The Shattered Sunshine

Chapter 34 Comfort

Francesco POV

Morning comes, and I wake up to find my wife isn't by my side. The memory of yesterday's events lingers heavily in my mind. I head to the shower, the cold water barely washing away the frustration that still clings to me. After getting dressed, I decide to check on my treasure, Aurora. Her room is still quiet, untouched.

Descending the stairs, I see Amelia in the kitchen, her movements deliberate as she prepares breakfast. I approach her, wrapping my arms around her waist and pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Isn't she down yet?" I ask, my voice low with concern.

"She didn't come down," Amelia replies, her worry evident. She sets a plate of pancakes and a mug of hot chocolate on a tray. "I'm going to her room. She didn't eat dinner last night, and I'm getting more and more worried."

I nod, watching her leave with the tray in hand, the door closing softly behind her. My mind is only half on the breakfast in front of me, but the clatter of footsteps pulls me out of my thoughts. Elio appears, his face tense.

"The caretaker of Willow Creek Village is in Master Vincenzo's study room now," he reports.

A smirk tugs at the corner of my mouth. "Good," I mutter, pushing my chair back and standing up. I make my way to the third floor, my steps echoing in the silence. When I reach the study, I fling the door open, finding Silas Riverbend on his knees, begging for mercy.

Elio moves to stand beside me, handing over a file containing the man's information. I glance at it briefly—Silas, 48 years old, married to Elara, with three sons and two daughters. A man entrusted with the care of my son's village, now kneeling before me, pleading.

My eyes narrow as I turn my gaze to Silas. Rage simmers beneath my calm exterior, and my voice comes out as a low, dangerous growl. "My son trusted you with his land, with that village, and this is how you repay him? You extort them, starve them, and worse, you take away their livelihoods. You fire the men so they can't feed their families?"

My voice rises with each word until I'm shouting, unable to contain the fury that burns inside me. The image of Aurora's tear-streaked face flashes in my mind, and I feel my hands tremble with the urge to strike this man down.

Elio steps forward, placing a firm hand on my arm, grounding me in the moment. But the anger doesn't dissipate. My granddaughter, my precious treasure, was made to cry because of this man's greed. "That village," I choke on the words, tears prickling at the edges of my eyes, "that village made my granddaughter cry!"

I see Silas flinch, his face paling as he stammers out an apology. "I didn't mean to make her cry, I'm sorry, please forgive me, my lord."

I take a deep breath, trying to rein in the storm inside me. "It's not for me to forgive," I say coldly, "but know this—I can strip you of everything. You are fired, Silas. And we will see what my son decides to do to you when he hears that his only daughter cried, that she starved herself, reliving the horrors of her past because of your actions."

Silas crumples under my words, his body shaking with fear. I turn to Elio, my voice steady but filled with icy resolve. "Take him to the basement. Call Ettore."

Elio nods, his grip tightening on Silas's arm as he drags him out of the room. I watch them go, the door closing behind them with a heavy thud. I stand there for a moment, breathing deeply, trying to calm the anger that still thrums through me.

My granddaughter will never shed tears like that again. Not if I can help it.

After Elio drags Silas away, I stand in the dimly lit study, the silence pressing down on me like a weight. My thoughts whirl, filled with the image of Aurora's tear-streaked face, and the fury that still simmers beneath my skin. I can't shake the image of her locking herself away, refusing to eat, lost in the memories of her past. The helplessness I felt when I couldn't comfort her gnaws at me, fueling my determination to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again.