Chapter 12 - THE TRUTH BENEATH THE FAMILY NAME
The records revealed a network of shell companies and illegal transfers dating back more than a decade.
Antonio Duca had been involved.
So had Cassandra Vale.
But the most recent transactions carried another signature.
Paul Mercer.
Our former estate manager.
The man who had altered Elena's personnel records.
The man who'd supposedly retired six months earlier.
Daniel explained that Mercer had continued operating through intermediaries after leaving the estate.
He controlled accounts connected to Voss Maritime.
And he'd been paying Cassandra.
I stared at the documents.
“Why?”
Daniel looked at me.
“Because the old scheme was still profitable.”
I swallowed.
“And Gabriel?”
Gabriel stood beside the desk.
His expression hardened.
“He found out.”
He explained what happened four years earlier.
He'd discovered shipments moving through Duca warehouses without proper authorization.
He confronted Mercer.
Mercer claimed Lorenzo had approved everything.
Gabriel didn't believe him.
Then Cassandra contacted him.
She offered evidence.
A meeting.
A chance to expose the conspiracy.
“The warehouse was supposed to be safe,” Gabriel said.
I looked at him.
“What happened?”
He swallowed.
“There was an explosion.”
His voice trembled.
“I barely got out.”
I stared.
“Who helped you?”
“A dockworker.”
Gabriel looked down.
“He pulled me through a side exit.”
“And afterward?”
“I was injured. Confused. Cassandra's people found me.”
My chest tightened.
“She told you I ordered it.”
Gabriel nodded.
“She showed me forged documents.”
He looked at me.
“I believed her.”
I swallowed.
“So you stayed away.”
“Yes.”
The investigation continued.
Authorities recovered records linking Mercer and Cassandra to the fraudulent operation.
They also examined evidence surrounding the warehouse fire.
Vivien eventually agreed to cooperate through her attorney.
She admitted she'd been instructed to find Gabriel's key and pressure Elena.
She also acknowledged threatening Mia.
I looked at Gabriel.
“We can end this.”
He nodded.
“But not the old way.”
I smiled faintly.
“No.”
For years, our family had solved problems through fear.
Now we would use evidence.
Witnesses.
May you like
And the law.
It was time to build something different.
