Chapter 12 - The Empire Turns Against Its King
Adrian stared at his brother's name.
Then he laughed once.
A tired, bitter sound.
"Of course."
Clara examined the debt instruments.
"These were created over fifteen years."
Gabriel had quietly purchased Moretti debt through shell companies.
Convertible notes.
Preferred shares.
Emergency credit.
Each looked harmless alone.
Together, they formed a weapon.
"If exercised," Clara said, "Gabriel can dilute your ownership below thirty percent."
Adrian looked toward the stairwell.
"Where is he?"
They found Gabriel receiving medical treatment.
Adrian dismissed everyone.
Clara stayed.
Gabriel noticed.
"She's family now?"
Clara answered before Adrian.
"No."
Adrian said simultaneously:
"Maybe."
Clara looked at him.
He looked straight ahead.
Not the time.
Adrian placed the tablet before Gabriel.
"Explain."
Gabriel studied the chart.
Then sighed.
"My insurance."
"Against me?"
"Against everyone."
"You spent twenty years preparing to take my company."
"Our company."
"No."
Adrian's voice sharpened.
"You don't get to disappear, manipulate my employees, endanger Clara, and return saying our."
Gabriel looked at Clara.
"I never ordered anyone to hurt her."
"Your plan put her here."
"So did yours."
Adrian moved forward.
Clara touched his arm.
He stopped.
She looked at Gabriel.
"Do you intend to exercise the notes?"
Gabriel studied her.
"Would you believe me if I said no?"
"No."
He smiled.
"Good."
"Then prove it."
"How?"
"Cancel them."
Gabriel's smile disappeared.
"That's not happening."
Adrian turned away.
Clara understood.
Gabriel didn't trust Adrian.
Adrian didn't trust Gabriel.
Both had reasons.
And Carlo had built his entire life around turning those reasons into weapons.
"You two are still doing exactly what Bellandi wanted."
They looked at her.
"He convinced Gabriel the Moretti family killed Samuel. He convinced Adrian Gabriel was dead. He convinced Dominic silence protected everyone."
She pointed toward the documents.
"And now that he's finally exposed, you're going to destroy each other for him."
Neither man spoke.
Clara closed the tablet.
"I'm going home."
Adrian looked surprised.
"What?"
"I haven't slept properly in two days. I've been kidnapped, threatened, drugged, and forced to climb forty-two floors barefoot."
Gabriel raised an eyebrow.
"Busy week."
She glared at him.
"Do not."
He shut up.
Adrian followed Clara into the hallway.
"You're leaving?"
"Yes."
"Security will take you."
"I can call a cab."
"No."
"Adrian."
"Please."
That word stopped her.
He wasn't ordering.
He was asking.
"Fine."
He walked her downstairs himself.
Outside, dawn was beginning.
For the first time since the dinner, there were no contracts between them.
No bride.
No gun.
No hidden clause.
Just two exhausted people.
Adrian looked at her.
"Dinner."
Clara smiled.
"You survived."
"So did you."
"Barely."
"Tomorrow?"
"Ask me tomorrow."
He nodded.
She entered the car.
Then her phone rang.
Her mother.
Clara answered immediately.
"Mom?"
A man's voice responded.
"Miss Bennett."
Clara's blood froze.
Not Carlo.
Not Gabriel.
Not anyone she knew.
"Who is this?"
"Your mother is safe."
Adrian saw her expression and opened the car door.
The voice continued.
"For now."
Clara gripped the phone.
"What do you want?"
"Tell Adrian Moretti the board meeting begins at noon."
The line ended.
Clara looked at Adrian.
"What board meeting?"
His phone rang.
Then Gabriel's.
Then Dominic's.
One by one.
Notifications.
Emergency shareholder meeting.
12:00 p.m.
Agenda:
Removal of Adrian Moretti as chairman and CEO.
Clara opened the proxy list.
Fifty-four percent supported removal.
Not Gabriel.
Not Bellandi.
A coalition of Moretti executives.
Someone inside the company had waited for the family war to weaken Adrian.
At the bottom was the name of the person calling the meeting.
Adrian read it.
His face changed.
Clara whispered:
"Who is Thomas Vale?"
Adrian stared at the screen.
"My mother's husband."
Clara stopped.
"Your stepfather?"
Adrian looked toward the sunrise.
"No."
His voice became cold.
"The man who raised me."
Then a black car pulled up across the street.
The rear window lowered.
An elegant older man looked directly at Adrian.
May you like
Thomas Vale smiled.
And beside him sat Clara's mother.
