Chapter 6 - The Betrayal Inside the Gates
Josephine did not run.
Gabriel wanted her to.
She could see it.
But he remembered his promise.
Help.
Don't take over.
So he stood beside her.
Leo entered from the hall.
"Library."
Josephine nodded.
"Police?"
"On the way."
"Staff?"
"Secured in the kitchen wing."
"Good."
They moved together.
The library door stood open.
A man waited inside.
He was in his sixties.
Elegant.
Silver-haired.
No visible weapon.
Josephine knew immediately.
"Matteo."
He smiled.
"So much like Elena."
Gabriel's entire body hardened.
"My uncle."
"Hello, Gabriel."
"You let us bury you."
"It was useful."
Josephine stepped forward.
"Why are you here?"
Matteo looked around.
"To negotiate."
"No."
His eyebrows lifted.
"You haven't heard the offer."
"I don't care."
"You should."
Josephine remained silent.
Matteo smiled.
"Five million dollars."
Richard flinched behind her.
Matteo continued.
"Interesting number, isn't it?"
Josephine understood.
"The debt."
"The debt was never about money."
"Oak Haven."
"Oak Haven."
"Why?"
"Because your mother was sitting on something worth far more than she understood."
"She understood perfectly."
Matteo's smile faded.
Josephine continued.
"That's why you couldn't get it."
"Elena was stubborn."
"She was smart."
"She was sick."
Josephine felt something old ignite.
There it was again.
The assumption.
Illness meant weakness.
A large body meant weakness.
Gentleness meant weakness.
Matteo had built his entire plan around underestimating women like Elena and Josephine.
"That was your mistake," Josephine said.
"What?"
"You thought being sick meant she couldn't beat you."
Matteo's expression cooled.
"And you believe you've beaten me?"
"No."
Josephine glanced toward Victor.
"We documented everything."
Matteo's eyes shifted.
"Copies?"
"Many."
"Where?"
Josephine smiled.
"That's the point of copies."
Gabriel almost laughed.
Matteo didn't.
He stepped toward Josephine.
Gabriel moved too.
Josephine lifted one hand.
He stopped.
Matteo noticed.
"So she trained you."
Gabriel's voice was quiet.
"No. I finally learned."
For the first time, Matteo looked genuinely irritated.
Sirens sounded faintly outside.
Matteo turned.
"You called authorities."
Josephine nodded.
"Of course."
"You think this ends with paperwork?"
"I hope so."
Matteo laughed.
"Your mother hoped the same."
Josephine's expression changed.
"What does that mean?"
Matteo realized he had said too much.
Gabriel saw it.
"So you were involved."
"In what?"
"Elena's medical care."
Matteo looked toward the window.
That was enough.
Margaret stepped from the hallway.
"I knew it."
Matteo froze.
"Maggie."
"You remember me."
"Unfortunately."
Margaret held up her phone.
Recording.
Matteo smiled.
"I haven't confessed to anything."
"No," Josephine said. "But you've confirmed you knew details you shouldn't."
Sirens grew louder.
Matteo's composure finally fractured.
He moved toward the side door.
Leo blocked it.
"No."
Matteo stopped.
Then smiled again.
"You really think I'm the biggest problem in this room?"
Josephine frowned.
Matteo looked past her.
At Richard.
Richard went pale.
"What did you do?" Josephine asked.
Her father whispered, "I'm sorry."
"For what?"
Richard reached into his coat.
Gabriel moved instinctively.
But Richard didn't produce a weapon.
He produced a flash drive.
"I gave him copies."
Josephine stared.
"Copies of what?"
"The trust documents."
"When?"
"Years ago."
Matteo smiled.
"Your father was always useful."
Richard looked sick.
"I thought the second trust had been destroyed."
"But it wasn't."
"No."
Josephine's disappointment was almost quieter than anger.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I was ashamed."
"That isn't good enough."
"I know."
Police vehicles entered the driveway.
Matteo glanced toward the window.
Then toward the hidden library shelf.
Josephine saw it.
"He knows another exit."
Gabriel moved.
Matteo was faster.
He pulled the shelf open and disappeared into the passage.
Leo followed.
Gabriel started after him.
Josephine grabbed his sleeve.
"You're injured."
"He's getting away."
"The police are outside."
"Josephine—"
"Stop trying to solve everything alone."
Gabriel stared at her.
Then stopped.
That decision changed something between them.
They let trained officers search the passage.
Matteo escaped through an old drainage tunnel beyond the estate boundary.
But the documents remained.
The witnesses remained.
The investigation had begun.
By morning, Oak Haven was surrounded by reporters.
Josephine hated it.
Gabriel offered to remove them.
She refused.
At noon, Josephine walked outside herself.
Cameras turned.
Questions erupted.
She raised one hand.
Silence gradually followed.
"This estate is my home," she said. "It also supports local businesses, workers, and families. There is an active legal investigation involving fraudulent claims against this property. I will cooperate fully."
A reporter shouted:
"Is your marriage part of the fraud?"
Josephine paused.
Gabriel stood inside the doorway behind her.
"No," she said. "My marriage is complicated enough without inventing crimes for it."
A few reporters laughed.
Josephine didn't.
"Did your husband abandon you here?"
Gabriel's face tightened.
Josephine considered the question.
"He left."
"Why?"
"You'll have to ask him."
She turned.
Gabriel was watching.
Later, he stepped outside.
Josephine listened from the foyer.
"Did you abandon your wife?" someone asked.
Gabriel looked directly into the cameras.
"Yes."
Josephine stopped.
"I believed leaving would protect her. I was wrong."
Another question.
"Is Mrs. Moretti dependent on your financial support?"
Gabriel almost smiled.
"No."
"Then what is her role in Oak Haven?"
Gabriel looked through the open doorway.
At Josephine.
"Ask her. It's hers."
Josephine felt something inside her shift.
Not forgiveness.
Not yet.
Respect, perhaps.
That night, Victor arrived with news.
"The court granted temporary protection over the trust assets."
Josephine exhaled.
"And Matteo?"
"Still missing."
Gabriel frowned.
Victor continued.
"There's something else."
He placed a document on the table.
A bank transfer.
Five million dollars.
Dated two days before Josephine's wedding.
Recipient:
Richard Caldwell.
Sender:
M. Vale Holdings.
Josephine stared.
"Matteo."
Victor nodded.
Her father hadn't merely owed money.
He had been paid.
Josephine stood.
"Where is my father?"
Nobody answered.
She walked toward his guest room.
Empty.
Window open.
Phone gone.
On the bed lay an envelope.
Josephine opened it.
Inside was a handwritten note.
Joey, I need to fix what I did.
Below it was an address.
Gabriel read over her shoulder.
His face changed.
"I know this place."
"Where?"
"Boston Harbor."
Josephine looked at the clock.
2:17 a.m.
Her phone rang.
Richard.
She answered.
"Dad?"
Breathing.
Then her father's voice.
"Josephine, don't come looking for me."
A second voice spoke behind him.
Matteo.
May you like
"Too late."
The call ended.
