Chapter 8 - The Signature in Clara’s File
Clara was already moving when Dante caught her.
“You're not going alone.”
“He has my mother.”
“And that's why.”
They returned to New York by helicopter.
Clara hated every minute of waiting.
Her father called repeatedly.
She ignored him until Dante finally said, “Answer.”
Daniel's voice cracked.
“Where's Margaret?”
“Julian has her.”
Silence.
Then Daniel said, “This is my fault.”
“Yes.”
Dante glanced at Clara.
She did not soften it.
Daniel had spent nine years deciding what truths his family could survive.
Clara was done allowing other people to make those decisions.
“Tell me about Mom.”
“What?”
“She's the trustee.”
Daniel went silent.
Confirmation.
Clara closed her eyes.
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“Of course you did.”
“Clara—”
“No more protection. No more partial truths.”
Daniel exhaled.
“Your mother inherited the trustee authority from your grandfather.”
“Can she dissolve Valmont?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn't she?”
“Because dissolution requires all three original family keys or proof that two have been corrupted.”
Clara understood.
“The documents we've found.”
“Exactly.”
Julian needed Margaret before they could prove corruption.
The helicopter landed.
A message arrived.
COME TO MORETTI TOWER.
Clara stared.
Dante's own headquarters.
“He's inside your building.”
Dante's face hardened.
Marcus called.
Security systems had locked them out.
Adrian Vale had vanished.
Again.
Dante cursed.
Clara looked at him.
“You trusted him?”
“No.”
“Good.”
They entered through underground maintenance access.
Moretti Tower was nearly empty.
Julian had triggered an evacuation using a false gas alert.
Smart.
They reached the executive floor.
Margaret sat inside Dante's office.
Unhurt.
Julian stood behind her.
Adrian stood beside him.
Clara's face hardened.
Adrian would not meet her eyes.
Dante said, “Let her go.”
Julian smiled.
“After Clara gives me the Bennett key.”
“I don't have it.”
“Yes, you do.”
Clara frowned.
Margaret whispered, “Your signature.”
Clara looked at her.
“The company I inherited?”
Margaret nodded.
“Your grandfather placed the Bennett voting key inside it.”
Julian placed documents on the desk.
“Sign.”
Clara did not move.
Julian looked toward Dante.
“Perhaps motivation.”
A screen activated.
Moretti Holdings stock was collapsing.
News reports accused Dante of fraud.
Regulators were freezing accounts.
Board members were resigning.
Julian had launched everything simultaneously.
Dante watched his empire bleed in real time.
Julian smiled.
“Sign, and I stop it.”
Clara looked at Dante.
This was the choice the conspirators had built everything around.
Empire or people.
Dante reached over and switched off the screen.
Julian's smile faded.
Dante said, “I don't care.”
Clara stared at him.
“You should.”
“I can rebuild a company.”
He looked at Margaret.
“I can't rebuild her mother.”
Something inside Clara shifted.
Julian stared.
“You're willing to lose everything?”
“No.”
Dante looked at Clara.
“I'm willing to choose what matters first.”
Julian pulled a gun.
Adrian moved.
Fast.
He struck his brother's arm.
The gun fired.
Glass shattered.
Marcus's team entered.
Julian escaped through a private stairwell.
Adrian collapsed.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Clara rushed toward him.
He grabbed her hand.
“Your file.”
“What?”
“The signature in your personnel file.”
“What about it?”
“Julian didn't steal it.”
Adrian struggled to breathe.
“He already had it.”
Clara frowned.
“How?”
Adrian looked toward Margaret.
Her mother's face changed.
Clara saw it.
“No.”
Margaret whispered, “Clara…”
May you like
Adrian continued.
“Your mother gave it to him.”
