The formidable Aiden Romanov

Chapter fifteen

Aiden sighed, feeling a weight lift off his shoulders. “I had tried so hard to make it work, for Zia’s sake, but it only made it worse.”

Lorenzo reached across the desk, taking Aiden's hand. “I can only imagine what you went through all those years. I will make sure they pay in my own way. You don’t have to worry about caring for Zia alone anymore, Aiden. Here you have me to help you protect Zia and give her the life she deserves.”

Aiden nodded, feeling a sense of relief. “Thank you, g-grandfather,” he stammered, still getting used to calling him Grandfather.

Lorenzo smiled, a warmth in his eyes that Aiden hadn’t seen before. “We’re family, Aiden. And family sticks together. Now let me answer some of your questions.”

Patriarch Lorenzo's study was filled with the ambient glow of a warm evening, the golden light spilling through the tall windows. Lorenzo leaned back in his chair, reached into a drawer, and pulled out a worn leather-bound photo album, its edges frayed with age. He