Chapter 8 - Sofia’s Real Plan

Victor recognized the company name.

He denied it for three minutes.

Then stopped.

“Voss Maritime Holdings.”

Elena looked at him.

“You said you never saw it.”

“I hoped I was wrong.”

Matteo asked:

“What was it?”

Victor answered:

“The first company Richard and I used.”

Daniel stared.

“For laundering?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“Twenty-six years ago.”

Elena whispered:

“Before Sofia disappeared.”

Victor nodded.

Then everyone understood.

Sofia’s childhood had not been destroyed by one affair.

It had been destroyed by the first criminal company connecting Victor and Richard.

Matteo asked:

“Why move eight million there now?”

Victor looked at the investigator.

“I don’t know.”

Then a phone rang.

Matteo’s.

Unknown number.

Sofia.

He answered.

“Where are you?”

“At the place Victor should have burned twenty-six years ago.”

Victor closed his eyes.

Matteo said:

“The maritime company.”

“Yes.”

“You moved eight million.”

“Yes.”

Elena whispered:

“Sofia.”

Sofia heard her.

“Hello, little sister.”

Elena took the phone.

“Did you steal Matteo’s money?”

Sofia paused.

“No.”

“You moved it.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“To reopen an account.”

“What account?”

“The one Richard forgot existed.”

Matteo took the phone back.

“Explain.”

Sofia said:

“Richard did not steal through one network.”

“He had a second.”

“Yes.”

“Victor’s?”

Silence.

Victor stood.

“Sofia.”

She laughed.

“You finally remember the name.”

Victor whispered:

“I was trying to protect you.”

“No.”

Sofia’s voice turned hard.

“You protected Elena.”

Elena closed her eyes.

Victor said:

“You were already gone.”

“You sent me away.”

“To save you.”

“No.”

Sofia’s voice broke for the first time.

“You chose the daughter whose existence did not embarrass you.”

Victor looked shattered.

Sofia continued:

“The eight million was bait.”

Matteo frowned.

“For Richard?”

“Yes.”

“How?”

“I transferred it into the old Voss Maritime account.”

“And?”

“Someone accessed it six hours later.”

“Richard.”

“No.”

Silence.

Sofia said:

“George Ellis.”

Everyone turned.

George was not there.

Matteo looked at Daniel.

The old driver.

Seventy-five.

The man who brought the receipt.

The man who brought Daniel back.

Daniel whispered:

“No.”

Sofia continued:

“George has been moving money for Richard since before the boat.”

Matteo stared.

“Why would he expose Richard tonight?”

“To move attention.”

“From what?”

“From himself.”

Victor sat down.

Daniel shook his head.

“George saved my life.”

Sofia replied:

“Yes.”

“Then why?”

“Because he was supposed to make sure you disappeared afterward.”

Daniel went still.

Sofia continued.

“He drove you to Vermont after the attack.”

“Yes.”

“He gave you the first fake letter.”

Daniel’s face changed.

“Yes.”

“He kept you isolated.”

“Yes.”

“He was Richard’s handler.”

Silence.

Matteo thought about George.

The gentle voice.

The cap in his hands.

The loyal old driver.

The man who had seemed to risk everything to reveal the truth.

He had revealed only enough.

Matteo asked:

“Where is he?”

Sofia answered:

“At Daniel’s hotel.”

Daniel’s eyes widened.

“My records.”

“What records?”

“The copies of Lucia’s trust documents.”

Matteo stood.

They reached the hotel twenty minutes later.

George’s room was empty.

Daniel’s was destroyed.

Papers everywhere.

Safe open.

But one thing remained.

A recorder.

George’s recorder.

Matteo pressed play.

George’s voice.

Not Daniel’s.

“Richard, the boy is leaving the gala.”

Richard:

“With Daniel?”

“Yes.”

“Good.”

George:

“What about Victor?”

“Later.”

George:

“And Sofia?”

A pause.

Then Richard laughed.

“She will lead us to the books.”

The recording ended.

Daniel sat down.

“He used me.”

Matteo looked at him.

“For twelve years.”

Daniel nodded.

Not angry.

Destroyed.

A knock at the door.

Everyone turned.

Sofia entered.

Black coat.

No gun visible.

Elena stared at her.

“You came.”

Sofia looked at Victor.

“For this.”

She placed a small hard drive on the table.

“All transactions from Voss Maritime.”

Matteo looked at it.

“Enough to convict Richard?”

“And George.”

Victor asked:

“And me?”

Sofia looked at him.

“Yes.”

Elena went pale.

Victor nodded slowly.

He expected it.

Matteo asked:

“Why give it to us?”

Sofia looked at Elena.

“Because I spent twenty-four years wanting our father punished.”

Then looked at Matteo.

“And twelve years watching Richard destroy your family.”

She slid the drive forward.

“I am done deciding who gets to know the truth.”

That sentence changed the room.

Then Daniel’s phone rang.

George.

Daniel answered on speaker.

George said:

“I need the drive.”

Sofia smiled.

“He knows.”

George continued:

“Bring it to the old marina.”

Matteo asked:

“Why would we?”

George laughed softly.

“Because Richard is there.”

A pause.

“And he has Elena’s mother.”

Elena froze.

“My mother is in Italy.”

George replied:

“No.”

Then sent a photograph.

Elena’s mother.

Alive.

Bound to a chair.

Taken minutes earlier.

George said:

“Midnight.”

The call ended.

Sofia stared at the photograph.

Her face changed.

Not fear.

Recognition.

She whispered:

“That is not Elena’s mother.”

Elena looked at her.

“What?”

Sofia zoomed in on the woman’s face.

Then said:

May you like

[COMPLETED] “GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DRESS! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT AN OLD SEAM...

[COMPLETED] At the Mafia Boss's Engagement Party, I Served His Hungry So...

[COMPLETED] The Mafia Boss’s Fiancée Tried to Dismiss His Father’s Loyal...

“That is mine.”

========================================================================