Chapter 5 - The Bank Under the City
Rafael Moretti was not merely alive.
He was powerful.
For fifteen years he had operated behind a legitimate business empire.
Banks.
Real estate.
Insurance.
Political donations.
He had hidden in plain sight.
Dominic knew if Rafael controlled the Bell Foundation trust, he controlled the future of hundreds of hidden accounts.
And Emma's inheritance.
They needed proof before they moved.
The memory card showed a final location.
An underground archive beneath the Moretti Bank.
Dominic took Emma with him.
"You don't have to come."
She looked at him.
"If this is about my family, I'm coming."
"You are eleven."
"So?"
He almost smiled.
"So you're eleven."
"My mother taught me to be brave."
Dominic nodded.
"Then stay beside me."
The archive contained hundreds of files.
One belonged to Matteo.
Another to Lillian.
One to Dominic.
And one to Emma.
Dominic opened Emma's.
Inside was her entire life.
School records.
Medical files.
Photographs.
Letters.
Someone had monitored her since birth.
Dominic's hands shook.
"Who did this?"
Emma looked at him.
"Someone who wanted to make sure I stayed invisible."
A voice came from the doorway.
"Exactly."
Rafael.
Dominic raised his weapon.
Rafael smiled.
"You always were predictable."
"You watched her for eleven years."
"I protected an asset."
"She's a child."
"She's a beneficiary."
Dominic's face hardened.
"You don't get to call her that."
Rafael stepped forward.
"You've become sentimental."
"Maybe."
"That will get you killed."
Rafael held up a file.
"Your brother understood that."
Dominic froze.
"What do you mean?"
"Matteo offered me the location of the trust."
"You killed him."
"No."
Rafael smiled.
"He chose to die."
Dominic stared.
Rafael continued.
"He knew someone was hunting Lillian."
"He knew Emma would be targeted."
"So he made a deal."
"What deal?"
"He gave himself up."
Dominic could barely breathe.
"No."
"Yes."
"You're lying."
"Ask Lillian."
Dominic looked toward her.
She lowered her eyes.
That was enough.
"What happened?"
Lillian began crying.
"Matteo knew they would kill him."
"Why didn't he tell me?"
"Because he knew you would come."
Dominic shook his head.
"That doesn't make sense."
"It does."
Lillian looked at him.
"Your brother knew you would choose violence."
She swallowed.
"He wanted one person in this family to choose differently."
Dominic stared at Emma.
Rafael smiled.
"Touching."
Dominic ignored him.
"What did Matteo hide?"
"The trust."
"Where?"
"Under the first Lombardi restaurant."
Dominic went still.
The very restaurant where Emma had asked him for leftovers.
The restaurant where everything had begun.
Rafael stepped closer.
"The trust becomes active in forty-eight hours."
"And if it does?"
"You and Emma control everything."
"And you don't."
"Correct."
Dominic lowered his weapon.
"Then you won't stop us."
Rafael smiled.
"You have no idea how many people in this city work for me."
He snapped his fingers.
The lights went out.
Gunfire erupted.
Dominic grabbed Emma.
Lillian pulled back.
Vincenzo shouted.
The archive became chaos.
When the emergency lights returned, Rafael was gone.
So was the trust file.
Dominic looked at Emma.
"Are you hurt?"
She shook her head.
Then pointed toward the floor.
Something metallic glinted.
A small brass token.
On it was a symbol.
A raven.
Dominic recognized it.
It belonged to his mother.
He returned to the old family house.
His mother had been dead for nine years.
But her bedroom remained locked.
He opened the door.
Inside, nothing seemed disturbed.
Then Emma found a loose floorboard.
Beneath it was another letter.
Matteo had written it.
To Dominic.
If you found this, then Emma is safe.
That is all I ever wanted.
I know what Father did.
I know what Rafael did.
And I know what Vincent will do.
But the worst betrayal came from someone neither of us suspected.
Someone who has been beside you since I died.
Dominic stared at the final line.
Trust no one.
Especially the person who says he loves you like a brother.
Dominic looked at Vincenzo.
His oldest friend.
His right hand.
The man who had stood beside him for twelve years.
Vincenzo looked at him.
"Boss?"
May you like
Dominic said nothing.
For the first time, doubt entered the room.
