Chapter 10 - THE BETRAYAL INSIDE THE MORETTI FAMILY
The first sign that something was wrong came at 2:13 a.m.
Gabriel's phone rang.
Olivia was asleep in the guest room of his Lake Forest estate.
She had agreed to stay there temporarily after another threatening message, but only after discussing the arrangement with Detective Ruiz and her attorney.
Gabriel had offered her a private guest suite.
No expectations.
No conditions.
No assumptions.
She had accepted because she was tired of pretending danger wasn't real.
Now she woke to footsteps in the hallway.
Then a voice.
“Boss, we have a problem.”
Olivia sat up.
She heard Gabriel answer.
“Where?”
A pause.
“Any injuries?”
Another pause.
“Call the police.”
Olivia pulled on a sweater and opened the door.
Gabriel stood in the hallway wearing dark trousers and a white shirt.
Matteo was beside him.
Both men looked grim.
“What happened?” Olivia asked.
Gabriel turned.
“Someone entered one of our warehouses.”
“Was anything stolen?”
“Documents.”
Her stomach tightened.
“What documents?”
“Records connected to the Mercer Project.”
Olivia stared.
“Again?”
Gabriel nodded.
Matteo looked toward the stairs.
“We believe someone provided the access codes.”
Gabriel's expression hardened.
“Who?”
Matteo hesitated.
“Your cousin.”
Silence.
Olivia looked between them.
“Your cousin?”
Gabriel closed his eyes briefly.
“Luca.”
Luca Moretti was thirty-eight.
Charming.
Handsome.
Popular.
He managed several Moretti properties and had been Gabriel's closest business associate for years.
Olivia had met him twice.
He'd smiled warmly.
Kissed her hand.
And told her Gabriel hadn't brought a woman to family dinner in nearly a decade.
Now Gabriel looked as though someone had struck him.
“Are you certain?” he asked.
Matteo nodded.
“The access code belonged to Luca's office.”
Gabriel stared at the floor.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then he looked up.
“Preserve the security footage. Inform counsel. No one confronts him alone.”
Matteo nodded.
Olivia watched Gabriel.
“You think Luca is working with Richard?”
Gabriel's jaw tightened.
“I think someone wants me to believe that.”
“Why?”
“Because if I turn against my cousin without proof, I may destroy my own family for them.”
Olivia felt a strange respect.
Richard would have reacted with rage.
He would have accused.
Threatened.
Punished.
Gabriel was angry.
But he was thinking.
The following morning, Luca arrived at the estate.
He looked offended.
“You think I betrayed you?”
Gabriel stood behind his desk.
“I think your access code was used.”
“Then someone stole it.”
“Who?”
“I don't know.”
Gabriel watched him.
Luca threw up his hands.
“Come on, Gabe. We've been family our entire lives.”
“That doesn't answer the question.”
Luca's eyes moved toward Olivia.
“Is this because of her?”
Olivia stiffened.
Gabriel's expression changed.
“Careful.”
Luca laughed bitterly.
“Ever since she showed up, everything has been chaos. Old investigations. Police. Missing records. Now you're accusing your own blood.”
Olivia stood.
“I'm not responsible for your access code.”
Luca turned toward her.
“Lady, you don't know what you're involved in.”
Gabriel stepped forward.
“Luca.”
The warning was quiet.
Luca looked at him.
For a moment, Olivia saw genuine fear.
Then Luca shook his head.
“Fine. Believe whatever you want.”
He walked out.
Gabriel remained still.
Olivia approached.
“Do you think he's guilty?”
“I don't know.”
She touched his arm.
“You hate not knowing.”
“Yes.”
She smiled sadly.
“Welcome to my life.”
He looked at her.
Then, unexpectedly, he laughed.
A tired, quiet sound.
“You have a terrible sense of timing.”
“I've been told.”
He pulled her gently into his arms.
She rested her cheek against his chest.
For a moment, they stood together.
Then Matteo knocked.
“Boss.”
Gabriel looked up.
“What?”
“We found something in the warehouse footage.”
Matteo handed him a tablet.
Gabriel watched.
His expression changed.
Olivia leaned closer.
The video showed a man entering the warehouse.
He wore a baseball cap.
A maintenance jacket.
And gloves.
His face was partly hidden.
But when he turned toward the camera, Olivia recognized him.
Her stomach dropped.
“That's Richard.”
Gabriel stared at the screen.
Then Matteo said something that made the room go silent.
“He didn't come alone.”
The video continued.
A second man entered.
Older.
Silver-haired.
May you like
Carrying a leather briefcase.
Arthur Bellini.
