Chapter 1 - THE NIGHT THE MAFIA BOSS KNEELED
# THE MAFIA BOSS SAW HIS MAID KNEELING BEFORE HIS FIANCÉE—THEN HE KNEELED BESIDE HER
“GET ON YOUR KNEES AND APOLOGIZE!” THE MAFIA BOSS'S FIANCÉE SCREAMED, FORCING A YOUNG MAID TO PICK UP BROKEN GLASS IN FRONT OF TWO HUNDRED WEALTHY GUESTS. WHEN THE MAFIA BOSS ENTERED, EVERYONE EXPECTED HIM TO PUNISH THE SERVANT. INSTEAD, HE KNELT BESIDE HER, GENTLY REMOVED A SHARD OF GLASS FROM HER BLEEDING HAND, AND SAID FIVE WORDS THAT SILENCED THE ENTIRE BALLROOM.
“ON YOUR KNEES, EMILY!”
Vanessa Sterling's voice cut through the grand ballroom.
Two hundred guests turned toward the center of the room.
Emily Carter, a twenty-four-year-old maid, stood trembling beside a shattered champagne glass.
Her black-and-white uniform was stained with spilled wine.
“Mrs. Sterling, please. It was an accident.”
Vanessa stepped closer in her crimson evening gown.
“An accident?”
She pointed at the broken glass.
“YOU JUST RUINED A FIVE-THOUSAND-DOLLAR GOWN!”
Emily lowered her eyes.
“I'm sorry, ma'am. I'll pay for the cleaning.”
Vanessa laughed.
“With what? Your pathetic salary?”
A few guests exchanged uncomfortable glances.
Emily swallowed.
“I can have another maid clean the floor.”
“No.”
Vanessa grabbed Emily's wrist.
“You made this mess. You'll clean it.”
She shoved the young woman toward the shattered glass.
Emily stumbled and dropped to her knees.
A sharp fragment sliced across her palm.
She gasped.
Blood began dripping onto the white marble.
Vanessa folded her arms.
“Now apologize properly.”
Emily looked up.
“Please, ma'am. My hand—”
“I SAID APOLOGIZE!”
The ballroom fell silent.
Emily lowered her head.
“I'm sorry, Mrs. Sterling.”
Vanessa smiled coldly.
“Louder.”
Emily's voice broke.
“I'm sorry.”
“That's better.”
She turned toward the guests.
“Sometimes servants need to remember their place.”
Nobody laughed.
Emily reached for another piece of glass.
Her injured hand trembled.
A second shard cut her finger.
She bit her lip to keep from crying.
Then a deep voice came from behind the crowd.
“WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?”
Dominic Moretti had entered the ballroom.
Thirty-eight years old, tall and broad-shouldered, he wore a tailored black tuxedo.
The guests immediately moved aside.
Dominic was one of New York's most feared mafia bosses.
A man whose quietest words could silence an entire room.
Vanessa hurried toward him.
“Darling! Thank goodness you're here!”
She pointed at Emily.
“Your maid spilled champagne all over my dress and embarrassed me in front of everyone!”
Dominic looked past her.
He saw Emily kneeling on the marble floor.
Blood covered her fingers.
Broken glass surrounded her knees.
His expression changed.
Vanessa continued.
“I was just teaching her some discipline.”
Dominic didn't answer.
He walked toward Emily.
The guests held their breath.
Several expected him to shout.
Others thought he would fire her immediately.
Instead, Dominic stopped beside the young maid.
Then slowly lowered himself onto one knee.
A shocked murmur spread through the ballroom.
Vanessa froze.
“Dominic?”
He ignored her.
“Emily.”
The maid looked up, terrified.
“I'm sorry, sir. I'll clean everything.”
Dominic examined her bleeding hand.
“Don't move.”
He took a clean handkerchief from his pocket.
Then carefully removed a sharp piece of glass resting against her palm.
Emily winced.
“I'm sorry…”
Dominic gently wrapped the handkerchief around her wound.
His voice was quiet.
“STAND UP, EMILY. NO ONE KNEELS IN MY HOUSE.”
