Chapter 4 - The Unwelcome Arrival
Before I could process the tidal wave of shifting realities, the heavy oak doors of my study burst open without a knock.
My chief enforcer, Marcus, strode into the room, his face pale and his suit jacket slightly askew. He didn't even glance at Clara or my mother; he locked eyes directly with me.
“Boss, we have a serious problem,” Marcus said, his voice urgent. “The Salvatore family just pulled their shipments from our northern docks. They know about your mother’s declining health, and they think you’re distracted.”
I straightened my tie, the cold, ruthless armor sliding back over my skin by sheer force of habit. “They think a medical crisis makes me weak? I’ll burn their warehouses to the ground by midnight.”
“It’s not just the Salvatores,” Marcus interrupted, hesitating for a fraction of a second. “The federal prosecutor’s office just subpoenaed our primary holding accounts. Someone leaked the corporate ledger detailing our real estate front companies.”
I froze. The primary holding accounts—the ones guarded by military-grade encryption and known only to me and my most trusted inner circle.
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“When was the subpoena filed?” I asked, my voice dropping an octave.
“Three hours ago,” Marcus replied. “And Boss... the leak didn't come from an accountant. It came from inside this house.”
