Chapter 4 - The Betrayal Inside the Romano House
Arthur refused to believe it.
Not because he thought his circle was perfect.
But because there was one person Daniel's description could mean.
Leo.
His oldest friend.
The man who had saved Arthur's life twice.
The man who had stood beside him when his father died.
The man Arthur trusted with every secret.
Arthur stared at Daniel.
“Say his name.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Not here.”
Arthur's patience snapped.
“Who?”
Daniel looked toward the ceiling camera.
“Someone is listening.”
Arthur understood.
He turned to Leo.
“Get him transferred.”
Leo nodded.
Daniel whispered to Chloe before leaving.
“Don't trust anyone.”
Arthur noticed.
“What did he say?”
“Nothing.”
They drove home.
Arthur remained silent.
Chloe sat beside him.
“You think it's Leo.”
“I don't know.”
“You trust him.”
“I did.”
Chloe looked out the window.
“That was how my father got everyone.”
Arthur looked at her.
She touched her stomach.
“I don't want our child growing up surrounded by people who lie.”
Arthur reached across the console.
“You won't.”
At Moretti House, Arthur opened the hidden security files.
Every camera.
Every entry.
Every phone log.
Leo had access to all of it.
Then Arthur found something.
Two calls to an encrypted number.
One from Leo.
One to Malcolm Croft.
The calls occurred on the same nights Arthur had been threatened.
Arthur's face went cold.
“It's him.”
Chloe looked at the screen.
“Maybe someone used his phone.”
“Maybe.”
But another file appeared.
A payment.
Thirty million dollars.
Recipient: L.B.
Arthur knew immediately.
Leo Barnes.
That night Leo entered the study.
“You wanted to see me?”
Arthur stood.
“Yes.”
Leo noticed Chloe.
“Are you all right?”
“She is.”
Arthur closed the door.
“Sit.”
Leo did.
Arthur placed the payment record on the table.
Leo looked at it.
Then back at Arthur.
“I can explain.”
“Then explain.”
“I took the money.”
Chloe's face hardened.
“Why?”
Leo looked down.
“Because Malcolm promised to cure my daughter's heart condition.”
Arthur froze.
Leo's daughter was eight.
Her mother had died years earlier.
Arthur had helped pay her medical bills.
He had never known how serious the situation had become.
“Why didn't you ask me?”
“Because I already owed you everything.”
“That doesn't make sense.”
“I was ashamed.”
Arthur looked at him.
“You sold me.”
Leo's eyes filled.
“I never gave them your location.”
“You gave them access.”
“I gave them files.”
“What files?”
“Old files.”
Arthur slammed his hand onto the desk.
“Which files?”
Leo whispered:
“Your father's.”
Silence.
Chloe stared.
“Why would they need those?”
“Because your father recorded everything.”
Arthur's breathing changed.
“My father's records disappeared.”
“I know.”
“Where are they?”
Leo's eyes moved toward the wall.
“Vivien has them.”
Arthur frowned.
“That doesn't make sense.”
Leo shook his head.
“Vivien isn't the mastermind.”
“Then who is?”
Leo looked at Chloe.
“Her mother.”
Arthur stared.
“Evelyn Croft?”
“She died three years ago.”
“No.”
Leo shook his head.
“She faked her death.”
The room went silent.
Chloe whispered:
“Then who was buried?”
“A woman nobody would miss.”
The entire structure of the wedding suddenly shifted.
Malcolm wasn't acting alone.
Vivien had not chosen Arthur freely.
And someone who had been presumed dead had been controlling both families from the shadows.
Evelyn Croft.
The woman who had raised Vivien.
The woman who had once been Chloe's mother's closest friend.
The woman who knew every weakness in both families.
Before they could process it, the lights went out.
A crash came from upstairs.
Then a scream.
Chloe.
May you like
Arthur spun.
She was gone.
