Chapter 4 - The Ghost from the Past
Two weeks passed in a blur of rigorous routine and quiet transformation.
Under Naomi’s care, Titan changed dramatically. She replaced his heavy iron chain with a soft leather lead, implemented positive reinforcement protocols, and took him on long daily walks through the dense woodland surrounding the estate. The cut above his eye healed cleanly, leaving a faint white scar that matched the rest of his battle-worn skin.
More importantly, Titan’s hypervigilance began to thaw. He no longer growled at the groundskeepers, and he had learned to sit quietly by Naomi’s side while she read on the terrace.
Belvin watched the transformation from a distance. He was rarely at the estate during the day—his time consumed by high-stakes meetings, court appearances, and private operations in the heart of the city. But every evening, he returned to the estate, and every evening, he found himself drawn to the library where Naomi and Titan spent their hours.
They established a strange, unspoken truce. Naomi would report on Titan’s progress, and Belvin would provide updates on Maya’s medical condition. The young girl was responding remarkably well to the Swiss immunotherapy, her white blood cell count stabilizing for the first time in eight months.
On a rainy Tuesday night, Naomi was sitting in the estate’s study, reviewing Titan’s behavior logs, when Belvin walked in. He looked exhausted. His tie was loosened, his dark hair slightly disheveled, and the sharp lines of his face were drawn tight with stress.
Titan immediately trotted over, placing his large head against Belvin’s knee.
Belvin looked down in surprise, then slowly lowered his hand, stroking the dog’s smooth head. Titan let out a low, satisfied hum and closed his eyes.
"He missed you today," Naomi said softly from her armchair.
Belvin looked up at her, a bitter smirk touching his lips. "He’s the only one in this city who does."
"It’s hard to love a man who spends his life behind bulletproof glass," Naomi remarked gently, closing her notebook.
Belvin poured himself two fingers of scotch from a crystal decanter on his desk. He didn't sit down; instead, he walked over to the large bay window, watching the rain lash against the dark glass.
"It’s not glass that keeps people away, Naomi. It’s blood," Belvin said quietly. "My father was killed when I was twelve. Shot on the front steps of his home by a rival family. I took over the family business at twenty-two. In my world, if you show a single moment of vulnerability, they tear you to pieces."
"Like dog fighting," Naomi murmured, stepping up beside him, Titan following her every step.
"Exactly like dog fighting," Belvin agreed, looking down at her. "Which is why I respect Titan. He survived the pit, but he still knows who his master is."
"He doesn't view you as his master, Belvin," Naomi said, using his first name for the first time. "He views you as his pack. There’s a difference."
Belvin’s eyes softened, his gaze dropping to her lips before returning to her eyes. The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly, heavy with a sudden, suffocating heat that had nothing to do with the fireplace burning in the corner.
Before Belvin could speak, the double doors of the library burst open.
Leo stepped inside, his face pale, holding a encrypted satellite phone.
"Boss," Leo said, his voice clipped andurgent. "We have a problem at the docks. Warehouse four was hit."
Belvin’s demeanor shifted instantly. The tired, contemplative man vanished, replaced in a heartbeat by the cold, calculating mafia lord.
"Who did it?" Belvin demanded, his voice flat as ice.
Leo hesitated, glancing briefly at Naomi. "It was the Moretti syndicate. But boss... the man leading the raid wasn't Moretti."
"Speak, Leo," Belvin growled.
"It was Julian Vance," Leo said softly. "He’s back from Chicago."
Naomi froze. The breath caught in her throat, a cold, violent wave of nausea washing over her.
Julian Vance.
The decanter in Belvin’s hand stayed motionless, but his knuckles turned white. "Julian Vance is supposed to be dead. I put two bullets in his chest four years ago."
"He survived, boss," Leo said grimly. "And he’s taking back his old territory. He left a message on the warehouse wall."
Naomi stepped back, her hands trembling uncontrollably. Titan immediately sensed her distress, pressing his heavy head against her side, uttering a deep growl.
Belvin noticed her sudden shock immediately. He turned to her, his dark eyes narrowing like a hawk’s.
"You know that name," Belvin stated, it was not a question.
May you like
Naomi swallowed hard, her heart pounding against her ribs like a trapped bird.
"Julian Vance..." she whispered, her voice cracking. "Julian Vance is the man who framed my father for embezzlement six years ago. He destroyed my family."
