Chapter 7 - The Night the Empire BurnedThe attack came at 2:00 a.m.
Three warehouses burned.
A port office exploded.
A shipment disappeared.
And someone leaked documents suggesting Clarissa had ordered the violence.
By sunrise, every newspaper carried her name.
MARONE HEIRESS ACCUSED OF PORT SABOTAGE
Silas called.
“You need to disappear.”
“No.”
“Clarissa.”
“If I leave, they win.”
“It's not about winning.”
“It is to me.”
He became silent.
She continued.
“I spent five years standing next to a man while he destroyed everything I believed in.”
Her voice shook.
“I won't spend another day running from the consequences.”
Silas drove to her.
They sat in the car outside the harbor.
He looked at her.
“Then what is the plan?”
“We expose them.”
“How?”
“Live.”
He almost smiled.
“You have become very difficult.”
“You knew what you were getting.”
“No.”
He looked at her.
“I knew you were strong.”
He reached for her hand.
“I didn't know you were this dangerous.”
She laughed.
Then the harbor lights went out.
A vehicle approached.
Gunfire.
Silas pulled Clarissa down.
Two of his men returned fire.
The attacker fled.
A bullet struck the car door.
Silas looked at Clarissa.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
He exhaled.
Then he saw blood.
Her hand.
She had been grazed.
His expression changed.
“You are.”
“It's nothing.”
He took her hand.
“It's not nothing to me.”
She looked at him.
That sentence stayed between them.
They returned to the safe house.
Silas cleaned the wound.
His fingers were gentle.
“You don't have to do this.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
He looked at her.
“Because I love you.”
Silence.
Clarissa's breath caught.
“You shouldn't.”
“I know.”
“I'm still married.”
“I know.”
“He's your enemy.”
“I know.”
She looked into his eyes.
“You make everything complicated.”
He smiled faintly.
“You make it worth it.”
She leaned forward.
Then stopped.
“Silas.”
“Yes?”
“I think I'm falling in love with you.”
He closed his eyes.
“Then fall slowly.”
She smiled through tears.
They kissed.
It wasn't hurried.
It wasn't stolen.
It felt like permission.
Later that morning, they discovered a hidden account linked to Marco.
The transfers led directly to an offshore company.
The beneficial owner was registered under one name.
Dante Marone.
Clarissa stared.
“No.”
Silas looked at the document.
“Your husband.”
“He wouldn't.”
“Wouldn't what?”
“Burn his own empire.”
Silas answered quietly:
“He already did.”
And then they discovered the final betrayal.
Dante had planned to declare Clarissa mentally unstable and remove her through a private family court.
The forged evidence was scheduled for release in twelve hours.
Silas looked at her.
“We don't have twelve hours.”
May you like
Clarissa stood.
“Then we move now.”
