Chapter 4 - The Ledger
The private jet crossed the Atlantic beneath a sky without stars.
Marin sat opposite Dominic.
Neither had spoken for nearly an hour.
Carlo sat behind them, studying intelligence reports.
The cabin lights were dim.
Dominic looked at Marin.
"You know something."
She stared at the window.
"Maybe."
"Tell me."
She took a breath.
"Adrian gave me something."
Dominic waited.
"A key."
"What kind?"
"Small brass key."
"Where is it?"
"I don't know."
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
"You don't know?"
"I haven't seen it in ten years."
"Why would he give you a key?"
"He said it opened a box."
"What box?"
"He didn't tell me."
Dominic leaned back.
"Where was the last place you lived with Adrian?"
"An apartment in Newport."
"Is it still there?"
"No."
"Who owns the building?"
"I don't know."
Carlo looked up.
"I do."
Marin turned.
Carlo showed her a photograph.
"The building was purchased seven years ago."
"By whom?"
"Virelli Holdings."
Marin went silent.
Dominic frowned.
"You never told me."
"I didn't know."
Carlo continued.
"The property was renovated. Every unit was emptied."
Marin looked at Dominic.
"Why would your family buy it?"
"I don't know."
He looked at Carlo.
"Find the original purchase records."
"Already did."
Carlo placed a file on the table.
"Your uncle authorized the purchase."
Dominic stared at the document.
Rafael.
Again.
The pattern was undeniable.
Rafael had known about Adrian.
He had known about the ledger.
He had purchased the building.
And Vivien had entered Dominic's life years later.
Dominic's expression became hard.
"How long have they been working together?"
Carlo shook his head.
"We don't know."
Marin looked down.
"Vivien knew about Adrian."
"Yes."
"She knew about Elias."
"Yes."
"She knew about my son."
"Yes."
Marin whispered:
"Then she must have known me before she met you."
Dominic looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
"She didn't just investigate me."
Marin's voice trembled.
"She knew things no stranger could know."
"Such as?"
"She once asked me about a red scarf."
Dominic waited.
"Adrian wore one the night he disappeared."
"You told her?"
"No."
"Who knew?"
"Only me."
Dominic's eyes narrowed.
"And Adrian's family?"
"He had no family left."
Carlo spoke quietly.
"Then Vivien got the information from someone who was there."
Dominic looked out the window.
Rafael.
The plane descended toward Monaco.
The city appeared below them like scattered diamonds along the dark coast.
Dominic's phone rang.
He answered.
"Yes?"
A man's voice came through.
"Dominic."
He knew the voice.
Rafael.
Dominic stood.
"Where are you?"
"Somewhere your reach doesn't extend."
"You're wrong."
Rafael laughed.
"You sound like your father."
"Don't mention him."
"Why? Because you still believe he was murdered?"
Dominic froze.
"What?"
Rafael's voice became quieter.
"Ask your mother what happened before the attack."
"My mother already told me enough."
"Then ask her what your father discovered."
Dominic's grip tightened around the phone.
"What did he discover?"
"That the Virelli family had been infiltrated for years."
"By whom?"
"People closer than you think."
Dominic looked at Marin.
Rafael continued.
"The ledger contains names."
"Whose?"
"People who would kill to keep them secret."
"Where is the ledger?"
"With Marin."
Marin's eyes widened.
Dominic looked at her.
"She doesn't have it."
Rafael laughed.
"She doesn't know she has it."
The call ended.
Marin stared at Dominic.
"What does he mean?"
"I don't know."
The plane landed.
Within thirty minutes, they were inside a secure apartment overlooking Monaco's harbor.
Dominic's men had swept the building.
No one was there.
Marin stood in the center of the living room.
Then she noticed something.
A painting.
She walked toward it.
"Wait."
Dominic followed.
"What?"
She touched the frame.
"This was in our apartment."
Dominic looked at the painting.
"You recognize it?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Adrian bought it."
Carlo removed the painting.
Behind it was a small metal compartment.
Marin's hands began shaking.
Dominic opened it.
Inside was a brass key.
Marin stared.
"I haven't seen that in ten years."
Dominic picked it up.
There was a number engraved on it.
317.
Carlo immediately searched the building plans.
"Room 317."
Dominic frowned.
"There's no room 317."
"Exactly."
They found the answer beneath the apartment.
An old service corridor.
At the end was a steel door.
Number 317.
Marin stood beside Dominic.
"Are you sure?"
"No."
He opened the door.
Inside was a small room.
Dust covered everything.
A wooden box sat on a table.
Marin approached slowly.
The key fit.
She unlocked it.
Inside was a black leather ledger.
Dominic stared.
"So this is what they wanted."
Marin touched the cover.
There was a photograph underneath.
Adrian.
Isabella.
Dominic's father.
Rafael.
And another man.
Dominic picked it up.
He knew him.
His father had once called him a friend.
A powerful politician.
Dead for seven years.
Dominic opened the ledger.
Names filled the pages.
Money transfers.
Bribes.
Shipping routes.
Police officers.
Judges.
Businessmen.
And then he saw something that made his blood run cold.
Three years earlier.
A payment.
A code name.
Operation Silence.
Next to it:
Target: Isabella Virelli.
Marin covered her mouth.
Dominic turned the page.
There were signatures.
One belonged to Rafael.
Another belonged to a man named Silas Maro.
And the third—
Vivien Morrow.
Dominic's expression became empty.
Marin looked at him.
"Dominic."
He closed the ledger.
"She helped plan the attack."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
A slow clap came from the doorway.
They turned.
Vivien stood there.
She wore a black coat.
Her hair was pulled back.
A gun rested in her hand.
"You finally found it."
Dominic stepped in front of Marin.
Vivien smiled.
"I knew you would."
"You killed my mother's future."
"No."
"I know your signature is here."
"Yes."
"Why?"
Vivien's smile faded.
"Because your mother knew the truth."
"What truth?"
"Your father wasn't killed by outsiders."
Dominic's face hardened.
"He was murdered by Rafael."
Vivien shook her head.
"No."
She looked at Marin.
"Adrian knew."
Marin stared.
Vivien continued.
"Your father discovered that Rafael was selling Virelli information to the Maro family."
Dominic's breathing slowed.
"Then why was my father killed?"
"Because he planned to expose him."
"And my mother?"
"She witnessed it."
Dominic stared at her.
Vivien's eyes filled with something that almost looked like regret.
"Rafael ordered the attack."
"You helped him."
"I was forced."
Dominic laughed bitterly.
"Don't."
"I was."
"How?"
Vivien lowered the gun.
"Because Rafael had my father."
Dominic froze.
"What?"
"My father owed him money."
She swallowed.
"He used me."
"Then why marry me?"
Vivien looked at him.
"Because Rafael said you were the only person who could destroy him."
Dominic stared.
"You were supposed to become my wife."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"To get close enough to your mother."
"So you could find the ledger."
Vivien nodded.
"But something changed."
"What?"
Her eyes moved toward Marin.
"I began to understand that Rafael would kill anyone who stood between him and the ledger."
Dominic's voice was cold.
"And you threatened her son."
"I was trying to scare her."
"You threatened a child."
"I know."
"Why?"
"Because Rafael threatened mine."
Dominic froze.
"Your child?"
Vivien nodded.
"He has my younger brother."
Marin whispered:
"You said your father."
"I lied."
Vivien's voice broke.
"Rafael has my brother."
A sound came from the hallway.
Footsteps.
Vivien looked toward the door.
Her face changed.
"No."
Dominic raised his weapon.
"Who is coming?"
Vivien whispered:
May you like
"Rafael."
Then the lights went out.
