Chapter 13 - THE DECISION
Gabriel stared at the envelope sitting between them.
"Olivia," he said, his tone serious.
"My world is dangerous."
"Last night proved that."
"Last night proved that the danger was already looking for me," Olivia countered, stepping around the island.
She stopped right beside his stool.
"For four years, I lived in fear of shadows."
"I wondered why Daniel was killed in a car that wasn't his."
"I wondered why men with dark suits watched my daughter's playground."
She reached out, her hand resting firmly on Gabriel’s uninjured shoulder.
"You gave me the truth, Gabriel."
"And you gave my daughter her safety back."
Gabriel looked up into her hazel eyes.
"You deserve a peaceful life, Olivia. In a quiet neighborhood with a garden."
"I don't want a quiet life with strangers," she said, her voice steady and resolute.
"I want a life where I don't have to pretend I’m invisible."
Lily hopped down from her stool, wiping her mouth with a napkin.
She walked over and hugged Gabriel around the waist.
"Can we stay here, Mr. Gabriel?" Lily asked, looking up with big, hopeful eyes.
"Nero promised to show me the secret garden behind the fountain today."
Gabriel let out a soft, genuine laugh—a sound that seemed to warm the entire room.
He reached down, lifting Lily onto his knee with his good arm.
"Did Nero tell you that?"
"He told me with his tail," Lily said solemnly.
Gabriel smiled, looking over Lily’s shoulder at Olivia.
"It seems the dog has already made the decision for us."
"He usually does," Olivia smiled back, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
Later that afternoon, Matteo entered the library with a thin black folder.
Gabriel stood behind his desk, looking out over the lawn where Lily was throwing a tennis ball for Nero.
The giant black dog bounded across the grass like a puppy, his tail wagging furiously.
"Moretti’s trial is set for November," Matteo reported.
"The federal prosecutor accepted the encrypted ledgers."
"Every asset the Moretti family owned is being seized by the state."
"And Elena?" Gabriel asked without turning around.
"She signed a full confession an hour ago in exchange for avoiding federal death penalty charges."
"She’s going away forever, Gabriel."
Matteo closed the folder and set it on the desk.
"The board of directors convened at noon."
"They ratified your proposal to liquidate the port logistics division."
Gabriel turned around.
"All of it?"
"All of it," Matteo nodded, a satisfied smirk touching his lips.
"The entire operation is transferring into a clean, commercial real estate trust."
"No more shipping docks."
"No more warehouse relays."
"You're out of the shadows, boss."
Gabriel looked at his chief of security.
"We are all out, Matteo."
"Go home to your family in Evanston."
"Take a month off."
Matteo smiled, giving a rare, respectful bow.
May you like
"Thank you, Gabriel."
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