Chapter 13 - Echoes of the Past
Rain lashed against the heavy windows of Lorenzo’s study as Marco stood before the desk, his trench coat dripping onto the expensive Persian rug. Marco’s face was grim as he delivered the results of his investigation. He had found the former foreman of the Queens construction site hiding in a rundown motel in New Jersey. With a little physical persuasion, the man had finally talked. The truth was far worse than Lorenzo had imagined.
Marco explained that Giorgio had been using the foundation of the Queens development to secretly bury massive shipments of stolen military weaponry. James Bennett, an honest and meticulous structural engineer, had noticed the architectural discrepancies. James had stumbled upon the underground cache and immediately threatened to call the authorities, refusing to take Giorgio’s bribe. To protect his illegal empire, Giorgio paid a demolition crew to compromise the structural integrity of James’s scaffolding. Giorgio had even visited the site personally to ensure the job was done, casually dropping his silver money clip in the mud.
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Lorenzo felt physically sick. James had died an honorable man, trying to do the right thing, and Clara had been left to suffer in poverty because of the Moretti bloodline. Marco hesitated before delivering the final piece of news. He leaned over the desk, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. The rival syndicate that Lorenzo had handed Giorgio over to had suffered a massive security breach. Giorgio was not dead. He had bought off his captors, escaped the syndicate's compound, and vanished.
Lorenzo slammed his fist onto the desk, rattling the crystal whiskey decanters. Giorgio was alive, and he knew exactly where Lorenzo lived. More importantly, Giorgio knew that Clara and Mia were the only things Lorenzo truly cared about in this world. Lorenzo ordered Marco to double the perimeter guards and lock down the estate. No one was to enter or leave. He had to tell Clara the truth tomorrow and move her to a secure safe house in Europe before Giorgio could strike. But as Marco left the office, Lorenzo had no idea that Clara was standing in the dark hallway, having heard every single word.
