Page 87 of Sexted By a Stranger
With my support, she walked quickly to the painting, her fingertips lightly tracing the frame's edge, her gaze carefully taking in every detail, the corners of her mouth unconsciously lifting. The warm moment of their garden walk was perfectly captured by Leon—his talent was truly remarkable.
"You must have put a lot of thought into this." Sheila turned to me, her eyes full of emotion.
"I just wanted the framing to match Leon's talent and the beauty in the painting."
She leaned against my shoulder, her voice soft. "Luca, you always make beautiful things in life even more precious."
"Let's hang it on that wall." I pointed to the wall opposite the bed, which had an excellent position. "That way, the first thing you see when you wake up each day will be our happiest moment."
Wilson immediately understood, directing the workers to begin measuring and positioning. Sheila watched enthusiastically from the side, occasionally offering suggestions, her face glowing with satisfaction.
In the study, Lennox was reporting the latest developments.
"The three Brooklyn docks have been fully received. Core personnel have been reorganized under Tony's leadership. The accounts for two underground casinos and one loan shark operation in Queens have been tallied—funds will be transferred to the main account within a week."
I set down the documents and leaned back in my chair. "Lennox, I'm considering gradually shifting our core operations toward legitimate business over the next few years." I looked directly at him. "Sheila's concerns are valid. I don't want our child growing up in the shadow of guns and conspiracies."
The study fell into brief silence. Lennox pondered thoughtfully, his expression grave.
"Boss, I understand your and the missus's concerns. But the resistance will be enormous—the family elders will see this as betraying our heritage, potentially causing internal splits."
He continued his analysis. "Other families, especially the Angelos and the Bravatis, won't sit by and watch us go legitimate. Transitioning right after absorbing Frat might invite coordinated retaliation."
I listened silently, my knuckles lightly tapping the desktop.
Just then, the study door was gently pushed open.
Sheila peeked in, carrying two cups of tea. "Am I interrupting? Brought you both something hot."
"Perfect timing." I gestured for her to come in, taking the cup and setting it beside me. "We're discussing legitimizing the business. Want to hear your thoughts?"
Surprise, hesitation, and finally determination flashed through Sheila's eyes as she lifted her head to meet my gaze. "Luca, I understand your intentions, but if the cost is too high, I'd rather maintain the status quo. The baby's safety matters, but you matter more."
"Sheila…"
"I'm serious." She gently touched her belly, her gaze steady. "I worry because I want to be with you for a long time. But if this actually puts you in greater danger, makes me the one pushing you toward a bigger storm, that's not what I want. At least now you're safe."
"And about the child," she continued, "maybe we shouldn't decide their future right now." Her gaze moved to her belly, her hand lightly covering it. "Perhaps we shouldn't be the ones deciding for them now."
"Oh?" I set down my teacup, intrigued by her perspective.
"What we can do is give them a safe starting point. As for what path they'll take later, that should be their choice." Shesmiled slightly. "Who knows? Our child might be born loving adventure and find this kind of life interesting."
A mischievous glint flashed in her eyes.
"Even if they do choose this path, having you as a father would be an advantage, right?"
I nodded.
"We're still young, and the baby is still sleeping peacefully in my belly. The future is long—we don't need to rush into decisions that might create huge waves. We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Why limit ourselves now?"
"La mia stellina." Warmth flooded my heart as I pulled her into my embrace. She always brought new perspectives when I was confused.
"You're right," I kissed her hair softly. "We won't preset their life. They have the right to choose their own sky."
I looked up at Lennox. "This matter is shelved for now. First, stabilize Frat's territory and business, establish proper rules, and don't let Connor's bad habits linger. Also—" my tone turned cold, "make sure there's no possibility of resurgence."
"Understood, Boss."
