Chapter 4 - The Man Behind the Door
Vincent pulled Elena behind a stack of furniture.
“Don't move.”
The unit door rose.
A flashlight beam cut through the darkness.
Then another.
Vincent waited.
Two men entered.
Neither saw Matteo behind them.
The confrontation lasted seconds.
A shout.
A body hitting concrete.
Another man running.
Matteo caught him before he reached the stairwell.
When emergency lights came on, Vincent stood over the first intruder.
“Who sent you?”
Silence.
Vincent picked up Marianne’s notebook.
“Who?”
The man laughed nervously.
“You're already too late.”
Vincent’s expression didn't change.
“For what?”
“Your house.”
Vincent called Rafe.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then Elena’s phone rang.
Sofia.
She answered immediately.
“Sofia?”
Whispering.
“Elena?”
“Yes.”
“Someone turned the lights off.”
Elena’s blood went cold.
“Where are you?”
“Your room.”
“Lock the door.”
“I did.”
“Where’s Rafe?”
“I don't know.”
Vincent took the phone.
“Sofia, listen to Daddy.”
“Daddy?”
“Get inside Elena’s closet. Close the door. Don't make any noise.”
“I'm scared.”
“I know.”
“Are you coming?”
“Yes.”
“Promise?”
Vincent’s eyes closed briefly.
“I promise.”
They drove like the city was burning behind them.
At the estate, one security guard lay unconscious near the gate.
Rafe was found in the kitchen, injured but alive.
The power had been deliberately cut.
Vincent reached Elena’s room.
Locked.
“Sofia.”
No answer.
He knocked.
“Sofia, it's Daddy.”
A tiny sound.
The door opened.
Sofia launched herself into him.
Vincent lifted her.
For several seconds, the mafia boss didn't speak.
He simply held his daughter.
Elena turned away.
Then Sofia looked over Vincent’s shoulder.
“Uncle Dominic was here.”
Vincent stiffened.
“When?”
“When the lights went out.”
“What did he do?”
“He told me to come with him.”
“Why didn't you?”
Sofia looked at Elena.
“Elena says if a grown-up changes the plan, I call Daddy first.”
Vincent met Elena’s eyes.
Something unspoken passed between them.
Then Dominic walked into the corridor.
Everyone turned.
“What the hell happened?”
Vincent put Sofia down.
“Where were you?”
“Outside.”
“Sofia says you tried to take her.”
Dominic stared at his niece.
“I tried to get her somewhere safe.”
“Without telling me?”
“I couldn't reach you.”
“You didn't try.”
Dominic’s face hardened.
“You're losing perspective because of that woman.”
Elena flinched.
Vincent didn't.
“This isn't about Elena.”
“Everything has become about Elena.”
Dominic pointed toward her.
“Six months ago she didn't exist. Now Isabella’s secrets suddenly appear? Sofia worships her? You drag her into family business?”
Vincent stepped closer.
“Why did Isabella think you were covering for someone?”
Dominic’s anger vanished.
Only for a moment.
But enough.
“You opened the box.”
“Yes.”
Dominic looked toward Celeste, who had entered behind him.
Vincent noticed.
“So you both knew.”
Celeste whispered, “Vincent…”
“Who is D.H.?”
Nobody answered.
Vincent’s voice lowered.
“Dominic Hale?”
Dominic shook his head.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Dominic looked genuinely afraid.
“Our father.”
Vincent froze.
Dante Hale.
Dead eleven years.
Impossible.
“The transactions continued after his death.”
“Yes.”
“Then who used his initials?”
Dominic looked at Celeste.
Their mother sat slowly.
“It wasn't initials,” she said.
“What?”
“D.H. wasn't a person.”
Vincent waited.
“It was an account designation. Dante Holdings.”
Vincent stared at her.
“Who controlled it?”
Celeste began crying.
Elena had never seen her cry.
“Your uncle.”
Vincent’s face changed.
“Salvatore?”
Celeste nodded.
Salvatore Hale was Dante’s younger brother.
Vincent’s uncle.
Family adviser.
Godfather to Sofia.
And the man who had helped Vincent rebuild the organization after Isabella died.
Vincent immediately called Matteo.
“Find Salvatore.”
Matteo returned ten minutes later.
“He's gone.”
“When?”
“Private plane left forty minutes ago.”
“Destination?”
“Flight plan says Montreal.”
Vincent looked at Dominic.
“You knew.”
Dominic sat.
“He threatened Sofia.”
“How long?”
“Years.”
“And you said nothing?”
“I thought I could contain him.”
“Isabella died.”
“I didn't know he killed her!”
Vincent grabbed his brother by the collar.
Sofia screamed.
Vincent released him instantly.
Elena took Sofia into her arms.
Dominic rubbed his throat.
“He told me Isabella’s death was an accident. Later I realized it wasn't. By then he had records tying me to accounts he'd forced me to authorize.”
“You chose yourself.”
“I chose Sofia.”
Vincent stared at him.
Dominic continued.
“Salvatore said if I exposed him, Sofia would have an accident too.”
Vincent looked toward his daughter.
Nine years of grief became something else.
Purpose.
“Where are the duplicate records?”
Elena held up Marianne’s flash drive.
“Here.”
They opened it in Vincent’s study.
Everything was there.
Payments.
Names.
Recorded calls.
Photographs.
Enough to destroy Salvatore’s network.
But one folder was encrypted.
ISABELLA.
A password prompt appeared.
Vincent tried Sofia’s birthday.
Wrong.
His anniversary.
Wrong.
Isabella’s birthday.
Wrong.
Elena remembered the silver pendant from the wooden box.
She examined it.
An inscription was etched inside.
V + I = HOME.
Vincent typed HOME.
The folder opened.
One video.
Isabella appeared onscreen.
She was crying.
“Vincent, if you're watching this, Salvatore knows.”
Vincent leaned toward the screen.
“He knows Marianne helped me. He knows I copied the accounts. But there's something else. Something I haven't told anyone.”
Isabella looked directly into the camera.
“It concerns Sofia.”
Vincent stopped breathing.
The video suddenly froze.
Then the study door opened.
Sofia stood there holding an envelope.
“Daddy?”
May you like
She looked confused.
“A man outside told me this was from Mommy.”
