CHAPTER TWENTY #2
They looked at Concetta, and then at Dante, recognizing the unvarnished truth in the matriarch’s words, even if it offered no easy, sentimental comfort.
There was nothing anyone at that table could say or do to erase the grief of Flora’s death.
It would always remain a permanent, foundational part of their shared history.
And yet, the reality was openly acknowledged, laid bare over the brunch table, accepted as they all continued, together, trying to move forward into the light.
By late November, Dante’s steady, unyielding patience finally won out.
The logistics were finalized, the staggering amount of equipment and personnel had been relocated, and Cassia, having run out of logical arguments against a ten-minute commute, finally agreed to surrender her apartment.
She relocated into the penthouse alongside the rest of the Fazzari family.
The building itself was an extraordinary, breathtaking feat of architecture and engineering.
Located on the precise border between the bustling heart of the city and the quieter, sprawling outskirts, it was a twelve-story monolith of dark, reinforced glass and steel.
To the outside world, it looked like an ultra-luxurious corporate high-rise.
Inside, it was a self-contained, heavily fortified compound.
On her first official day off after the move, Dante took Cassia on a full tour of her new reality.
They stepped into the private, biometric-secured elevator in the main lobby. Dante scanned his thumbprint, and the sleek stainless-steel doors slid shut.
"The bottom three floors," Dante explained, his hand resting comfortably on the small of her back as the elevator began its rapid, silent ascent, "function as the operational core of Fazzari Industries.
Boardrooms, executive offices, secure meeting spaces.
The legitimate business continues largely uninterrupted down there.
You will rarely, if ever, need to step foot on those levels. "
"Good," Cassia muttered drily. "I have enough corporate bureaucracy to deal with at the hospital."
Dante chuckled. The elevator chimed softly.
"Floors four and five are dedicated to recreation. We installed a full gym, pickleball courts, an indoor pool, and various play spaces for the family’s downtime.
If you ever need to burn off the adrenaline from a shift, the gym is stocked with professional-grade equipment. "
"And punching bags?" Cassia asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Three of them," Dante confirmed, his eyes dancing with amusement.
"Floor six is devoted to entertainment. We built a fully equipped home theater complex, a full bar, and an expansive party space. It’s not quite a nightclub, but it serves as a sophisticated game room and social lounge capable of comfortably seating around twenty guests. "
"I don't have twenty friends, Dante," Cassia pointed out.
"My aunts talk enough for twenty people," Dante reasoned effortlessly. "But there is also a smaller, much cozier theater room tucked into the back, reserved for intimate family movie nights. From the seventh floor upward, the building shifts into private family territory."
The elevator continued its climb, the digital display ticking higher.
"Floors seven through nine are the security and operational logistics hub," Dante continued, his tone shifting into something slightly more serious.
"Tactical rooms, planning spaces, and the living quarters for Zoran and his core team.
Given the nature of our responsibilities, they need to remain close at hand at all times. But more importantly for you..."
Dante tapped a button on the panel, and the doors slid open to reveal the eighth floor.
Cassia stepped forward, her pale blue eyes widening in genuine shock.
Tucked within the heavily guarded security levels was a fully equipped, state-of-the-art medical wing.
It looked cleaner and vastly better funded than her own trauma bay at Central Hospital.
There were sterile observation rooms, an operating theater, fully stocked pharmaceutical cabinets, and advanced monitoring equipment.
"I wanted to ensure that any medical needs within the family, or our operations, could be addressed immediately, without ever needing to risk an external hospital," Dante said softly, standing behind her.
"It is fully yours to command, Cassia. If you ever want to run your own private practice, the infrastructure is already here. "
Cassia walked slowly past the gleaming stainless-steel counters, speechless.
The sheer scale of the resources at his disposal, and the fact that he had built a hospital floor specifically to align with her life’s work, was staggering.
The building functioned less like a single residence and more like a sovereign nation woven together under one roof.
"Come," Dante murmured, taking her hand. "Let me show you our floor."
They stepped back into the elevator. The doors opened on the tenth floor.