Chapter 2 - The Banquet of Whispers
Within ten minutes, our humble table with its solitary plate of spaghetti was transformed into an extravagant feast fit for royalty. Silver platters arrived in the hands of four nervous waiters who bowed politely every time they set down a dish. Fresh rolls, grilled colossal shrimp, golden fries, and a towering chocolate cake topped with spun sugar and sparkling birthday candles crowded the white linen.
Tyler's eyes were wide as saucers. ""Mommy, are we allowed to eat this?""
""Go ahead, kid,"" Jack said softly, his voice warmer than anyone on that terrace had ever heard it. ""Everything on this table belongs to you.""
Tyler didn't need to be told twice. He dug into the steak with pure childhood wonder, his earlier humiliation entirely forgotten.
I, however, couldn't swallow a single bite. My hand gripped my cheap handbag in my lap, feeling the heavy burden of the past twenty-four months pressing against my ribs. I looked across at Jack Romano. Up close, I could see the resemblance to Leo—the straight bridge of the nose, the stubborn set of the chin. But where Leo had possessed a gentle, artistic warmth, Jack wore the invisible armor of a man who dealt in blood and territory.
""Why now, Jack?"" I asked beneath the low hum of the bay breeze. ""Leo hated the empire. He walked away from millions of dollars because he didn't want his son raised under armed guard.""
Jack leaned back, resting his elbows on the wooden armrests. ""Because Miami has changed, Anna. The men who took Leo from us—the Corvo syndicate—they've spent the last six months buying up waterfront properties. They are looking for the remainder of Leo’s private assets. Leo didn't just leave you with memories; he hid the offshore deeds and trust fund keys under an alias only his true heir could unlock.""
The blood drained from my face. ""He never told me.""
""He wouldn't. He wanted you clean,"" Jack explained, his dark eyes never leaving Tyler. ""Every Tuesday for two years, I sat at this table, hoping Leo’s ghost would give me an answer. I kept this waterfront view empty of my usual bodyguards so people would think I was vulnerable, baiting Corvo's scouts. I never dreamed you would walk right onto my terrace.""
""We took the city bus,"" I whispered, feeling the absurdity of it all. ""We walked three miles from the terminal.""
Jack smiled faintly, though it was laden with sorrow. ""That’s why no one tracked you. You lived like a ghost. But Steven made a scene today. Look around you.""
I glanced over my shoulder. The wealthy patrons who had sneered at me ten minutes ago were now furiously typing on their smartphones. Two men sitting near the street exit were murmuring into lapel microphones before hastily throwing cash onto their table and slipping past the velvet ropes.
""Corvo's spotters,"" Jack said flatly. ""They didn't know who you were when you arrived. But they know who Tyler is now. Nobody gets served my private cellar vintage and sat at my right hand unless they share Romano blood.""
My heart pounded violently against my ribs. ""Tyler is in danger?""
""Not while he is breathing my air,"" Jack said coldly. He pulled out a black encrypted phone, tapped three times, and brought it to his ear. ""Marcus. Bring the armored Suburbans around to the back dock. Lock down the perimeter. We're moving the family to the estate.""
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Tyler looked up from his chocolate cake, his mouth covered in brown frosting. ""Mommy, does Uncle Jack have a big boat?""
Jack chuckled, the hard lines around his mouth softening completely. ""Bigger than you can imagine, kiddo. Come on. Your birthday party is just getting started.""
