Chapter 3 - The Awakening of the Heart
Forty-eight hours after the night of the venomous slap, the sun rose brightly over the private medical wing of the Rossi estate.
Skyler Gallagher slowly opened her eyes.
Her head felt heavy, her throat dry as sand, but the burning agony in her face had faded into a dull, manageable ache. She blinked rapidly against the soft, warm sunlight filtering through the sheer silk curtains.
She wasn't in a hospital room.
She was lying in a king-sized canopy bed draped in Egyptian cotton sheets, inside a magnificent master suite adorned with warm oak paneling, fresh arrangements of yellow roses, and soft velvet sofas.
Sitting in a leather armchair right beside her bed was Dominic Rossi.
He was fast asleep, his head resting slightly back, dark shadows beneath his eyes showing he hadn't slept in two days. His designer jacket was thrown over the back of the chair, his crisp white shirt unbuttoned at the collar.
Skyler stared at him in complete disbelief.
The most feared syndicate boss in the city—a man whose name made billionaires tremble—was sitting vigil beside a maid’s bed.
She shifted slightly, trying to sit up, but a sharp wince escaped her lips.
Instantly, Dominic’s eyes snapped open.
In a fraction of a second, the tiredness vanished from his face, replaced by intense, overwhelming relief. He leaned forward, taking her hand gently in both of his.
"Skyler," he breathed, his voice rough and soft. "Don't move. Stay still."
"Mr... Mr. Rossi..." Skyler croaked, her voice barely a whisper. "Where... where am I?"
"You're in my home," Dominic said softly, pouring a glass of fresh water from a crystal carafe on the nightstand and holding the straw to her lips. "Drink slowly."
Skyler took a few desperate sips, feeling the cool water soothe her burning throat. She looked at him with wide, confused hazel eyes.
"Mrs. Rossi..." Skyler gasped, her memory rushing back in a terrifying wave. "Is Carmela okay?! Did Bianca—"
"My mother is completely safe, Skyler," Dominic interrupted gently, placing his broad hand over hers to calm her trembling body. "She hasn't left the chapel downstairs, praying for your recovery. You saved her."
Skyler let out a long, shuddering breath, sinking back into the soft pillows. "Thank God..."
Dominic stared at her, his dark eyes filled with a complex, powerful emotion she couldn't quite read.
"Why did you do it, Skyler?" Dominic asked softly. "You knew who Bianca was. You knew the power her family held. Why did you throw yourself in front of that strike?"
Skyler looked down at their joined hands, feeling the contrast between her soft, calloused fingers and his powerful, scarred grip.
"Because Carmela was kind to me," Skyler whispered, tears pricking her eyes. "In a house where everyone looked through me like I was invisible glass... she remembered my name. She asked if my feet hurt. She gave me warm tea on cold nights. I didn't care who Bianca was. I wasn't going to let anyone hurt a defenseless old woman."
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Dominic’s chest heaved slightly. He leaned closer, pressing his forehead gently against the back of her hand.
"You are the most incredible woman I have ever met," Dominic murmured, his voice laced with absolute sincerity. "And from this day forward, no one in this world will ever make you feel invisible again."
