Domenico Falcone stepped into the atrium and froze at the sight of his daughter on the floor

Upstairs, the atmosphere was entirely removed from the chaos of the atrium below. The corridor was silent, bathed in soft, warm light from the wall sconces. Domenico carried Ruby down the long hallway, stopping outside the master suite. He gently set her down on her feet, holding her small hand in his heavily tattooed one.

"Are you okay, little bird?" Domenico asked, his voice low and incredibly gentle.

Ruby looked up at him, her fair, rosy cheeks still streaked with tears, but her breathing had steadied. She nodded slowly, her small fingers wrapping tightly around his thumb. "Is the bad lady gone, Daddy?"

"She is gone," Domenico promised, kneeling down to be at eye-level with her. "She will never come back to this house. I swear it to you."

He reached out and smoothed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Despite the explosive violence he had just committed, his hands were steady and warm. "Come. Let's go see your room."

He stood up and pushed the heavy oak door open. Inside, the massive master bedroom was pristine, but completely devoid of Ruby’s belongings. The toys, the books, the small child-sized furniture had all been stripped away, leaving only the cold, adult elegance of Valentina's design.

Domenico’s jaw tightened, the negative space tattoos on his neck shifting as he gritted his teeth. He turned his head, looking down the hall toward the row of expensive travel suitcases parked near the railing.

"Tony," Domenico called out softly.

A bodyguard immediately stepped out from the shadows of the stairwell. "Yes, Boss."

"Take those suitcases," Domenico said, speaking slowly and deliberately. "Bring them into this room. Unpack every single item belonging to my daughter. Put everything exactly where it was before I left for the council meeting."

"Right away, sir," the guard nodded, moving swiftly to execute the order.

"And Tony," Domenico added, his sharp eyes flashing with a cold light. "When you are done, take everything else in the adjoining dressing room—every gown, every piece of jewelry, every pair of shoes belonging to my former wife—and throw it into the incinerator behind the garage."

The guard paused for a fraction of a second, registering the absolute finality of the command. "Burn it all, Boss?"

"Every thread," Domenico confirmed softly.

He walked into the bedroom, guiding Ruby to the large bay window that overlooked the estate's sprawling front courtyard. He picked her up, resting her on his hip, and looked down through the reinforced glass.

Below, the heavy iron gates of the estate were sliding open. A black luxury SUV sped down the driveway, its taillights glowing bright red in the dark night. Valentina and her brother were fleeing the grounds, carrying with them the ignition spark for a massive, multi-state syndicate war.

"Look at the lights, Ruby," Domenico murmured, his voice a low, comforting hum against her ear. "The monsters are running away."