Chapter 6 - The Gala Was Supposed to Announce My “Retirement,” but I Planned to Walk Into the Room With the Evidence That Could Destroy EveryoneI let Gabriel think I was cooperating.

We staged my weakness.

My doctors announced a worsening condition.

The media speculated.

The organization prepared for transition.

Victor returned.

He looked almost relieved.

He stood beside me.

“You need rest.”

I nodded.

“You're right.”

He placed a hand on my shoulder.

For twenty-five years, that hand had represented trust.

Now I saw it differently.

A hand that had guided me toward death.

Sophia watched him from the doorway.

She quietly drew again.

This time, she drew Victor with a clock.

8:12.

Then a red X.

She gave it to me.

I folded the drawing into my pocket.

The gala began.

Five hundred guests.

Politicians.

Businessmen.

Family.

People who believed they were about to witness the fall of Alessandro Moretti.

I arrived in a wheelchair.

Victor stood beside me.

Gabriel smiled from the stage.

He raised a glass.

“Tonight, we honor Alessandro.”

I looked around.

Every enemy.

Every traitor.

Every accomplice.

All in one room.

Then Gabriel continued.

“After decades of extraordinary leadership, he will be stepping down.”

The room applauded.

I looked at Victor.

He smiled.

Then Sophia's crayon drawing fell from my pocket.

It landed on the floor.

8:12.

Victor saw it.

His face changed.

I smiled.

Then I stood.

Silence.

Nobody moved.

I took one step.

Gasps spread through the room.

Another.

Then another.

Gabriel went pale.

Victor whispered:

“No.”

I walked toward the stage.

Not perfectly.

Not quickly.

But under my own power.

I reached the microphone.

“You've all been waiting for me to die.”

The room went silent.

I held up the false pill.

“This was supposed to make it easy.”

Then screens behind me turned on.

Financial records.

Medical files.

Payments.

Surveillance.

Confessions.

Victor's notebook.

Gabriel's messages.

The entire network.

The guests began panicking.

Then federal agents entered.

Gabriel tried to run.

He didn't get far.

Victor turned toward me.

“You destroyed everything.”

I looked at him.

“No.”

“You did.”

He shook his head.

“No.”

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I pointed toward Sophia.

“She did.”