Chapter 7 - THE AUNT'S MANEUVER
By dawn, the Moretti estate was an armed fortress. I left Alessandro hidden beneath a pile of blankets under my bed—the only place I knew the guards wouldn't check if they did a cursory sweep. I locked my door, told Sophia we were playing a quiet game, and went to the main house to perform my morning duties. I had to act normal.
The atmosphere in the grand foyer was chaotic. Men with submachine guns paced the marble floors. Victoria stood at the center of it all, looking immaculate in a black mourning dress, issuing orders to capos who looked confused and terrified.
"My nephew was ambushed last night," Victoria was telling a silver-haired capo. She pressed a tissue to her dry eyes. "Dante found his car abandoned and covered in blood near the East River. We have to assume the worst. Until Sandro is found, I am assuming control of Moretti Holdings and the family."
"With respect, Donna Victoria," the capo said hesitantly. "The commission won't recognize a woman as Boss without proof of Alessandro's death."
"They will when they see the financial records I'm releasing today," she snapped. "Sandro was unstable. He was running us into the ground. Now, secure the perimeter. No one leaves."
I kept my head down, sweeping the hallway, my mind racing. She was initiating a hostile takeover, framing the ambush as a tragedy to cement her power.
Suddenly, a heavy hand grabbed my arm. It was Dante.
He dragged me into an empty parlor, throwing me against the wall. Victoria stepped into the room a moment later, closing the doors. The mask of the grieving aunt was gone. She looked like a demon.
"Where is he?" Victoria demanded, stepping close to me.
"Who?" I stammered, playing dumb.
Dante slapped me. Hard. My head snapped to the side, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
"Don't play games with me, you little rat," Victoria hissed. "My men searched the server room. The hard drive is missing. And the ledger is gone from my safe. You were the only one in my room yesterday. And last night, a guard saw a shadow moving near the kitchen doors before the lockdown."
"I don't know what you're talking about," I cried, tears welling in my eyes. "I just clean the house!"
Victoria leaned in, her perfume sickeningly sweet. "Dante is going to go to the servant's quarters. He's going to bring that little brat of yours, Sophia, up here. And we are going to see how many of her fingers we have to break before you remember where you put my ledger."
Pure, unadulterated terror spiked through my veins. "No! Please! She's a child!"
"Then talk," Victoria commanded.
I had to buy time. I had to keep them away from my room. "The... the greenhouse," I sobbed, inventing a lie on the spot. "I got scared. I hid the ledger in the greenhouse, beneath the potting soil."
Victoria stared at me for a long moment, evaluating my lie. "Dante, go to the greenhouse. Dig it up. If she's lying, bring me the child."
May you like
Dante nodded and left the room. Victoria smiled a cruel, thin smile. "You should have minded your own business, Elena." She locked me in the parlor and walked away.
I was trapped. I had maybe ten minutes before Dante realized I lied.
