Chapter 3 - Lily Found the Money Trail Her Father Hid Before He Died—And It Proved Someone Inside Vincent's Own Family Had Been Planning His Murder for YearsDaniel left before Lily could stop him.
Marco wanted to follow.
Lily refused.
“We need him scared.”
Marco stared.
“Why?”
“Because scared people make mistakes.”
Marco smiled.
“Vincent would like you.”
“He already did.”
“He loved you.”
Lily ignored the ache in her chest.
She spread her father's documents across the bakery counter.
Numbers.
Companies.
Transfers.
Shipping accounts.
She understood some of it.
Not all.
But enough.
There were fourteen shell companies.
Seven belonged to the Caruso organization.
The others belonged to companies she had never heard of.
Marco recognized one.
“Lazarus Holdings.”
“That's the group you mentioned.”
“Yes.”
“Who owns it?”
“We don't know.”
Lily pointed.
“This account transfers money into a construction company.”
Marco checked.
“Thomas Kane.”
Her eyes widened.
“The CFO.”
“Yes.”
“So he's stealing from Vincent.”
“More than that.”
Marco looked at another line.
“He's financing something.”
“What?”
“A hostile takeover.”
Lily stared.
“Of the Caruso organization?”
“Yes.”
“By whom?”
Marco shook his head.
“We need Vincent alive.”
“Then let's find him.”
They followed the money.
An old warehouse.
Three vehicles.
No Vincent.
But they found a room full of documents.
Photographs.
Maps.
And one wall covered with images.
Vincent.
Lily.
Marco.
Grace.
Lily felt sick.
“They've been watching my sister.”
Marco's face darkened.
“Get Grace out.”
“She's at school.”
“Call her.”
Lily did.
No answer.
She called again.
Nothing.
Her heart stopped.
“Marco.”
He understood immediately.
They ran.
Grace's school had been evacuated because of a false gas leak.
Students were outside.
Teachers everywhere.
But Grace was missing.
Lily nearly collapsed.
“Where is my sister?”
A teacher shook her head.
“She was taken to the nurse's office.”
“Which one?”
“She never arrived.”
Marco grabbed his phone.
“Find her.”
Ten minutes later, a tracker showed a vehicle leaving the school.
They chased it.
Lily rode beside Marco.
She couldn't breathe.
“They took Grace because of me.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
“Lily.”
“They're using me.”
Marco looked at her.
“They're using Vincent.”
She froze.
“What?”
“If they wanted you dead, you'd be dead.”
“Then what do they want?”
“You.”
“Why?”
“Because Vincent will trade anything for you.”
Her heart broke.
They found the vehicle abandoned.
Grace was gone.
A phone rang.
Marco answered.
A distorted voice said:
“Tell Vincent to come home.”
Marco replied:
“He isn't here.”
“He will be.”
The call ended.
Lily's phone buzzed.
A photograph.
Grace tied to a chair.
Her face terrified.
Then a message.
Bring the ledger.
Lily stared.
“What ledger?”
Marco's eyes widened.
“Your father left more than records.”
“What?”
“He built a master ledger.”
“Where?”
“I don't know.”
Lily remembered the bakery.
The cupcakes.
The floorboards.
Her father's obsession with hiding things.
She ran.
Back at Sweet Harbor, she opened the bakery ovens.
Nothing.
She checked the old refrigerator.
Nothing.
The cash register.
Nothing.
Then she noticed something.
The third shelf of the ingredient cabinet.
A small crack.
She pulled it.
A hidden compartment opened.
Inside was a leather-bound book.
The master ledger.
Marco took it.
“Holy…”
Lily flipped through.
It contained names.
Officials.
Judges.
Police commanders.
Bankers.
Politicians.
Every person connected to the Caruso empire.
And beside one name was a red mark.
RICHARD CARUSO.
Vincent's uncle.
Marco stared.
“He's dead.”
“Apparently not.”
Marco looked at the date.
Recent.
“Lily…”
“What?”
“This ledger has entries from the last six months.”
Her blood froze.
Vincent had been investigating Richard.
Richard wasn't dead.
He had been operating from the shadows.
And Thomas Kane had been working for him.
The kidnapping made sense.
The planned takeover made sense.
The attacks made sense.
Everything led to Richard.
But one question remained.
Where was Vincent?
A note fell from the ledger.
Lily picked it up.
Her father's handwriting.
If the boy is ever forced to choose between the organization and the woman he loves, he will choose the woman.
She looked at Marco.
“What boy?”
Marco said nothing.
Lily looked again.
Her father's next sentence was clear.
Vincent knows the truth about Richard.
He just doesn't know who else is involved.
That night, Lily received another call.
This time, Vincent's voice came through.
Weak.
Distorted.
But unmistakable.
“Lily.”
She nearly stopped breathing.
“Vincent?”
“Don't come.”
“Where are you?”
“I can't tell you.”
“I'll find you.”
“No.”
“Grace is missing.”
Silence.
Then his voice changed.
“Is she hurt?”
“I don't know.”
“I'll get her.”
“Vincent, who took you?”
“Richard.”
Lily's heart dropped.
“Your uncle?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he wants the ledger.”
“I have it.”
Vincent went silent.
Then:
“Destroy it.”
“No.”
“Lily.”
“No.”
“If you keep it, he'll kill you.”
“Then tell me where you are.”
“I'm in a warehouse near the river.”
Marco's face changed.
“Which warehouse?”
Vincent's voice faded.
“Lily…”
“Yes?”
“If I don't make it—”
“You will.”
“If I don't, listen to me.”
“I am listening.”
“Don't trust Marco.”
The call ended.
Lily slowly turned.
Marco stared at her.
“What?”
“You heard him.”
“Yes.”
“Why would he say that?”
Marco's face had gone pale.
“I don't know.”
Lily looked at the ledger.
May you like
Then at the man who had protected her for weeks.
For the first time, she wondered whether the person standing beside her was the traitor Vincent had been searching for.
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