Chapter 5 - The Web Tightens
Getting a message to Marco was nearly impossible. Julian had placed the estate on lockdown following the morning's dock ambush, citing "security threats." No one was allowed to leave the gates, and the household phone lines were monitored.
My own cell phone had no signal—a signal jammer had clearly been activated within the mansion.
By late afternoon, the sky turned a bruised, stormy purple. Rain began to lash against the grand windows. I kept the children in the library, trying to keep them distracted with board games, but my mind was racing.
Around 5:00 PM, Julian’s chief security officer, a massive, scarred man named Viktor, entered the library.
"Miss Brooks," Viktor said gruffly. "Mr. Vance requires your presence in the study downstairs."
Sophia immediately grabbed my arm. "Don't go, Meline."
"It's alright, sweetie," I murmured, smoothing her hair. "Stay here with your brothers. I'll be back in a few minutes."
I followed Viktor down the dimly lit hallway toward Marco’s study. When I walked inside, Julian was standing behind Marco’s desk, going through a stack of confidential documents. On the desk sat a heavy silver revolver.
Julian closed the folder he was reading and looked up at me. "Sit down, Meline."
"I prefer to stand," I replied, keeping my hands tucked into my pockets, my fingers gripping Leo's drawing.
Julian sighed, leaning back against the high leather chair. "You know, when Marco hired you, I thought you were just a foolish, naive woman looking for a soft place to land. But you’re persistent. And persistent people in this house tend to die early."
"Like Isabella?" I asked boldly.
Julian’s eyes flared with anger, but he quickly controlled it, letting out a soft laugh. "Isabella was a fool. She discovered I was redirecting syndicate assets to my private accounts in Switzerland. She was going to tell Marco. I couldn't allow a spoiled princess to ruin thirty years of my hard work."
"You killed the mother of those children," I said, my voice shaking with righteous fury. "And you let Marco blame himself!"
"Marco is a weapon," Julian said coldly. "He is brilliant at violence, but blind to strategy. I built this empire with his father! I deserve half of everything this family owns! And now, thanks to the Moretti family, Marco will not survive tonight’s meeting at the docks. He thinks he’s walking into a truce negotiation. He’s walking into an execution."
My heart stopped. "You set him up."
"Of course I did," Julian smiled viciously. "And as for you... you know too much. A simple housekeeper who got caught in the crossfire of a tragic home invasion. The Morettis will take the blame for your death, too."
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Julian reached for the silver revolver on the desk.
Panic surged through me, but so did a fierce, blinding resolve. I didn't hesitate. I grabbed the heavy brass desk lamp beside me and threw it with all my strength straight at Julian's face.
