Chapter 4 - The Uncle Who Inherited Everything

Victor Moretti had been chairman for six years after Marco died.

Nicolas was twenty-three then.

Too young, everyone said.

Victor had taught him the business.

Taught him contracts.

Ports.

People.

Fear.

Three years earlier, Victor retired.

He lived outside Lake Geneva.

Nicolas called him.

No answer.

Again.

No answer.

Henri watched.

“You think Victor killed Marco?”

Nicolas looked at his father’s letter.

“I think my father wanted me to.”

Henri shook his head.

“Marco distrusted everyone at the end.”

Diana looked at him.

“He trusted me.”

Henri smiled coldly.

“And look where that got him.”

Nicolas stepped toward Henri.

Celeste grabbed his arm.

“Not here.”

He looked at her hand.

She removed it.

Diana took the ledger from the box.

Opened it.

Pages of accounts.

Initials.

Payments.

Shell companies.

Then one name.

V.M.

Nicolas stared.

Henri came closer.

“Victor managed the Moretti accounts.”

Nicolas flipped pages.

More payments.

V.M.

Then one entry dated two days before Marco died.

ARMAND HOUSE — PRIVATE DINNER.

TRANSFER AUTHORIZED.

M.M. REMOVED.

Nicolas stopped.

“M.M.”

Diana whispered:

“Marco Moretti.”

Henri frowned.

“That could mean removed from the account.”

Nicolas looked at Edwin.

“Or removed.”

Henri’s face hardened.

Diana picked up one cassette.

Label:

DINNER.

Edwin found an old player on a shelf.

He inserted the tape.

Static.

Then Marco’s voice.

“You moved the money.”

Another voice.

Victor.

“You were too slow.”

Nicolas closed his eyes.

Victor continued.

“Henri thinks he controls the ports. He controls nothing.”

Henri went pale.

The recording continued.

Marco:

“You used my accounts.”

Victor:

“Our accounts.”

Marco:

“You ordered the warehouse fire.”

Silence.

Diana’s breath caught.

Nicolas looked at her.

The same warehouse fire from seventeen years earlier.

Victor’s voice returned.

“You should have stayed loyal.”

Marco:

“I am leaving.”

Victor laughed.

“No one leaves with records.”

The tape stopped.

No one spoke.

Henri looked at Nicolas.

“I did not know.”

Diana turned toward him.

“You knew Victor was dangerous.”

“Yes.”

“You let me believe you were the reason I had to disappear.”

Henri’s face tightened.

“You did have to disappear because of me.”

“Why?”

“Because Victor would have used you against Marco.”

Diana stared.

“So you threatened me to protect me?”

Henri gave a bitter smile.

“Apparently that was popular.”

Nicolas looked at Celeste.

She looked away.

He picked up the second tape.

Label:

DIANA.

He inserted it.

Marco’s voice.

“If Diana is gone, Victor believes she took the evidence.”

Diana began crying.

Marco continued.

“She did not.”

Henri’s voice came next.

Recorded secretly.

“What do you want me to do?”

Marco:

“Help her disappear.”

Henri:

“And Nicolas?”

Marco:

“He stays with me.”

Diana covered her mouth.

Nicolas stared.

Marco continued.

“If she takes him, Victor follows.”

Henri:

“She will hate you.”

Marco:

“She can hate me alive.”

Diana sank into a chair.

For seventeen years, she had believed Marco betrayed her at the end.

The tape said otherwise.

Nicolas looked at Henri.

“You helped fake her death.”

“Yes.”

“And then eight years ago you found her again.”

“Yes.”

“Why threaten her then?”

Henri looked at Celeste.

Then at Nicolas.

“Because Victor was still chairman.”

Nicolas’s face changed.

“You thought Victor would kill me.”

“Yes.”

“Then why arrange my marriage to Celeste?”

Henri said nothing.

That silence was different.

Nicolas saw it.

Diana did too.

“What did Victor promise you?”

Henri’s eyes moved toward the floor.

Celeste whispered:

“Dad.”

Nicolas stepped closer.

“What did he promise?”

Henri finally answered.

“Immunity.”

“For what?”

“The old accounts.”

Nicolas laughed bitterly.

“You traded our marriage for your safety.”

Henri’s face tightened.

“I traded control for survival.”

Celeste stared at him.

“You told me the merger would protect Nicolas.”

“It would.”

“For you.”

“For all of us.”

Celeste shook her head.

“No.”

Henri looked at her.

“You have no idea how many people were waiting for Victor to fall.”

“Then let him fall.”

Henri stared.

Celeste continued.

“I am done being used as a signature.”

Nicolas looked at her.

She met his eyes.

“I should have said that before.”

“Yes.”

Henri walked toward the door.

Nicolas blocked him.

“Where are you going?”

“To call Victor.”

Diana stood.

“Why?”

Henri looked at the tapes.

“Because if he learns you found those, he will not wait.”

Nicolas’s phone rang.

Unknown number.

He answered.

Victor’s voice.

“You should listen to your elders.”

Nicolas stared at Henri.

Victor continued.

“You opened the box.”

“How do you know?”

Victor laughed.

“Because I have been waiting seventeen years for Diana to lead me back to it.”

Diana went pale.

Nicolas looked through the greenhouse glass.

A black SUV rolled through the snow.

Then another.

Victor said:

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“Bring me the ledger.”

The call ended.