Chapter 5 - The Second Ledger Named Two Dead Fathers

Nobody spoke.

Camille stared at her mother.

“My father died of a heart attack.”

Helena shook her head.

“No.”

Adrian looked at Victor.

His uncle’s expression had changed.

Just slightly.

Enough.

Adrian noticed.

“My father died in a plane crash.”

Helena nodded.

“That part happened.”

“But?”

“The crash was arranged.”

Silence.

Evelyn gripped the edge of the desk.

Adrian stared.

“By whom?”

Helena looked at Lawrence.

Her father.

Then Victor.

Camille whispered:

“Both of them?”

Helena’s voice broke.

“Yes.”

Victor stepped forward.

“That is a lie.”

Lawrence did not defend him.

Adrian looked at the old judge.

“Say it.”

Lawrence said nothing.

Adrian moved closer.

“Say it.”

Lawrence finally looked at him.

“Your father was going to confess.”

Adrian’s face hardened.

“To what?”

“The accounts.”

“The threats.”

“The payments.”

“And he was going to name me.”

Adrian stared.

“So you killed him.”

Lawrence answered:

“I approved it.”

Evelyn started crying.

Adrian’s voice became quiet.

“And Camille’s father?”

Lawrence looked at Helena.

“He wanted more money.”

Camille frowned.

“What?”

Helena whispered:

“Your father learned Lawrence was still alive.”

Camille stared.

“He blackmailed him?”

“Yes.”

Lawrence nodded.

“He became inconvenient.”

Camille stepped backward.

Her face emptied.

Adrian looked at Victor.

“And you?”

Victor shook his head.

“I was not involved in Russo’s death.”

Lawrence laughed.

Victor glared at him.

Adrian noticed.

“Something funny?”

Lawrence smiled.

“Victor thinks participation only counts if he gives the final order.”

Silence.

Victor said:

“Be careful.”

Lawrence continued.

“He arranged the doctor.”

Camille stared at Victor.

“The doctor who treated my father?”

Victor said nothing.

Helena covered her face.

Adrian’s jaw tightened.

“You helped poison him.”

Victor answered:

“I arranged access.”

“That is helping.”

Victor looked at Adrian.

“You do not understand what your father left behind.”

Adrian laughed bitterly.

“Money?”

“Enemies.”

“Debts.”

“A network that would have eaten you alive at fourteen.”

Adrian’s eyes sharpened.

“So you protected me.”

“Yes.”

“By killing him?”

Victor’s face changed.

“No.”

“By helping the men who did.”

Silence.

Robert stepped into the room.

He held a folder.

Adrian looked at him.

“What now?”

Robert said:

“I found the second ledger.”

Everyone turned.

Lawrence’s face changed.

For the first time.

Fear.

Robert placed the folder on the bed.

“It was in the hotel archive.”

Helena stared.

“How?”

Robert looked at her.

“You hid it in a maintenance file eighteen years ago.”

She covered her mouth.

“I forgot.”

Robert nodded.

“You were afraid.”

He opened it.

Names.

Dates.

Payments.

One line.

MOREL AIRCRAFT.

AUTHORIZED: L. RUSSO.

ASSISTED: V. MOREL.

Adrian stared at Victor.

His uncle said:

“I did not know they would sabotage the plane.”

Robert turned the page.

MEDICAL RETAINER.

RUSSO, CHARLES.

AUTHORIZED: V. MOREL.

Adrian looked at Camille.

Her father.

Charles Russo.

Camille started crying.

Victor whispered:

“I arranged the doctor.”

“You keep saying that.”

Adrian’s voice was flat.

Victor looked at him.

“The doctor was supposed to keep him quiet.”

Camille stared.

“How?”

“Medication.”

“To make him sick?”

Victor did not answer.

Helena whispered:

“Yes.”

Silence.

Camille looked at Adrian.

Neither knew what to say.

Two fathers.

Two murders.

One ledger.

Adrian looked at Lawrence.

“Why come back now?”

The old man smiled faintly.

“Because Victor lost control.”

Victor turned.

Lawrence continued.

“And because your engagement would have united the companies.”

Adrian stared.

“Our engagement.”

“Yes.”

“The marriage made the old structure legal?”

“Not legal.”

Lawrence smiled.

“Untouchable.”

Camille looked sick.

Adrian understood.

“You wanted us married.”

“Yes.”

“And Camille’s father sent the photographs to Evelyn after he died?”

Lawrence shook his head.

“No.”

Adrian stared.

“Then who continued?”

Lawrence looked at Victor.

Victor’s face went pale.

Adrian turned.

“You.”

Silence.

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...

His uncle whispered:

“Yes.”