The entire ballroom went silent.
Emily stared at him.
“Sir?”
He offered his hand.
“You heard me.”
She hesitated.
“But Mrs. Sterling said—”
Dominic shook his head.
“I don't care what she said.”
He helped Emily stand.
Then turned toward his security chief.
“Marcus, call the doctor. And have someone clean this floor before another person gets hurt.”
“Yes, boss.”
Vanessa rushed forward.
“Dominic! You're humiliating me!”
He slowly faced her.
“Am I?”
“You're treating a servant like she's more important than your future wife!”
Dominic looked at Emily's bloodstained hand.
Then at Vanessa's expensive gown.
“ONE OF THEM IS BLEEDING. THE OTHER IS COMPLAINING ABOUT A DRESS.”
Vanessa's face reddened.
“You don't understand! She did it deliberately!”
Emily shook her head.
“No, sir. I was carrying a tray when someone pushed past me.”
Vanessa snapped:
“SHE'S LYING!”
Dominic raised his hand.
“Enough.”
He looked toward the guests.
“Did anyone see what happened?”
Silence.
Nobody wanted to get involved.
Vanessa smiled triumphantly.
“See? Nobody.”
Then a quiet voice spoke.
“I did.”
An elderly woman stepped forward.
Mrs. Eleanor Bennett, a longtime family friend, had been standing near the champagne table.
Dominic turned.
“What did you see?”
Eleanor hesitated.
Then looked at Vanessa.
“Emily was carrying the tray carefully.”
Vanessa's smile disappeared.
Eleanor continued.
“Someone bumped her elbow.”
Dominic frowned.
“Who?”
The elderly woman lowered her eyes.
“I couldn't see clearly.”
Vanessa immediately interrupted.
“There! It was an accident! Can we please move on?”
Dominic looked at Emily.
“Why didn't you tell me?”
The maid swallowed.
“Because I was afraid.”
“Afraid of what?”
Emily glanced at Vanessa.
Then quickly lowered her eyes.
Dominic noticed.
His expression hardened.
“Emily. Look at me.”
She slowly raised her head.
“You're not going to lose your job for telling the truth.”
Tears filled her eyes.
“Mrs. Sterling said if I embarrassed her tonight, she'd make sure I never worked in this city again.”
Vanessa gasped.
“That's ridiculous!”
Emily remained silent.
Dominic turned toward his fiancée.
“Did you threaten her?”
Vanessa folded her arms.
“I warned her to behave professionally.”
Dominic stared at her.
“By forcing her to kneel on broken glass?”
Vanessa stepped backward.
“She needed to apologize!”
Dominic's voice dropped.
“YOU COULD HAVE ACCEPTED AN APOLOGY WITHOUT MAKING HER BLEED.”
The guests began whispering.
Vanessa looked around, furious.
“You're all enjoying this, aren't you?”
Dominic turned toward Emily.
“Go with Marcus. Have your hand treated.”
Emily hesitated.
“Sir… there's something you should know first.”
Vanessa froze.
“Emily, don't.”
Dominic looked at the maid.
“What is it?”
Emily swallowed.
“The glass didn't fall by accident.”
The room went silent.
Vanessa's face changed.
Dominic slowly turned.
“What do you mean?”
Emily looked toward the champagne table.
“Mrs. Sterling told me to carry the tray through the center of the ballroom.”
Dominic frowned.
“And?”
“She told me not to take the service corridor.”
Vanessa interrupted.
“Because guests needed champagne!”
Emily continued.
“Then she told one of the security guards to move the velvet rope.”
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
“What rope?”
“The one separating the serving area from the guests.”
Emily looked down.
“When I passed her, she stepped directly into my path.”
Vanessa screamed:
“THAT'S A LIE!”
Emily flinched.
Dominic immediately stepped between them.
“Let her finish.”
The maid took a shaky breath.
“She grabbed the tray. I tried to hold it, but she pulled harder.”
Dominic stared at Vanessa.
“Why would you do that?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I didn't!”
Emily reached into her apron with her uninjured hand.
