Chapter 4 - The Man Who Wanted Amara’s Trust Key Discovered That Dante Would Burn His Own Empire Before Letting Her Be Taken
Richard contacted Dante at 4:00 A.M.
“Come alone.”
Dante agreed.
Amara followed.
They found Julian tied inside an abandoned warehouse.
Richard stood behind him.
“You should have stayed out of this.”
Dante said nothing.
Richard looked at Amara.
“You have your mother's eyes.”
Amara stepped forward.
“You knew her.”
“Yes.”
“You lied about my father.”
Richard smiled.
“He deserved what happened.”
Amara's expression hardened.
“What happened?”
“He chose betrayal.”
“My father chose truth.”
Richard laughed.
“Truth gets people killed.”
He held up a gun.
“The trust.”
Amara understood.
“You want my key.”
“Yes.”
“You could have killed me.”
“I need you alive.”
“Why?”
“To transfer the assets.”
Dante stepped forward.
“No.”
Richard smiled.
“You have no idea how many people I control.”
“Enough.”
Dante's voice changed.
The room went silent.
“You've spent twenty years using my family's name.”
He stared at Richard.
“You will not take one more thing.”
Richard laughed.
“Your father said the same.”
Dante froze.
“My father knew?”
“Yes.”
“He tried to expose you.”
“And failed.”
“Did you kill him?”
Richard smiled.
“No.”
“Then who?”
Silence.
Richard finally said:
“His son.”
Dante went still.
“What?”
“Victor.”
Dante's jaw tightened.
His younger brother.
Victor had died at nineteen.
Or so he believed.
Richard walked closer.
“Victor betrayed your father.”
“Why?”
“Because he wanted the trust.”
Dante stared.
His whole family had been fighting for control.
Amara stepped forward.
“Then why kill my father?”
Richard looked at her.
“Because he had the last copy of the ledger.”
“Where is it?”
Richard smiled.
“With you.”
She understood.
The second half of the ledger wasn't physical.
It was encoded in memory.
Her mother had taught her.
The languages.
The numbers.
The patterns.
Everything.
Richard had thought he needed the notebook.
He needed Amara.
Dante looked at her.
“Do you know where the final key is?”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
Richard smiled.
“Good.”
Then the lights went out.
Gunfire.
Dante grabbed Amara.
Julian kicked the chair over.
Ethan and his team stormed in.
Richard escaped.
But before he disappeared, he shouted:
“Dante!”
Dante looked up.
“You're protecting the woman who will destroy you.”
Dante didn't answer.
He took Amara's hand.
“Are you okay?”
She nodded.
“You?”
He looked at her.
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I finally understand.”
“What?”
“I never protected you.”
Her eyes softened.
“No.”
“I should have.”
She looked away.
“You were supposed to see me.”
“I do now.”
She nodded.
May you like
“Then don't look away again.”
---
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