Chapter 5 - The Woman Everyone Thought Was Dead
We left the mansion before sunrise.
Julian had exactly three trusted people remaining.
Me.
His head of security, Rafael.
And a woman named Naomi, who had served as his legal adviser for nine years.
Everyone else was considered compromised.
We drove to a safe property outside the city.
It was an old farmhouse surrounded by fields.
No cameras.
No guards.
No luxury.
For the first time since I had met him, Julian looked exhausted.
Without the mansion around him, he seemed less like a crime boss and more like a man who had spent too many years surviving.
I sat across from him.
“Tell me about my father.”
He looked at me.
“His name was Daniel Marlowe.”
I nodded.
“You knew him.”
“Yes.”
“Were you friends?”
“Not exactly.”
“Did he work for your father?”
“Yes.”
“What happened the night he died?”
Julian took a breath.
“Daniel discovered the ledger.”
“And?”
“He tried to copy it.”
“Why?”
“Because he discovered that someone inside our family was selling information.”
“To whom?”
“A rival syndicate.”
I leaned forward.
“Who?”
“We never found out.”
“My father did.”
Julian's eyes darkened.
“And before he could expose them, he disappeared.”
I stared.
“He didn't die in the fire?”
“No.”
“Then why was I told he did?”
“Because your mother was told the same lie.”
I felt tears rising.
“You knew?”
“I suspected.”
“That's not enough.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“So I made a decision.”
“What decision?”
“I stayed away from you.”
That confused me.
“Why?”
“Because everyone who investigated Daniel Marlowe ended up dead.”
Silence.
“You thought staying away would protect me?”
“Yes.”
“It didn't.”
“No.”
He looked genuinely regretful.
That was the first time I saw the man behind the legend.
Not the boss.
Not the killer.
Just Julian.
A man who had spent years making decisions for everyone around him because he believed only he could keep them alive.
Then Naomi entered the room.
“We have a problem.”
“What?”
“Victoria contacted us.”
Julian's posture changed.
“What does she want?”
“To meet Elena.”
“Absolutely not.”
Naomi looked at me.
“She says she has proof Daniel is alive.”
I stood.
Julian blocked my path with his chair.
“No.”
“She might know where my father is.”
“I know.”
“Then I'm going.”
“No.”
“You don't get to make this decision for me.”
“I do when it will get you killed.”
I stepped closer.
“I came here because someone manipulated my life. I'm done letting other people decide what I deserve to know.”
Julian stared at me.
Finally, he said:
“Then I'm coming.”
Victoria had arranged the meeting inside an abandoned train station.
The platform was empty.
Dust covered the tracks.
Julian's men searched the area.
Nothing.
Then Victoria appeared.
She looked tired.
Her hair was loose.
Her makeup was gone.
For the first time, she looked vulnerable.
“I didn't try to kill you,” she said to Julian.
“I know.”
Victoria looked surprised.
Julian continued.
“Who did?”
She looked at me.
“Someone who wants the ledger.”
“Who?”
“Your wife.”
Julian froze.
Victoria whispered:
“Clara's mother.”
I shook my head.
“She died.”
“No.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“She survived the explosion.”
Julian's expression broke.
“Where?”
“Alive.”
“Where?”
Victoria reached into her bag.
She pulled out a photograph.
A woman sat in a wheelchair.
Older.
Scar across one cheek.
But the eyes were unmistakable.
Julian stared.
“Isabella.”
I looked at him.
His wife.
Alive.
“How?”
Victoria's voice trembled.
“She was supposed to expose the ledger.”
“Why didn't she?”
“Because she discovered something worse.”
“What?”
Victoria looked at me.
“Daniel Marlowe didn't steal the ledger.”
My heart stopped.
“Then who did?”
Victoria whispered:
“Julian.”
I stared at him.
He looked stunned.
“That isn't true.”
Victoria shook her head.
“Your father trusted Daniel.”
“Then why?”
“Because Daniel discovered that someone was laundering the ledger through shell companies.”
Julian looked at me.
Victoria continued.
“Your father ordered Julian to destroy it.”
I shook my head.
“That doesn't make sense.”
“It does if you know what was inside.”
She took another document from her bag.
A list of names.
At the top was one name I recognized.
My father's.
And beside it was an annotation.
Asset protected by Isabella Vescari.
My hands began shaking.
“What does that mean?”
Victoria said:
“It means your father didn't die.”
I turned toward Julian.
“You knew.”
“No.”
But his voice sounded broken.
Then another voice came from the darkness behind us.
“Now you both know.”
We turned.
A woman stepped onto the platform.
She wore a long black coat.
A scar ran along her cheek.
Julian's face lost all color.
“Isabella.”
She smiled sadly.
“Hello, Julian.”
He stared at her.
“You're alive.”
“For now.”
She looked at me.
“And you're Elena.”
I nodded.
“She looks like Daniel.”
Julian whispered:
“Where is he?”
Isabella looked away.
“He's close.”
“Where?”
“He's been close for years.”
Julian moved toward her.
She stepped back.
“Don't.”
“Isabella.”
“You can't come closer.”
“Why?”
“Because they are watching.”
Julian turned.
Nothing.
Isabella continued.
“The ledger isn't just a list of corrupt people.”
She looked at me.
“It is a map.”
“A map to what?”
“The network that murdered your father, attacked Julian, kidnapped Clara, and controls people inside the Vescari organization.”
Julian's voice hardened.
“Who leads it?”
Isabella's eyes filled with tears.
“You.”
Silence.
Julian shook his head.
“What?”
“You were chosen as the next head before your father died.”
“I know.”
“No.”
She whispered.
“They didn't want you to lead.”
“They wanted you to take the blame.”
Julian stared.
“Someone has spent twenty-six months building a case that you are responsible for every crime in Chicago.”
“And the lake?”
“A final step.”
Isabella looked at me.
“They needed Julian dead.”
“Why me?”
“Because they knew he would trust you.”
Julian glanced at me.
“I don't.”
Isabella smiled.
“You already do.”
Then a gunshot echoed.
Isabella fell.
Julian caught her.
Blood spread across her coat.
I screamed.
Rafael shouted for cover.
The station erupted into chaos.
By the time we reached the exit, Isabella was gone.
Only one thing remained.
A blood-stained note.
I picked it up.
May you like
It said:
Daniel is alive. Find him before Victoria does.
