Chapter 11 - The Bishop Family’s Final Demand
The damaged recording could not be restored immediately.
But investigators recovered Vittorio’s handwritten notes.
The marriage clause had not been created to force Roman and Tessa together.
It existed to prevent anyone from forcing them apart for financial reasons.
If they ever married voluntarily, Tessa’s shares would remain independently hers.
No trustee could claim them.
No Castell spouse could control them.
Vittorio had built protection into the contract.
DeLuca had reversed it.
Roman sat silently after reading the truth.
“My father knew.”
Tessa looked at him.
“Knew what?”
“That power ruins love when you confuse the two.”
Roman folded the document.
“He spent his whole life learning that too late.”
Warren Bishop arrived that evening.
He brought one final demand.
Not marriage.
Restitution.
The Castell and Bishop organizations had both profited from routes contaminated by Salvatore’s crimes.
Warren wanted a joint fund for victims and families.
Roman agreed.
Tessa did too.
They began dismantling what remained of the criminal network.
Properties were sold.
Illegal accounts surrendered.
Legitimate employees were protected.
Roman cooperated with prosecutors through his attorneys.
There were consequences.
There had to be.
But evidence showed much of the worst conduct predated his leadership, while records documented his years-long effort to transition Castell businesses into lawful operations.
Months passed.
Tessa moved into her own apartment.
Not Roman’s mansion.
Not Montreal.
Her own place.
She became a voting board member of Castell Logistics and created an independent compliance division.
Roman hated being audited.
Tessa enjoyed that tremendously.
They had dinner sometimes.
No bodyguards at the table.
No contracts.
No secret engagement.
Their first real date was at a small Italian restaurant where nobody knew Roman’s surname.
He looked strangely nervous.
Tessa noticed.
“You’ve negotiated with armed men.”
“Yes.”
“You’ve testified before a federal grand jury.”
“Yes.”
“You’re afraid of dinner?”
“With you? Terrified.”
She laughed.
Then Roman’s phone buzzed.
He ignored it.
It buzzed again.
“Answer it.”
“No.”
“Roman.”
He checked.
His expression changed.
Tessa immediately knew.
“What?”
“Marcus.”
Marcus had accepted a cooperation deal.
In exchange for testimony against Salvatore and DeLuca, he had revealed every remaining operative.
But now he had remembered one more.
Someone still inside Castell Logistics.
Someone with access to Tessa.
Roman showed her the message.
Marcus had written:
THE LAST PERSON WORKING FOR SALVATORE IS ON TESSA’S BOARD.
Tessa’s phone rang.
Her assistant.
She answered.
“Tessa, you need to come upstairs.”
“Why?”
There was silence.
Then:
“One of the board members is waiting inside your office.”
Tessa looked at Roman.
“Who?”
May you like
Her assistant whispered the name.
And Roman stood so quickly his chair crashed backward.
