Chapter 5 - My Mother Revealed That the Mafia Empire Began With a Woman No One Ever Suspected
My mother told me everything.
Decades earlier, her mother had founded the organization that became The Chairman.
Not because she wanted wealth.
Because she wanted control.
She believed Chicago could only be protected by controlling the people who controlled it.
Over time, corruption became power.
Power became greed.
And greed became violence.
My mother had tried to destroy it.
But she couldn't do it alone.
She needed someone inside.
My father.
And she needed someone powerful enough to inherit the legitimate side of the organization.
Roman.
The whole marriage between Roman and me had been watched by The Chairman.
My mother had hoped it would become the alliance needed to destroy them.
I felt betrayed.
“You chose my husband for me.”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I chose the conditions. You chose him.”
That distinction mattered.
Because I realized Roman and I had fallen in love before either understood the full truth.
Then the lake house exploded.
Someone had found us.
My mother pushed me down.
Roman dragged me outside.
The attack lasted minutes.
When it ended, my mother was gone.
Taken.
The kidnappers left a message.
BRING THE BLACK LEDGER.
ONE FAMILY MEMBER FOR EACH PAGE.
Roman looked at me.
“We don't have a choice.”
I nodded.
We gathered the remaining evidence.
Then Roman made a confession.
“I've known about The Chairman for years.”
I stared.
“How much?”
“Enough.”
“Why?”
“Because I was trying to destroy them before they could reach you.”
“You should have told me.”
“I know.”
He took my hands.
“I'm sorry.”
I believed him.
And this time, I knew we had to fight together.
We rescued my mother.
The final confrontation revealed something else.
Daniel Hale was not the leader.
He was only another victim of The Chairman.
The real leader was a woman.
Judge Eleanor Voss.
A respected figure.
A beloved philanthropist.
The woman who had quietly controlled the city for twenty years.
She had arranged my mother's disappearance.
She had ordered the restaurant attack.
She had manipulated Preston.
And she knew something nobody else did.
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My mother had hidden the real Black Ledger inside the Starlight Diner.
My diner.
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