Chapter 3 - The Secret Beneath the CasinoJulius moved quickly.
He reopened every file connected to Samuel Marsh.
The records were incomplete.
Pages were missing.
Digital archives had been altered.
But one location kept appearing.
The old Castellano casino.
Closed for renovations eleven years earlier.
Julius took Dileia there.
She stared at the abandoned building.
“My father came here?”
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“My father's records.”
They entered through the back.
Dust covered the halls.
Dileia noticed a hallway that looked strangely familiar.
“I've seen this in my dreams.”
Julius looked at her.
“You've been here?”
“No.”
They reached an old security office.
Inside was a safe.
Dileia noticed scratches around the lock.
“A watchmaker?”
Julius frowned.
“My father taught me locks.”
She studied it.
The safe opened.
Inside was a ledger.
Samuel Marsh's handwriting.
Dileia began crying.
“He was here.”
Julius read.
The ledger contained payment records.
Names.
Dates.
And the secret account system Roco had been using.
But there was more.
Samuel had written:
Roco Vance is not acting alone.
Someone inside the family is giving him access.
Dileia looked at Julius.
“Who?”
He didn't answer.
They searched further.
At the bottom of the ledger was a photograph.
Roco.
Sabrina.
And Julius's uncle.
Anthony Castellano.
Julius stared.
“My uncle.”
Dileia whispered:
“He betrayed you.”
Julius's jaw tightened.
“No.”
“You don't believe it?”
“I believe the photograph.”
They returned to the estate.
Anthony arrived that evening.
He was smiling.
“What happened?”
Julius placed the photograph on the desk.
Anthony stopped.
“Where did you get this?”
“Doesn't matter.”
Anthony's expression changed.
“You don't understand what you're dealing with.”
“Then explain.”
Anthony sat down.
“Your father made mistakes.”
“What mistakes?”
“He trusted people.”
“Which people?”
“Your mother.”
Julius froze.
Anthony continued.
“She knew about Roco.”
“That isn't possible.”
“Ask her.”
Julius turned away.
His mother had been dead for fifteen years.
Anthony smiled.
“You've been protecting the wrong people.”
Dileia heard the words from outside.
She looked at Julius.
His face was unreadable.
Later that night, he found her in the kitchen.
“You heard.”
“Yes.”
“Do you believe him?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“He wants you angry.”
Julius looked at her.
“And you don't?”
“I want the truth.”
He studied her.
“You are not afraid of me.”
“I am.”
“Then why do you keep standing here?”
“Because being afraid doesn't mean running away.”
He smiled faintly.
“That sounds like something my father would have said.”
“Maybe your father knew your father?”
Julius laughed.
For the first time, she heard him laugh.
It was brief.
But real.
Dileia smiled.
Then Julius noticed a small cut on her hand.
“What happened?”
“Glass.”
He took her hand.
“Let me see.”
She froze.
Nobody touched her gently.
He cleaned the cut.
Neither spoke.
When he finished, he released her.
“Thank you.”
“You're welcome.”
She left.
Julius watched her go.
He realized he wanted her near him.
That was dangerous.
He had spent his whole life avoiding attachment.
Now one quiet woman had become the first person whose absence he noticed.
The next morning, disaster struck.
The casino accounts were frozen.
Three banks suspended Castellano assets.
The news announced:
CASTELLANO EMPIRE FACES BILLIONS IN FRAUD INVESTIGATION.
Julius read the article.
The documents cited his signature.
His digital credentials.
His bank approvals.
Everything pointed to him.
Roco walked into the office.
“You should step aside.”
Julius looked at him.
“Did you do this?”
Roco smiled.
“Prove it.”
Julius's eyes narrowed.
Then Roco said:
“You trusted me with everything.”
The sentence was almost a confession.
Julius reached for his phone.
Roco was gone before the guards arrived.
That night, Dileia was packing for the hospital when two men came to her apartment.
She recognized one.
Roco's security.
They grabbed her.
She fought.
Then a black car appeared.
Julius stepped out.
The men froze.
He didn't raise his voice.
“Take your hands off her.”
They obeyed.
Dileia ran toward him.
Not because she wanted to.
Because she knew she was safe.
He caught her.
His arms closed around her.
For one second, neither moved.
Then Julius whispered:
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
He looked at her.
“I told you I'd protect you.”
Her eyes filled.
“Why?”
He answered honestly.
May you like
“I don't know.”
And that was the truth.
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