Chapter 7 - THE ABANDONED CHURCH BASEMENTGrace got the job.
Not because Dante ordered it.
He deliberately stayed out of the interview.
She earned it.
Hospital administration experience.
Strong references.
A gap after Nathan’s illness.
Nothing unusual.
Within two weeks, the company offered her a position.
The salary would not make her wealthy.
It would make rent possible.
That was enough.
Dante also arranged temporary housing through a church-affiliated program, but only after Grace confirmed it was available to other families too.
“No special mansion favors,” she told him.
“You are extremely difficult to help.”
“I’m aware.”
Eli grinned.
Rosalie loved Grace.
That surprised Dante.
Maybe it shouldn’t have.
Grace spoke to Rosalie like an adult without pretending she wasn’t a child.
One afternoon Rosalie asked:
“Were you friends with my mom?”
Grace looked at Dante.
He nodded.
“Kind of.”
“What was she like?”
Dante felt the familiar pain.
Grace smiled.
“Funny.”
Rosalie looked surprised.
“My dad says she was elegant.”
“She was.”
“And funny?”
“She made fun of your dad.”
Rosalie’s eyes lit up.
“What did she say?”
Grace glanced at Dante.
He folded his arms.
“Careful.”
Grace laughed.
“She said he thought expensive suits counted as a personality.”
Rosalie burst out laughing.
Dante shook his head.
“Your mother was cruel.”
Grace smiled.
“She loved you.”
“I know.”
The room softened.
Rosalie asked:
“Did she ever talk about me?”
Grace became quiet.
“All the time.”
Dante looked at her.
Grace continued.
“She worried about raising you around powerful people.”
“Why?”
“Because powerful people can accidentally teach children that needing help is weakness.”
Dante’s chest tightened.
That sounded like Isabella.
Exactly.
Rosalie looked toward Eli.
“He asks for help.”
Eli shrugged.
“I have to.”
Grace touched his shoulder.
“No shame in that.”
Dante thought about his own life.
How many years had he treated asking as weakness?
How many times had he confused control with protection?
May you like
Rosalie’s condition was forcing those questions open.
Eli had only knocked.
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