Chapter 4 - The Woman Behind the Harbor
Saraphina woke to three missed calls from Nikolai.
She called back.
"What happened?"
"There was an attempt on Dorian's life."
She sat upright.
"Is he alive?"
"Yes."
"Who attacked him?"
"We don't know."
"Vivien?"
"Alive."
Saraphina closed her eyes.
"Take me there."
Nikolai hesitated.
"My lady—"
"Take me there."
When she arrived, Dorian was waiting outside the office.
His face was bruised.
She looked at him.
"You're hurt."
"It's nothing."
She stepped closer.
"Let me see."
He let her.
A cut above his eyebrow.
Nothing serious.
But enough.
"What happened?"
"Someone wants you dead."
She looked at him.
"That isn't new."
"No."
He handed her the black envelope.
She read the message.
Her face changed.
"Who gave you this?"
"No one."
"Then someone wants us to know they're watching."
Dorian looked at her.
"There's something else."
"What?"
"Your family has enemies."
"Every powerful family does."
"This is different."
"Why?"
"They know about the crown."
Saraphina went still.
Dorian watched her.
"You know what it is."
"Yes."
"Tell me."
"No."
He laughed bitterly.
"You're still protecting me."
"Some truths are dangerous."
"Try me."
She looked toward the harbor.
"The Morreti crown is not jewelry."
"What is it?"
"A controlling trust."
"How controlling?"
"Enough to veto the sale of any Morreti-controlled port asset."
He stared.
"So you can stop mergers."
"Yes."
"Acquire companies."
"Yes."
"Remove board members."
"Yes."
"And your family never told me."
"They weren't supposed to."
"Why?"
"Because the crown goes to whoever marries into the family?"
She looked at him.
"No."
"Then?"
"It goes to whoever proves they can protect the family without becoming its tyrant."
Dorian looked stunned.
"You were being tested."
"For seven years."
He understood.
"Did I pass?"
Her eyes softened.
"No."
The word hurt.
"I know."
She turned away.
Dorian followed.
"Who owns the crown?"
"You don't need to know."
"I do."
She stopped.
"Because if whoever owns it dies, your family could split."
"Yes."
"Then who?"
Saraphina looked at him.
"My brother."
"Lucian."
"Yes."
"But you have the fleet."
"Lucian has the ports."
"So if someone takes one of you out—"
"The entire structure fractures."
Dorian understood the danger.
"Who benefits?"
Saraphina answered quietly.
"The person who wants the Syndicate without the Morretis."
A phone rang.
Nikolai answered.
His face hardened.
"My lady."
"What?"
"Three port directors have gone missing."
Saraphina stepped toward him.
"Which ones?"
"East Harbor."
"South Basin."
"North Channel."
Her expression changed.
"All Morreti-controlled."
"Yes."
Dorian looked at her.
"Someone is moving against the family."
Saraphina nodded.
"Yes."
Nikolai lowered the phone.
"There is one more thing."
"What?"
"The Morreti family vault was opened."
Saraphina froze.
"By whom?"
"We don't know."
"What was taken?"
"Your mother's documents."
She went pale.
"Nothing else?"
"No."
Dorian frowned.
"What documents?"
"My mother's will."
"Why would anyone want that?"
Saraphina didn't answer.
Because her mother's will contained a clause that could change the succession.
They traveled to the Morreti estate that night.
The vault had been entered without force.
No alarms.
No broken locks.
The security logs showed Saraphina's credentials.
She stared at the monitor.
"I wasn't here."
Nikolai nodded.
"Someone cloned your access."
Dorian looked around.
"Who has access to your biometric data?"
"No one."
"Then someone close to you."
Saraphina looked at Nikolai.
He shook his head.
"Not me."
She opened the vault.
The will was missing.
A single page remained on the floor.
She picked it up.
The words were written in her mother's hand.
To my daughter:
If Lucian disappears, do not trust Anton.
Saraphina froze.
Dorian looked at her.
"Your father?"
She nodded.
"Why would your mother suspect him?"
Before she could answer, a voice came from the doorway.
"Because she knew what I had done."
Anton stepped into the room.
Nikolai reached for his weapon.
Anton raised his hands.
"Don't."
Saraphina stared at him.
"What did you do?"
"Nothing that can't be repaired."
"You took the will?"
"No."
"Then who?"
Anton looked at Dorian.
"Your husband."
Dorian recoiled.
"What?"
Anton pointed.
"He knew the crown was real."
Saraphina turned to Dorian.
"Did you?"
Dorian shook his head.
"I learned about it today."
Anton smiled.
"Then someone wants you two to blame each other."
"Who?"
Anton took a breath.
"Your uncle."
Saraphina stared.
"My uncle died."
"He faked his death."
Dorian's face went pale.
Anton continued.
"His name is Viktor Morreti."
Saraphina's lips parted.
"The exile."
Anton nodded.
"The man who believed the family should have ruled the Syndicate openly."
"Why would he return now?"
"Because you inherited what he believed should have been his."
A gunshot cracked through the window.
Anton collapsed.
Saraphina screamed.
Dorian caught him.
Blood spread across his white shirt.
Nikolai ran toward the window.
"Sniper!"
Saraphina knelt beside her father.
"Papa."
Anton gasped.
"Don't trust..."
His eyes rolled back.
"Dad!"
He was still alive.
Barely.
Saraphina stood.
"Find Viktor."
Nikolai nodded.
Dorian looked at her.
"Your family war just became mine."
She stared at him.
"No."
"What?"
"This is my war."
He stepped closer.
"Not anymore."
She looked into his eyes.
For the first time since the gala, she saw the man she had married before ambition poisoned him.
Not a billionaire.
Not a rival.
Just Dorian.
"I'm not asking you to forgive me," he said.
May you like
"What are you asking?"
"Let me help you finish this."
