Chapter 6 - The Name Inside the Ledger
The feed went black before his face appeared.
Victor ran.
Harper followed.
They reached Isabella’s room.
The door was locked.
Victor kicked it open.
Isabella sat alone.
No intruder.
No open window.
Nothing.
“Mother.”
She looked at Victor calmly.
“You finally found the red ledger.”
Victor stopped.
Harper felt the air change.
“You knew?”
Isabella looked at Harper.
“You have Thomas’s eyes.”
Harper stepped forward.
“You know my father?”
“Very well.”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know.”
Victor closed the door.
“Who was standing behind you?”
“Nobody.”
“We saw him.”
“You saw a recording.”
Victor stared.
Isabella sighed.
“Your father prepared recordings before he died.”
Harper’s pulse quickened.
“Antonio knew someone would eventually find the ledger?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Antonio created it.”
Victor looked wounded.
“My father stole from the family?”
“No.”
“He was building an escape fund.”
“For whom?”
Isabella looked toward Harper.
“For witnesses.”
The truth unfolded slowly.
Antonio Romano had discovered that Salvatore Rossi was trafficking through legitimate Romano shipping routes without permission.
Thomas Carter, an outside accountant, found the financial trail.
Antonio intended to expose Salvatore and dismantle that operation.
Before he could, Antonio’s car exploded.
Thomas disappeared.
Salvatore died six months later.
Arthur inherited his father’s network.
Victor inherited a war he never knew existed.
Harper opened the red ledger again.
Near the back, she found a list of coded payments.
Each corresponded to a protected witness.
Then she found one marked H.C.
Her initials.
Beside it:
PROTECT AT ALL COSTS.
Harper stared.
“Why me?”
Isabella’s answer was quiet.
“Because your father had the only complete copy of the evidence.”
“And you thought he gave it to me?”
“Arthur thought so.”
Victor looked at his mother.
“You allowed Harper into this house knowing Arthur had manipulated her?”
“I didn’t know until recently.”
“You could have told me.”
“I didn’t know who around you was loyal.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“Apparently neither did I.”
Isabella looked toward the door.
“Arthur has spent years preparing for the moment you discovered this.”
Victor’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Thomas Carter spoke.
“Don’t trust Isabella.”
Harper grabbed the phone.
“Dad?”
Silence.
Then, “Harper.”
Her knees weakened.
“Where are you?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“You left us.”
“I know.”
“Twelve years.”
“I know.”
“Caleb thought you were dead.”
“I know.”
Harper began crying despite herself.
Victor stepped away, giving her space.
Thomas continued.
“Listen carefully. Arthur is dangerous, but he isn’t the person controlling the estate.”
Harper looked at Isabella.
“Who is?”
“The person who can alter Victor’s cameras, accounts, schedules, and security without anyone noticing.”
Victor heard.
Only a handful of people had that access.
Daniel entered at that exact moment.
“Victor, we have a problem.”
Victor slowly turned toward his security chief.
Daniel held up a phone.
“We intercepted a message.”
“From whom?”
Daniel’s eyes moved toward Harper.
“Thomas Carter.”
Harper still held Victor’s phone.
Her father was breathing on the other end.
Daniel continued.
“The message says Harper was sent here to kill you.”
May you like
Victor looked at her.
And before Harper could speak, the line in her hand went dead.
