Chapter 3 - The Ghost of the Transport
The heavy iron gates of the estate opened just long enough to let Clara's battered sedan rush through before slamming shut with a mechanical finality. Inside the secure library, the air was tense, filled with the aroma of hot tea that no one was drinking. Clara sat on the edge of a leather armchair, her hands shaking so violently that the porcelain cup rattled against the saucer.
Dante stood by the fireplace, his arms crossed, his face an unreadable mask of stone. Two of his highest-ranking captains, Marco and Leo, stood by the door, their hands resting near their jackets, their expressions grim.
"Start from the beginning, Clara," Emma said, kneeling beside the girl’s chair and placing a comforting hand over her trembling fingers. "The news said the prison transport van went over the Blackwood gorge during the thunderstorm three weeks ago. They reported four casualties, including Julian."
"It was a setup, Emma," Clara stammered, swallowing hard. "Julian’s family didn't lose their money; they just hid it in offshore accounts before the asset forfeiture went through. He used that money to bribe the transport drivers. The van didn't lose control because of the rain. They staged the crash, killed two inmates from the local jail to use as body doubles, and set the vehicle on fire to destroy the dental records. Julian walked out of the gorge before the first rescue unit arrived."
Dante didn't look surprised. He took a slow, deep breath, his eyes fixed on the map of the city’s northern docks spread out across the library table. "And the Castiglione family? Why would they align with a disgraced corporate lawyer?"
"Because Julian gave them the encrypted codes to your offshore shipping manifests, Dante," Clara explained, pulling the crumpled envelope from her pocket and handing it to Emma. "Before he went to prison, he copied everything from the restaurant’s private servers—the names of your suppliers, the delivery schedules, the custom officials who take your payouts. The Castigliones have been bleeding money since you drove them out of the riverfront two years ago. With Julian’s information, they’ve already hijacked two of your vessels at the deep-water terminal this morning."
Marco stepped forward, his voice a low hiss. "Boss, if the Castigliones have the manifests, they can compromise our entire distribution network by noon. We need to lock down the warehouses and mobilize the crews."
"No," Dante said, his voice a calm, freezing current that cut through the panic in the room. He turned away from the fireplace, his dark eyes locking onto Emma’s pale face. "If we mobilize the crews to the warehouses, we leave the estate vulnerable. Julian doesn't care about the shipping manifests, Marco. He gave them to the Castigliones as a payment, a bribe to buy their muscle. Julian only cares about one thing."
He walked over to Emma, dropping to his knees so he was at eye level with her. He took her hands, his grip firm, warm, and absolute. "He wants you back, Emma. He wants to prove that I cannot protect you. He wants to drag you back to the dark so he can feel like a king again."
"I’m not afraid of him anymore, Dante," Emma said, her voice trembling but her eyes remaining fierce, a new strength burning within her. "Four months ago, I was a victim. Today, I am your wife. I won't run from him."
"You won't have to run, mia bella," Dante said, lifting her hands to press a kiss against her knuckles. "Because we are going to use his own arrogance to build his gallows. He thinks he’s a phantom hiding in the dark. We are going to turn on every light in this city until he has nowhere left to crawl."
He stood up, turning to his captains with a cold, commanding authority. "Leo, take Clara to the safe house in the southern hills. Marco, call the harbor master. Tell him to allow the Castigliones to take the third vessel at the dock. Let them think we are panicking. Let them think the empire is cracking."
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"And Julian?" Marco asked.
Dante’s jaw tightened, a lethal smile touching the corners of his lips. "Tell our lookouts at The Grand Verona to leave the back doors unlocked tonight. Julian spent three years commanding Emma from Table Seven. If he wants his final reckoning, he will come to the place where he thinks he broke her."
