Chapter 3 - The Traitor's Circle
By 2:00 AM, the penthouse suite on the forty-fifth floor of the Romano Tower was locked down like a military fortress. Tactical operators lined the perimeter hallways, while blackout curtains obscured the skyline views of Lake Michigan.
Lena sat on a leather couch in the private study, wrapped in a cashmere blanket, drinking hot tea. On the table before her sat a laptop displaying live security feeds from St. Anthony’s Hospital. She watched in disbelieving relief as team of top specialist physicians installed state-of-the-art oxygen equipment in a private suite for her mother, while Daniel sat in a comfortable armchair eating warm food provided by Victor’s staff.
The door swung open, and Victor stepped into the study, followed by his chief legal advisor, Arthur Vance.
"Leon Mercer has gone to ground," Arthur reported, placing a manila folder on the desk. "The moment the glass shattered in the ballroom, he slipped out through the loading dock. His personal accounts were drained three hours ago—over twelve million dollars transferred to offshore accounts in Panama."
"And Clara?" Victor asked, standing by the fireplace, pouring two fingers of scotch.
"She’s at her father’s estate in Lake Forest," Arthur said. "She claims she knows nothing about Leon’s actions. She’s claiming she was an innocent bystander and that the maid is an unhinged liar trying to extort the Romano family."
Victor took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes turning to Lena. "Clara’s father, Senator Whitmore, controls the port authorities. If Leon slipped through the docks, Whitmore cleared his path. Clara wasn't just my fiancée; she was the bridge between my family and the city's political structure."
"Why did they want to kill you now?" Lena asked softly, setting her teacup down.
"Because tomorrow at noon," Victor explained, walking over to stand before her, "I was scheduled to sign the Waterfront Unification Treaty. It would have placed all freight shipping under direct, legal corporate oversight, effectively destroying the illegal smuggling routes Leon and Whitmore used to traffic illegal weapons through the Great Lakes."
Victor reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, encrypted memory drive.
"Leon thought framing you was foolproof," Victor said. "A desperate maid needing money for her mother’s bills, hired by an outside cartel to poison the boss. The media would have devoured that story. The police would have closed the case within forty-eight hours."
"What do we do now?" Lena asked.
"Now, we let them believe the frame worked," Victor replied, a cold, ruthless smile touching his lips. "Clara thinks you are dead or in a black site cellar. She doesn't know you are sitting in my study, holding the key to her downfall."
He pointed to the screen displaying Clara’s social registry profile.
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"Tomorrow night, Senator Whitmore is hosting a private victory gala at his estate to celebrate the 'successful outcome' of the police investigation," Victor said. "Clara will be there, celebrating her freedom."
Victor leaned down, his dark eyes locking onto Lena’s. "How would you like to attend a party in Lake Forest, Lena?"
