Chapter 5 - Marcus Vale Used Bianca’s Voice First

The call appeared on a secure monitor.

Marcus Vale.

Bianca stared.

Daniel activated recording.

Adrian answered.

“Marcus.”

A pause.

Then Bianca’s voice.

“Adrian.”

Everyone froze.

Bianca looked horrified.

The voice continued.

“Please sign the closing.”

Adrian stared at the speaker.

It sounded exactly like her.

Bianca whispered:

“That is not me.”

Daniel nodded.

“Voice clone.”

Adrian’s face hardened.

The fake Bianca said:

“My father says everything will fall apart if you don’t.”

Adrian looked at the real Bianca.

She shook her head.

He answered the call.

“Where are you?”

The fake voice hesitated.

Then Marcus came on.

“Enough.”

Adrian smiled.

“There you are.”

Marcus said:

“You should sign.”

“No.”

“Then you lose the acquisition.”

“Good.”

Silence.

Marcus continued.

“You do not understand what happens if those accounts surface.”

Adrian looked at the original ledgers.

“I am starting to.”

Marcus’s breathing changed.

“Where are you?”

Adrian did not answer.

Marcus continued.

“Samuel gave you documents.”

“Yes.”

“He does not know what they mean.”

“He knows enough.”

Marcus laughed.

“And your mother?”

Adrian looked at Sofia.

“She knows more than you hoped.”

Silence.

Marcus said:

“You found Daniel.”

Daniel smiled.

Adrian noticed.

“You sound disappointed.”

Marcus hung up.

Daniel immediately turned to another screen.

Attempted authorization.

Adrian’s digital identity.

Failed.

Second attempt.

Bianca’s trust authorization.

Failed.

Third.

Manual override.

Daniel leaned closer.

“Here.”

Adrian watched.

Marcus entered a legacy code.

Victor Russo’s old code.

Adrian’s mother went pale.

“That code died with Victor.”

Daniel looked at her.

“Apparently not.”

Adrian asked:

“Who else knew it?”

Sofia answered:

“Your father.”

Everyone looked at him.

He froze.

Adrian stared.

“You?”

His father shook his head.

“I have not used it in twenty years.”

“Who had access?”

He thought.

Then his face changed.

“My brother.”

Adrian frowned.

“Uncle Matteo?”

His father nodded.

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

Matteo Russo had been dead for six years.

At least officially.

Daniel stared.

“No.”

Adrian looked at him.

“What?”

Daniel pulled up an old file.

Matteo Russo.

Date of death.

No body recovered.

Boat accident.

Sofia whispered:

“Another disappearance.”

Adrian looked at his father.

“You never told me there was no body.”

His father closed his eyes.

“I was told there was nothing to recover.”

Daniel searched archived account logs.

Legacy code.

Used three times.

Five years ago.

Two years ago.

Tonight.

Adrian stared.

“Matteo is alive.”

Daniel nodded.

“Or someone has his code.”

Bianca’s phone buzzed.

A message.

From her father.

COME HOME.

ALONE.

She showed Adrian.

He looked at her.

“No.”

“It may be the only way to get close.”

“No.”

She stared.

“You believed me five minutes ago.”

“I do.”

“Then trust me now.”

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

Daniel said:

“She may be right.”

Adrian looked at him.

“Do not encourage her.”

Bianca almost smiled.

Not quite.

She continued.

“My father thinks I am still afraid of losing the engagement.”

Adrian said nothing.

“He thinks I will choose him.”

Sofia looked at her.

“Will you?”

Bianca met her eyes.

“No.”

Adrian watched her.

Bianca continued.

“I already chose silence once.”

She looked at Adrian.

“I am not doing it again.”

Adrian’s father whispered:

“Marcus is dangerous.”

Bianca nodded.

“I know.”

Daniel handed her a small recorder.

“No heroics.”

She took it.

Adrian said:

“I go with you.”

“No.”

“Not negotiable.”

“It has to look real.”

Adrian stepped closer.

“I am not losing another person because someone decided secrecy was safer.”

Bianca stopped.

Then nodded.

“Fine.”

Daniel looked at Adrian.

“You stay out of sight.”

Adrian said:

“Close enough.”

They arrived at the Vale estate at 11:41 PM.

Bianca entered alone.

Adrian waited in a service corridor.

Daniel listened through the recorder.

Marcus’s voice came through.

“You brought him?”

Bianca said:

“No.”

A second voice answered.

Older.

Male.

Adrian’s father froze through the earpiece.

He whispered:

“Matteo.”

Adrian stared.

Inside the room.

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His dead uncle said:

“Then we bring Adrian to us.”