She removed a small folded card.
“Mrs. Sterling gave me this before the party.”
Dominic took it.
On the card was a handwritten instruction.
8:30 P.M. — BRING CHAMPAGNE TO CENTER BALLROOM. DO NOT USE SERVICE ENTRANCE.
Beneath it was Vanessa's signature.
Dominic looked up.
Vanessa had gone pale.
He turned toward Marcus.
“Check the ballroom security footage.”
Vanessa suddenly lunged forward.
“NO!”
Everyone froze.
Dominic stared at her.
“Why not?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“Because it's our engagement celebration! You're turning it into an interrogation!”
Dominic's expression remained cold.
“Then the footage should clear everything up.”
Marcus spoke into his earpiece.
A moment later, his phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
Then approached Dominic.
“Boss. We have the recording.”
Vanessa backed away.
Dominic took the phone.
The footage showed Emily carrying the champagne tray.
Vanessa stood beside the table.
As Emily approached, Vanessa deliberately reached out and pulled the tray toward herself.
The glasses shattered.
Then Vanessa pointed at the floor and ordered Emily to kneel.
Dominic watched silently.
His jaw tightened.
He turned the screen toward Vanessa.
“YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE.”
Vanessa began crying.
“Dominic, please…”
He stepped closer.
“Why?”
She shook her head.
“I was angry!”
“At what?”
Vanessa looked toward Emily.
“Because she thinks she can take my place!”
The room went completely silent.
Emily stared at her.
Dominic frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Vanessa wiped her tears.
“She keeps going into your father's study! She spends hours with your mother! Everyone in this house loves her!”
Dominic looked at Emily.
The young maid seemed just as confused.
Vanessa continued.
“Your mother even told me Emily belonged in this family more than I did!”
Dominic's expression changed.
“My mother said that?”
Vanessa nodded bitterly.
“Yes!”
Dominic turned toward Emily.
“Do you know why?”
Emily hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Sir… your mother asked me to bring you something tonight.”
Vanessa went completely white.
“EMILY, DON'T!”
Dominic slowly turned.
“What did my mother give you?”
Emily reached into her apron.
She removed a small velvet pouch.
Vanessa stumbled backward.
Dominic opened it.
Inside was an old silver locket.
He recognized it immediately.
It had belonged to his late father.
Dominic frowned.
“Why would my mother give you this?”
Emily swallowed.
“She said you should open it before announcing your wedding date.”
Vanessa's breathing quickened.
Dominic pressed the tiny clasp.
The locket opened.
Inside was a photograph.
His father.
Standing beside a young woman holding a baby.
Dominic stared.
On the back was a name.
EMILY CARTER.
He slowly looked at the maid.
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
“I didn't know, sir. Your mother only told me to keep it safe.”
Dominic examined the photograph again.
The baby had a small silver bracelet around her wrist.
He looked at Emily.
She wore the same bracelet.
Vanessa suddenly grabbed Dominic's arm.
“DON'T LISTEN TO HER! SHE'S TRYING TO TAKE EVERYTHING!”
Dominic removed her hand.
He stared at the photograph.
Then at Emily.
And finally, he looked directly at Vanessa.
His voice was low.
Controlled.
“NOW TELL ME WHO MADE HER DO THIS.”
Vanessa stopped breathing.
Dominic pointed toward the shattered glass.
“WHO TOLD YOU TO HUMILIATE EMILY IN FRONT OF TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE?”
Vanessa's lips trembled.
For several seconds, she said nothing.
Then she whispered:
“Dominic… your mother warned me what would happen if you ever discovered who Emily really is.”
Dominic froze.
“What does that mean?”
Vanessa looked at the silver locket.
Then whispered:
“SHE'S NOT JUST YOUR MAID.”
The ballroom fell silent.
And Dominic realized the young woman he'd just helped to her feet might be connected to a family secret his father had taken to the grave.
May you like
Read Chapter 2 in the first comment to discover why Dominic's father kept Emily's childhood photograph—and why Vanessa was desperate to humiliate her before the wedding announcement. Thank you for reading!
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