Chapter 7 - The Final Trap Was Set at the Ballroom Where Harper Had Slapped Roman in Front of His Family
Midnight approached.
The Bellamy Grand Hotel was empty.
Security locked down every entrance.
The ballroom was dark.
Roman stood at the center.
Harper beside him.
Maria waited near the service corridor.
Elena controlled the cameras.
Julian Moretti, Roman's cousin and head of security, monitored every exit.
The black book was inside a briefcase.
But the real book was hidden elsewhere.
The briefcase contained copies.
Victor didn't know.
Harper wore a small communication device.
Roman adjusted it.
“Can you hear me?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
“You're nervous.”
“No.”
“You're lying.”
“Maybe.”
She smiled.
Then the lights came on.
Victor entered.
Ten men followed.
Leo was with him.
Thomas was nowhere in sight.
Harper's heart raced.
“Where is my father?”
Victor smiled.
“Safe.”
“Prove it.”
He held up a phone.
Thomas appeared on screen.
Alive.
Harper exhaled.
Victor looked at Roman.
“The book.”
Roman placed the briefcase on the table.
Victor opened it.
His smile disappeared.
“Where is the original?”
Roman said nothing.
Victor looked at Harper.
“You.”
Harper shrugged.
“You underestimated me.”
Victor raised his gun.
“Everyone always says that before they die.”
Then a gunshot came from behind Roman.
He turned.
Julian dropped.
Blood spread across his shirt.
Chaos erupted.
Security returned fire.
Victor's men scattered.
Harper ducked.
Roman grabbed her.
“Move!”
They ran behind the stage.
Victor disappeared.
Then the hotel lights went out.
Harper heard screaming.
A door slammed.
Roman whispered.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“Harper.”
“You're not leaving me.”
He smiled.
“Fair.”
They moved together.
A gunman appeared.
Roman disarmed him.
Harper struck him with a metal tray.
He fell.
Roman stared.
“You enjoy this too much.”
“I learned from you.”
They reached the service elevator.
It opened.
Maria stood inside.
“Get in.”
They entered.
The doors closed.
Maria looked at Roman.
“Victor has Thomas.”
“We know.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“He has him in the vault.”
Roman froze.
“What?”
“He wants the original ledger.”
Harper understood.
“He never cared about the ballroom.”
“He wanted us away from the hospital.”
Maria nodded.
“Exactly.”
The elevator descended.
Harper looked at Roman.
“The vault.”
“Yes.”
They reached the basement.
Thomas was tied to a chair.
Victor stood beside him.
He held the original ledger.
Harper froze.
“You found it.”
Victor smiled.
“I found something better.”
He held up a photograph.
Harper's mother.
“She hid a second ledger.”
Harper frowned.
“What?”
Victor laughed.
“Your mother was smarter than all of us.”
Roman stepped forward.
“Let him go.”
Victor shook his head.
“Not yet.”
He opened the ledger.
“Do you know what this contains?”
Harper answered.
“Proof.”
“Not just proof.”
He looked at Roman.
“It contains the names of everyone who helped your father.”
Roman's expression changed.
“If this becomes public, half the city collapses.”
Victor smiled.
“Exactly.”
“You'd destroy everything.”
“I would own what's left.”
Harper stepped forward.
“You don't want the empire.”
Victor looked at her.
“You're right.”
“What do you want?”
Victor smiled.
“Control.”
He pointed the gun at Roman.
“Your father wanted legitimacy.”
“Your mother wanted freedom.”
“Thomas wanted justice.”
“Keller wanted money.”
“But I want what every one of them refused to give me.”
Harper asked, “What?”
Victor whispered.
“Recognition.”
He fired.
Roman moved.
The bullet struck his shoulder.
Harper screamed.
Roman fell.
Victor smiled.
Then the lights came on.
Police flooded the room.
Victor turned.
Maria stood behind him.
“It's over.”
Victor looked at the officers.
Then laughed.
“You think they are here for you?”
Harper stepped forward.
“No.”
She held up her phone.
“They're here because I've been streaming everything.”
Victor's face changed.
The entire confession had been recorded.
Every threat.
Every admission.
Every name.
Every murder.
Victor stared at her.
“You—”
Harper smiled.
“Numbers don't lie.”
Then Roman stood.
The bullet had grazed him.
Victor's expression collapsed.
Roman walked toward him.
“You spent twenty years believing fear made you powerful.”
He stopped inches away.
“It only made you alone.”
Victor was arrested.
The ledger was secured.
The conspiracy began collapsing before sunrise.
But one final mystery remained.
Harper's mother's second ledger.
It had not been found.
And Victor had been telling the truth.
May you like
She had hidden it.
Somewhere.
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