Chapter 7 - THE LEDGER
Gabriel stared at his wife as though the dead had walked into the room.
“Marissa.”
She looked at him.
Tears filled her eyes.
“I am sorry.”
He couldn't speak.
She walked toward him.
He didn't move.
Then she stopped several feet away.
“I never stopped loving you.”
Gabriel's face hardened.
“You let me bury you.”
“I had no choice.”
“You let our son believe his mother was dead.”
“I was protecting him.”
“You could have told me.”
“No.”
Her voice cracked.
“Because the first time I tried, they threatened to kill him.”
Gabriel looked away.
For a few seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Marissa looked at me.
“Elena.”
I stepped forward.
“You knew my father?”
“Yes.”
“What happened to him?”
“He saved me.”
“How?”
“He hid the ledger.”
“Where?”
She looked at my necklace.
“You already have the key.”
I held it.
“What does it open?”
“The old Rossi chapel.”
Gabriel frowned.
“There hasn't been a chapel on the estate for decades.”
“There is.”
Marissa looked at him.
“Your father sealed it.”
We returned to the estate.
The chapel was hidden behind an old stone wall.
Gabriel had never known it existed.
Inside, everything was covered in dust.
There was a wooden altar.
A cross.
And beneath it, a small iron lock.
My key fit perfectly.
The box opened.
Inside was a black ledger.
Pages of names.
Dates.
Payments.
Judges.
Police officers.
Politicians.
Executives.
Every page connected to the Crow.
Gabriel turned pale.
“My father built this.”
Marissa shook her head.
“No.”
She looked at me.
“Your father stole it from him.”
I stared at the ledger.
“My father?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because he wanted to expose them.”
Gabriel looked at me.
“And that's why they killed him.”
I nodded.
Suddenly everything made sense.
Michael had found the trail.
Marissa had found it.
Thomas had betrayed Gabriel.
The Crow wanted the ledger.
And now they wanted me.
A gunshot exploded outside.
The chapel windows shattered.
Everyone dropped.
“Down!”
Gabriel pulled me behind the altar.
Marcus and his men returned fire.
Marissa grabbed Leo's old photograph from her pocket.
“I knew they would come.”
I looked at her.
“How?”
“Because they know the ledger is here.”
“Who?”
She looked at Gabriel.
“Your own security chief.”
Gabriel froze.
“David?”
“Yes.”
David had worked for Gabriel for eleven years.
He had protected Leo since birth.
He had been in the house during the shooting.
He had access to every camera.
Every security schedule.
Every ammunition supply.
I understood.
He was the traitor.
Gabriel's face became terrifyingly calm.
“Get him.”
Marcus ran.
Minutes later, David was dragged into the chapel.
He looked at Gabriel.
“I can explain.”
Gabriel stared at him.
“Can you?”
David looked at me.
“She was the target.”
I stepped back.
“Me?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because your father hid the final key in your blood.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
David laughed nervously.
“The ledger is useless without the biometric code.”
Gabriel looked at Marissa.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“What code?”
Marissa pointed at me.
“Her blood.”
Silence.
I looked at the ledger.
“That's impossible.”
“No.”
She explained.
My father had created a biological encryption system.
The final pages couldn't be opened without a blood sample from his direct descendant.
Me.
That was why the Crow had hunted me.
Not because I was a maid.
Not because I was connected to Michael.
Because I was the only person who could unlock the ledger.
David tried to escape.
Gabriel stopped him.
“Who is your employer?”
David smiled.
“Gideon.”
I froze.
“Gideon is dead.”
David laughed.
“No.”
Gabriel stared.
“He died eight years ago.”
David shook his head.
“That was another lie.”
Then he said the name.
“The real Gideon Rossi.”
Gabriel's face went white.
“Impossible.”
David smiled.
“Your father had another son.”
Anthony.
No.
A second man.
Another secret.
The Rossi family was built on lies.
Before anyone could react, the chapel doors opened.
A man walked inside.
Older.
Gray-haired.
Calm.
Gabriel raised his weapon.
The man smiled.
“You always were your father's favorite.”
Gabriel whispered:
“Gideon.”
The man looked at me.
“And you must be Elena.”
I held the ledger tighter.
Gideon smiled.
“Give me the book.”
“No.”
May you like
His smile disappeared.
“Then I will take it.”
