Chapter 12 - The Last Moretti Secret
Victor had not been kidnapped.
That fact hurt.
Again.
Vivian stared at the footage.
“Why would he go willingly?”
Evelyn knew.
“Because Mercer has something he wants.”
“What?”
Evelyn looked at her daughter.
“Freedom.”
Victor had spent fifteen years trapped by guilt, blackmail and fear.
Mercer had been his lawyer.
His confidant.
The man who helped structure every desperate loan.
The man who knew exactly how to manipulate him.
Edmund opened the recovered ledger.
“Mercer’s name isn’t here.”
“Because lawyers hide behind clients,” Gabriel said.
Evelyn nodded.
“He designed the network legally.”
Vivian understood.
Salvatore had been the muscle.
Pike the money.
Mercer the structure.
The Architect.
“Where would Dad go?”
Evelyn whispered, “Home.”
The Moretti mansion had been empty since the wedding.
They arrived before noon.
Victor’s car was outside.
Vivian entered alone despite Edmund’s objections.
“Dad?”
No answer.
She found him in his study.
Mercer stood beside the fireplace.
No gun visible.
Victor sat behind the desk.
“Vivian.”
She looked at her father.
“Why?”
Victor placed the contract down.
“Because I started this.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Mercer smiled.
“At least someone is finally honest.”
Victor ignored him.
“When your mother created Aurelia, I needed legal help.”
“Mercer.”
“Yes.”
“I showed him everything.”
Mercer had introduced Victor to Salvatore.
Then helped turn Aurelia’s investigation structure into a laundering mechanism.
By the time Victor understood, he was implicated.
“You weren’t just blackmailed,” Vivian said.
“No.”
“You were guilty.”
“Yes.”
That single word hurt more than excuses.
“How guilty?”
“I signed documents.”
“Did you know people were being moved?”
“Not at first.”
“And later?”
Victor cried.
“Yes.”
Vivian closed her eyes.
“Why didn’t you go to police?”
“Cowardice.”
No excuse.
No protection.
Just truth.
“I was afraid of prison. Afraid of losing you. Afraid of losing your mother.”
“And you lost everything anyway.”
“Yes.”
Mercer clapped slowly.
“Touching.”
Vivian looked at him.
“What do you want?”
“The contract.”
“Why?”
“Because it contains the last legal transfer.”
“Of what?”
“Moretti Shipping.”
Vivian frowned.
“It’s worthless.”
Mercer smiled.
“No. Its routes are worth billions.”
Victor stood.
“I brought the contract.”
“Dad.”
“But I didn’t bring what he needs.”
Mercer’s smile disappeared.
Victor tore the contract in half.
Mercer drew a gun.
Edmund appeared in the doorway.
“Bad decision.”
Mercer aimed at Vivian.
Edmund stopped.
“Gun down.”
“No.”
Mercer laughed.
“This woman has been worth more trouble than both families combined.”
Vivian looked at Victor.
“Dad.”
His eyes met hers.
For once, no fear.
Victor stepped between the gun and his daughter.
Mercer fired.
Edmund fired almost simultaneously.
Mercer fell.
Victor fell too.
“Dad!”
Vivian dropped beside him.
Blood spread across his chest.
“No. No.”
Victor struggled to breathe.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t.”
“I should have been brave sooner.”
“Save it. Tell me later.”
He smiled faintly.
“You sound like your mother.”
“Dad.”
“Vivian.”
His hand found hers.
“The company is yours.”
“I don’t care.”
“You should.”
“Why?”
“Because your mother changed it.”
Evelyn entered.
Victor looked at her.
“You finished it?”
She nodded through tears.
Victor smiled.
“Good.”
His eyes closed.
Vivian screamed for him.
Paramedics arrived.
They worked.
Minutes stretched.
Then a medic shouted.
“We have a pulse.”
Vivian nearly collapsed.
Victor was rushed to surgery.
Mercer survived too.
In federal custody.
The Architect had finally been identified.
But the story was not finished.
While Victor underwent surgery, Gabriel found something inside the torn marriage contract.
A microfilm strip.
Hidden in the binding.
Victor had known.
It contained the final list of accounts.
And one handwritten instruction.
Vivian read it.
IF MERCER FALLS, PROTOCOL RED BEGINS.
Below it:
TARGET: VIVIAN COSTA.
Edmund looked at the hospital corridor.
Every light suddenly went out.
Then the emergency doors locked.
May you like
Someone had activated Protocol Red.
From inside the hospital.
