Chapter 9 - Bianca’s Final Bargain
Everything happened at once.
Nicholas froze.
Marcus spun around.
In the surveillance van, officers moved.
Bianca stepped inside.
The gun remained pointed toward the floor, but her finger sat dangerously close to the trigger.
“You followed me?” Marcus whispered.
Bianca smiled.
“You’ve become predictable.”
Nicholas lifted both hands.
“This doesn’t need to become worse.”
“It became worse the moment my father’s forgotten son decided he deserved money.”
Marcus stepped toward her.
“Put it down.”
She raised the weapon toward him.
Marcus stopped.
“You were going to sell me out.”
“I was trying to save us.”
“You admitted everything.”
Marcus’s face changed.
Bianca looked toward Nicholas.
“Are you recording this?”
No answer.
She laughed softly.
“Of course you are.”
Outside, tactical officers moved toward entry positions.
Vittorio watched on the monitor.
James grabbed his arm before he could open the van door.
“You stay here.”
“She has a gun.”
“And you have a daughter.”
That stopped him.
Inside, Bianca moved closer.
“Give me the Bellhaven documents.”
Nicholas shook his head.
“No.”
“Then I shoot Marcus.”
Marcus stared at her.
“What?”
Bianca shrugged.
“He’s become expensive.”
Nicholas looked at Marcus.
For the first time, the arrogant financier appeared genuinely terrified.
Bianca continued.
“After Marcus, I shoot you.”
“You still won’t have the signature.”
“You assume I need you alive to create one.”
Nicholas almost smiled.
“Samuel built biometric verification into the later amendment.”
Bianca’s confidence flickered.
Marcus stared.
“What amendment?”
Nicholas looked at him.
“You didn’t know?”
Bianca turned.
“What amendment?”
Nicholas said nothing.
She pointed the gun at him.
“Tell me.”
“The version Samuel signed two months before his death.”
Marcus looked furious.
“You hid that?”
“I didn’t even know it existed until last month.”
“What does it say?” Bianca demanded.
Nicholas answered.
“That if either heir attempts fraudulent authorization, control collapses.”
“To whom?”
Nicholas looked directly at her.
“The Romano restitution beneficiary.”
Bianca understood.
“Lucy.”
“Yes.”
The room went silent.
Samuel Moretti, paranoid even toward his own children, had created one final safeguard.
If Bellhaven’s heirs fought or forged control, the assets would revert toward the family from whom the original capital had been stolen.
Ultimately, Lucy.
Bianca laughed.
It sounded almost broken.
“All this time.”
Marcus shook his head.
“Bianca.”
“All this time, the child was worth more than Vittorio.”
Nicholas’s expression hardened.
“She was never money.”
“To people like you, maybe.”
Her gun lifted.
Officers entered.
“Police! Drop the weapon!”
Bianca turned.
Marcus ducked.
Nicholas moved behind the bar.
The gun fell from Bianca’s hand before she fired.
Within seconds she was on the floor with officers restraining her.
Marcus backed into a wall.
His eyes met one of the investigators.
He seemed to understand everything.
The recording.
The trap.
The financial evidence.
He slowly raised his hands.
“I want a lawyer.”
Vittorio remained inside the van until authorities confirmed both suspects were secure.
Then he stepped outside.
Bianca was being placed into a vehicle.
She saw him.
For one second, her expression became almost calm.
“Vittorio.”
He stopped several yards away.
“You came.”
He said nothing.
She looked toward the officers around her.
“You believe them?”
“I believe Lucy.”
Bianca smiled faintly.
“That child will ruin you.”
Vittorio’s face did not change.
“No.”
He looked at her with something colder than anger.
“She saved me from you.”
Bianca’s smile disappeared.
Vittorio turned away.
Marcus was led past him minutes later.
Unlike Bianca, Marcus could not maintain eye contact.
“Vittorio.”
Vittorio ignored him.
“There are things you still don’t know.”
That made Vittorio stop.
Marcus continued.
“About Elena.”
Vittorio turned.
The investigators listened.
“What?”
Marcus swallowed.
“I told Nicholas I didn’t kill her.”
“You didn’t.”
“I didn’t.”
Marcus’s voice shook.
“But I know why she died.”
Vittorio stared.
“Her aneurysm.”
“Yes.”
“That isn’t a why.”
Marcus closed his eyes.
“No.”
May you like
He looked back at Vittorio.
“The why is that Elena knew she was sick.”
