Chapter 21 - Returning to the grand funeral hall before sunrise Salvatore finds his faithful bullmastiff still standing guard over the small white child casket in absolute silence.
Before retiring to his suite hours earlier, Salvatore had made one final pilgrimage back to the grand funeral hall.
The building was locked and dark, illuminated only by the faint amber glow of emergency exit signs overhead.
Brun had walked straight to the small white casket, refusing to leave his post even as the midnight hour approached.
The massive Bullmastiff stood in absolute silence beside the wooden box, keeping a vigilant, protective watch.
Salvatore had placed his hand gently on the dog's head, whispering words of gratitude that only they understood.
It was an image of unfathomable loyalty that transcended human bonds, forged in the fires of shared survival.
That kind of loyalty could never be bought with foreign wire transfers or corporate executive titles.
It was earned through blood, respect, and uncompromising protection when the world turned cold and dark.
Standing there in the quiet chapel, Salvatore knew that the soul of his family remained unyielding and unbroken.
The white casket would be laid to rest in the private family mausoleum as the first morning light broke.
And then, the true reckoning against the international conspirators across the Atlantic would officially commence.
The memory sustained him as he closed his eyes in his bedroom, embracing the fleeting hours of rest.
Outside, the storm clouds finally parted, allowing pale moonlight to wash over the sprawling Chicago landscape.
The American flag fluttered steadily in the crisp morning breeze, greeting a new day of absolute power and order.
Salvatore breathed deeply, his chest rising and falling in perfect synchronization with his sleeping canine protector below.
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The throne was secure, the traitors were purged, and the Sterling name remained untouchable.
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