasn't aware that the last housekeeper had attempted to kidnap her.

Her eyes widened, but then she huffed and lifted her chin arrogantly. "I can handle them," she said, her voice trembling despite her arrogant demeanor. "I'm not scared."

I stared at her, a mixture of pride and frustration welling up inside me. This girl!

She had none of her mother's gentle cautious nature. If her mother were here maybe she would be a bit more cautious before diving head first into danger.

This wasn't something she could do. I opened my mouth to reply, then decided against it.

There were some lessons that words couldn't teach.

The car came to a stop in front of the mansion. The butler stood at the entrance, waiting for us. As the driver opened the door, I stepped out first, then turned to help her out.

"Let's go inside," I said quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off and stomped loudly into the house. I watched her go, a tired sigh escaping my lips.

As I closed the car door, Antonio approached with his usual quiet efficiency. "Good afternoon, Mr. Moretti," he said with a slight bow. "I received two messages from Sir Lorenzo today. He said he couldn't get to you."

I nodded, gesturing for him to continue.

"Firstly, there has been some complication with the shipment from Marseille. The details are in your study," Antonio said, his tone solemn. "Secondly, Mr. Romano requested an urgent meeting regarding the new terms. Sir Lorenzo has stated he will attend to Mr. Romano, but asked to bring the issue to your attention."

I frowned. The shipment issue was quite troubling. "Anything else?" I asked.

Antonio's stern expression softened slightly. "The new housekeeper has arrived, Sir."

I raised a brow. "Oh."

I paused at the door, my hand resting on the polished handle. From inside, I could hear Lilianna's laughter-something that had become a rare sound recently.

My brows raised as I pushed the door open.

In the living room, Lilianna was animatedly chatting with a young woman, her hair bouncing as she spoke. A young woman with long black hair listened to her attentively with a warm smile on her face.

Presumably, this was the new housekeeper. She was this young?

I had left the employment of the new housekeeper to Antonio to look for and had only confirmed her background without paying attention to her age. It didn't matter much, though.

I took a step into the drawing room.

"Lilianna-"

The housekeeper seemed to notice and looked up. And as soon as she saw me, all the color drained from her cheeks. She stood up abruptly almost hitting a vase beside her.

Lilianna noticed me and beamed. "Daddy, meet Rosa. She's really nice!"

I raise my brows at Lilianna's words. She was no longer holding a grudge?

I stared intently at the young woman, noting her presence with a curt nod. "Follow me," I said to her.

I turned to Antonio "Take Lilianna to her room. Make sure she stays there until dinner."

Antonio nodded. "Of course, sir. Come along, Miss Lilianna."

Lilianna face fell, and she glared at me, but she obediently took Antonio's hand. "Okay, Daddy," she said softly, casting a longing look at the housekeeper as she was led away.

I turned and headed toward my study, not bothering to check if the new housekeeper was following. She would either keep up or she wouldn't. I reached my study and I pushed the door open stepping inside.

"Come in and take a seat," I said without looking at her, taking my seat behind the large mahogany desk. I glanced up briefly to see her standing hesitantly by the door, her dark eyes wide with nervousness. She looked like she was about to faint.

I frown.

"We have some matters to discuss. Or you do not want the job?"

She shook her head, hastily stepping inside and closing the door softly behind her. She sat down on the edge of the chair opposite me, her hands twisting together in her lap.

I leaned back in my chair, regarding her with a neutral expression. She was here to do a job, nothing more. If she could handle it, she'd stay. If not, she'd be replaced. Either way, my focus remained on the business at hand.

"Let's get this over with," I said, my voice cold and efficient.