Chapter 13 - The Wedding That Became a Trap
Margaret looked ordinary.
That was somehow worse.
No dramatic black gown.
No weapon visible.
Just a gray suit.
Silver hair.
Calm smile.
The woman who had shaped half my life from the shadows looked like someone’s elegant aunt.
“Amelia.”
“You killed my father.”
“He made his choice.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
“It’s the only one you need.”
Lorenzo stood beside me.
Not in front.
Beside.
Margaret noticed.
“You think he’s different?”
“Yes.”
“You barely know him.”
“I know enough.”
She laughed.
“Six women ran.”
“Because you threatened them.”
Her smile disappeared.
Good.
Federal agents waited outside.
Recording devices were active.
We needed Margaret talking.
She wanted the ledger.
I held it.
“You spent seventeen years looking for this.”
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“You sound like Thomas.”
“Thank you.”
That angered her more than any insult could have.
She told us everything.
Carlo had created Crown.
Vittorio discovered it too late.
Thomas helped Margaret hide transactions until his conscience changed.
He gathered evidence.
He planned to testify.
Margaret ordered his car sabotaged.
There it was.
The confession.
My father hadn’t fallen asleep.
He had been murdered.
I felt Lorenzo’s hand near mine.
Not holding.
Offering.
I took it.
Margaret noticed.
“You think love protects people?”
“No,” I said. “Evidence does.”
Marco stepped from behind the ballroom doors.
Margaret’s expression changed.
He held up a phone.
“Recorded.”
For the first time, she looked frightened.
Then gunfire erupted outside.
Margaret ran.
The ballroom descended into chaos.
Guests—actually undercover officers—moved.
Lorenzo pulled me behind a marble column.
Margaret escaped into the service corridor.
I followed before anyone could stop me.
Bad decision.
Very me.
She waited near the tunnel exit.
Gun in hand.
“Ledger.”
I held it up.
“You need my signature more.”
Her gun shifted.
“You finally understand.”
“Yes.”
She approached.
Then Lorenzo appeared behind me.
Margaret aimed at him.
“Stop.”
He stopped.
She smiled.
“The giant finally learned fear.”
Lorenzo looked at me.
“No.”
His voice was calm.
“I learned what I’m afraid to lose.”
Margaret’s finger tightened.
A shot rang out.
She dropped.
Elena stood behind her.
Gun lowered.
Margaret’s bullet had fired too.
Lorenzo staggered.
Blood spread across his white shirt.
Everything inside me stopped.
He fell.
I reached him before he hit the floor.
“Lorenzo.”
His eyes struggled to focus.
“Amelia.”
“No.”
My hands pressed against the wound.
“Stay with me.”
His mouth moved.
I leaned closer.
“If I die…”
“You’re not dying.”
“…tell Rosa…”
“What?”
His eyes closed.
“…she still owes me twenty dollars.”
I laughed and sobbed simultaneously.
“Idiot.”
Paramedics rushed into the corridor.
They pulled me away.
Then Marco came running with Margaret’s confiscated phone.
“There’s another problem.”
On the screen was a list of Crown members.
Most were marked inactive.
One remained active.
The last name on the ledger belonged to someone standing inside the mansion.
Someone we trusted.
May you like
Marco turned the phone toward me.
And I saw the name...
