Chapter 5 - Behind the Office Door
At 3:31 a.m., Luca Marino walked through his own front door.
Emma stayed beside him.
The mansion was nearly silent.
Marco’s message had worked.
Most of Victor’s men had abandoned him after seeing the financial records.
Three remained.
They stood inside the office.
Victor waited behind Luca’s desk.
He smiled.
“You look terrible.”
Luca glanced at his bloody shirt.
“You should see the other guy.”
Victor’s smile faded.
Emma remained near the doorway.
Victor looked at her.
“You disappointed me.”
Emma replied, “I’ll survive.”
“You were supposed to expose him.”
“I exposed you instead.”
Victor laughed.
“You think he’ll forgive you?”
Emma glanced at Luca.
“I didn’t ask him to.”
That answer caught Luca’s attention.
Victor opened a drawer.
“Where’s the ledger?”
“There isn’t one.”
Victor’s face changed.
Luca smiled.
“You spent tonight destroying twenty years of loyalty over a book that doesn’t exist.”
“You’re lying.”
“No.”
Victor looked at Emma.
She said nothing.
Victor suddenly understood.
“You tricked me.”
Emma answered, “Actually, he did.”
Luca almost smiled.
Victor slammed both hands onto the desk.
“I built this organization with you.”
“You stole from it.”
“I made it stronger.”
“You arranged the waterfront ambush.”
Victor didn’t deny it.
Luca stepped closer.
“And Sofia?”
Victor’s confidence finally cracked.
Emma quietly placed her phone on the desk.
“Careful, Victor.”
He looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because I’m recording.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“You think I’m afraid of you?”
“No.”
Emma’s gaze remained steady.
“I think you’ve spent twenty years wanting Luca to know how much smarter you are.”
Victor looked at Luca.
That was exactly the weakness Emma had identified.
Pride.
Victor began talking.
About money.
Secret agreements.
Manipulated rivalries.
The warehouse.
Then Luca asked one final question.
“My wife.”
Victor went quiet.
“What about her?”
“Was the crash an accident?”
Victor smiled.
That smile answered before the words did.
“She discovered financial transfers.”
Luca’s face emptied.
Victor continued.
“She was going to tell you.”
Emma’s hand slowly tightened around her phone.
“So you stopped her,” Luca said.
Victor shrugged.
“I protected what we built.”
For a long moment, nobody moved.
Then Luca said:
“No.”
Victor frowned.
“You destroyed what we built.”
Sirens sounded faintly in the distance.
Victor turned toward Emma.
“What did you do?”
Emma picked up her phone.
“Sent the recording.”
“To whom?”
“People who still carry badges.”
Victor looked at Luca.
“You’re letting her bring police here?”
Luca answered quietly.
“I’m letting you face something you never allowed anyone else.”
“What?”
“Consequences.”
Victor’s remaining men looked at one another.
Then one stepped away from him.
Then another.
Victor was suddenly alone.
Twenty years of power disappeared in less than twenty seconds.
Luca turned away.
Victor shouted after him.
“Luca!”
Luca stopped.
“You owe me!”
Luca looked over his shoulder.
“I trusted you.”
Victor said nothing.
“That was more than you deserved.”
Luca walked out.
Emma followed.
May you like
And for the first time in twenty years, Victor Hale stood in Luca Marino’s office with nobody beside him.
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