Chapter 6 - The Account That Shouldn't Exist
Enzo threw his phone onto the table and shouted, "I never sent him anything!"
Matteo opened the hidden banking file beside the threatening message.
One transfer carried Enzo Marchetti's authorization code.
It had been approved at 2:14 that morning.
Enzo had been asleep beside Isabelle's hospital room.
The pounding continued.
Luca drew everyone away from the door while security checked the hall.
It wasn't Damien.
It was federal agents.
Within minutes, Enzo was being questioned.
The authorization code linked him to a transfer from one of Isabelle's companies into an offshore account.
Enzo denied it.
Isabelle believed him.
But belief wasn't evidence.
Matteo demanded warrants.
Luca demanded attorneys.
Victor quietly disappeared into the kitchen.
Isabelle noticed.
She followed.
"Running?"
"No."
Victor held up his phone.
"Checking something."
He showed her an old message.
Richard Hale had asked Victor months earlier for information about Marchetti cybersecurity systems.
"Why would you give it to him?"
"I didn't."
"But someone did."
Isabelle looked toward Enzo.
"No."
Victor nodded.
"I agree."
They discovered the truth six hours later.
Enzo's credentials had been cloned.
The access originated from Damien's private office.
Damien was framing him.
But why?
"To divide us," Isabelle said.
Luca nodded.
"And keep us busy."
Then Vanessa entered holding Damien's tablet.
"I know what he's doing."
Everyone turned.
She had taken the tablet months ago after suspecting Damien was seeing another woman.
The irony wasn't lost on anyone.
Inside were photographs of contracts.
Messages.
And a calendar.
One appointment repeated every Thursday.
R.H. — PHASE TWO.
Richard Hale.
Vanessa opened a voice memo.
Damien's voice filled the room.
"Once Isabelle signs, Richard gets the properties. I get the liquid assets. Victor gets paid. Everybody walks."
Then Richard answered.
"No. Once Isabelle signs, Isabelle becomes unnecessary."
The room went silent.
Isabelle's skin turned cold.
Damien spoke again.
"What does that mean?"
"You know exactly what it means."
The recording ended.
Luca looked ready to tear the room apart.
Matteo was calmer.
Which was more frightening.
"We take this to the authorities."
"We take everything," Isabelle said.
She looked at Victor.
"Everything."
He nodded.
For the first time, Isabelle understood the size of what she was fighting.
This wasn't simply an affair.
Not simply stolen money.
Not simply a violent husband.
Damien had entered a conspiracy he no longer controlled.
And Richard Hale considered Isabelle disposable.
That evening, police arrested Damien for the assault at the gala.
He posted bail within hours.
At 10:43 p.m., Isabelle received a voicemail.
Damien sounded broken.
"Isa, please don't believe Richard. I made mistakes. Terrible ones. But I never agreed to hurt you. I swear."
She listened twice.
Not because she believed him.
Because she heard fear.
Real fear.
Then he said:
"There's something about the baby you need to know."
The message ended.
Isabelle immediately called back.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Then Damien sent a location.
An abandoned Cole warehouse beside the river.
Matteo said it was obviously a trap.
Luca agreed.
Isabelle agreed too.
So they called law enforcement.
When officers reached the warehouse, Damien wasn't there.
His car was.
Driver's door open.
Blood on the steering wheel.
Phone on the seat.
And beside the phone lay a sealed envelope addressed to Isabelle.
Inside was a sonogram photograph.
Her sonogram photograph.
Someone had written four words across it in black ink:
HE KNOWS SHE'S MINE.
Isabelle stared at the handwriting.
It wasn't Damien's.
Victor looked over her shoulder.
His face changed.
"I know that handwriting."
"Whose?"
Victor didn't answer.
He walked backward.
For the first time since returning, the old man looked truly terrified.
Then Isabelle's phone rang.
Damien.
She answered.
There was breathing.
Then a man's voice whispered:
"Ask Victor about his other son."
The call ended.
Everyone turned toward Victor.
May you like
He closed his eyes.
And Isabelle realized Damien had never been Victor Vale's only child...
