Vittorio answered before Serena could.
He slid a signed contract across the table.
“Full-time, salaried, with benefits, housing included, starting today at 6:47 p.m. Witnessed by my housekeeper and four dependents. And Ms. Alvarez, if you want to see suitability, look at the table.”
Ms. Alvarez looked.
Four plates. Four forks. Four boys who had stopped throwing food and were defending the woman who fed them.
Daniel’s jaw worked.
“This is a setup,” he hissed. “She’s manipulating them. She manipulates everyone. Ask her about the money she took from my account—”
“You mean the joint savings you emptied the week you filed for shared custody?” Serena said, and suddenly her voice was not thin anymore. It was shaking, but clear. “I have the bank statements, Daniel. You took twelve thousand dollars and told the court I spent it. I have the transfer receipts. You forged my signature on the withdrawal slip. I didn’t show them because I didn’t want Lucia to know her father would steal from her.”
She pulled her phone from her blazer pocket with trembling fingers and held it out to Ms. Alvarez.
“Here. Look. Every text where he says he’ll drop the custody case if I agree to no child support.”
Daniel lunged for the phone.
Vittorio moved once.
He didn’t touch Daniel. He just stepped between them, and Daniel stopped as if he had hit glass.
“Do not,” Vittorio said, very quietly, “reach for her again.”
The kitchen went dead silent.
Daniel stared at Vittorio’s face and finally understood that the rumors about what this man could do were not rumors.
Ms. Alvarez took the phone, scrolled, photographed the screen with her own device.
Her mouth pressed into a hard line.
“Mr. Reyes, filing a false welfare complaint and providing doctored evidence to Family Services is a serious matter,” she said. “It will be noted in the hearing. I am also required to report suspected coercion regarding support payments.”
Daniel’s bravado collapsed all at once.
“This isn’t— you can’t— I’m her father!”
“You are,” Ms. Alvarez said. “And your daughter’s mother just secured stable, well-paid employment in a safe home where four children clearly feel safe with her after less than two hours. My recommendation will reflect that.”
She closed her clipboard.
“Ms. Valente, please have your daughter here for my scheduled home visit Friday. I think we’ll find everything in order.”
She left.
Daniel stood there, envelope shaking in his hand.
Vittorio opened the kitchen door.
“Get out of my house,” he said.
No threat. No raised voice. It was worse.
Daniel looked at Serena one last time, as if expecting her to soften.
