Chapter 4 - The Night the Mansion Went Dark
The darkness lasted less than two seconds before emergency lights glowed red along the hallway.
For Elena, it felt much longer.
“Nora.”
She reached for the bedroom door.
Luca caught her wrist.
“Wait.”
“My daughter is inside.”
“And that's exactly why you wait.”
He pulled out his phone.
No signal.
That was wrong.
The estate had redundant cellular boosters.
Luca pressed the security button on his watch.
Nothing.
“Stay behind me.”
He opened Nora's door.
The bed was empty.
Elena made a sound Luca would remember for the rest of his life.
“Nora?”
They rushed inside.
The blankets had been pushed aside.
The window remained locked.
Then came a tiny voice from beneath the bed.
“Mommy?”
Elena dropped to her knees.
Nora crawled out clutching her rabbit.
“The lights scared me.”
Elena pulled her into her arms.
Luca closed his eyes briefly.
Safe.
Then footsteps sounded in the corridor.
Daniel appeared with two security officers.
“Backup generator was manually disabled.”
“Phones?”
“Jammer somewhere on the property.”
“Find it.”
Daniel nodded.
“Someone breached the west service gate ten minutes ago.”
Luca looked toward Nora.
“Move Elena and Nora to the safe room.”
Elena protested.
“No.”
Luca turned.
“I won't lock my daughter inside some room while you disappear.”
“Elena—”
“If someone wants us, I need to know why.”
Luca respected the answer even though he disliked it.
“You stay with Daniel.”
“What about you?”
“I finish this.”
The intruder never reached the house.
Security found an abandoned vehicle near the western wall.
Inside were gloves, tools and a laptop.
The laptop contained copies of Luca's corporate financial records.
More importantly, it contained a scheduled transfer.
Thirty-two million dollars.
Victor Sloane planned to move it offshore the following morning.
Luca finally understood the urgency.
Victor wasn't trying to frighten Elena.
He was cleaning up before disappearing.
By dawn, Luca had assembled his attorneys, forensic accountants and security team.
Harland agreed to cooperate in exchange for legal counsel and consideration from prosecutors.
The evidence grew rapidly.
Victor had forged Luca's authorization on dozens of transactions.
He had built shell companies.
He had bribed vendors.
And Harland had used frightened estate employees as cover.
Luca could have confronted Victor immediately.
Instead, he waited.
At 8:45 a.m., Victor walked into Moretti Holdings believing he was beginning another normal business day.
At 9:02, Luca entered the boardroom.
Victor smiled.
“You're early.”
“So are you.”
Luca placed the stained white shirt on the table.
Victor stared at it.
“What is that?”
“The reason you're finished.”
Victor's smile vanished.
Luca slid a folder across the table.
Bank transfers.
Forged signatures.
Security footage.
Harland's statement.
Victor didn't touch it.
“You have no idea what you're doing.”
“I know exactly what I'm doing.”
“You'll destroy your own company.”
“No.”
Luca leaned forward.
“I'm removing the people who thought my silence made me stupid.”
Victor's expression hardened.
“You think Harland will save you? He'll say anything.”
“He doesn't need to.”
Luca tapped the folder.
“The numbers do.”
Victor stood.
The boardroom doors opened.
Federal investigators entered with Luca's attorneys.
For once, Victor Sloane had nothing to say.
The scandal erupted before lunch.
News outlets surrounded the headquarters.
Employees panicked.
Investors called.
Luca spent fourteen hours stabilizing the company.
But at 11:20 that night, instead of remaining in his penthouse office, he returned home.
He walked into the kitchen.
Nora sat at the table eating pancakes.
“Pancakes?”
Luca checked his watch.
“At midnight?”
Nora nodded.
“Mommy says today was weird.”
Elena stood at the stove.
“It was an emergency.”
Luca removed his jacket.
“Clearly.”
Nora pointed to the chair.
“You can have one.”
Luca sat.
Elena placed a pancake in front of him.
For several minutes, the most feared businessman in the city ate midnight pancakes with his housekeeper and her three-year-old daughter.
Nobody asked about millions of dollars.
Nobody mentioned reporters.
Nora simply pushed the syrup toward him.
“You need more.”
May you like
Apparently, she was right.
And Luca realized he couldn't remember the last time his enormous house had felt this much like a home.
