Chapter 10 - THE FACILITY BENEATH THE LAKE
Holding C was buried beneath an abandoned lakeside research center north of Chicago.
Apparently rich criminal families hated normal storage.
We went under police surveillance.
Daniel demanded only Vincent and me.
Naturally, Vincent brought enough hidden security to invade a small country.
“Subtle,” I said.
“Alive is preferable.”
“Fair.”
The facility entrance opened with the black key.
Then required two biometric signatures.
One Marino.
One Bell descendant.
Us.
My stomach turned.
“That explains marriage.”
Vincent frowned.
“No.”
“What?”
“The trust merger wasn’t needed for physical access.”
“Then why manipulate us toward marriage?”
His expression darkened.
“To transfer legal ownership after we open it.”
Meaning Daniel needed us to activate the system, then he would seize control through the forged succession clause.
Lovely.
We descended.
Patricia sat in the central control room.
Alive.
Daniel stood behind her.
Samuel beside him.
My uncle smiled.
“Evelyn.”
I stared.
“You murdered your mother.”
His smile vanished.
“Family history is complicated.”
“No. Murder is uncomplicated.”
Vincent almost smiled.
Daniel held a gun.
“Key.”
Vincent raised it.
“Release Patricia.”
“After.”
“Before.”
They stared.
Then Patricia shouted,
“Don’t give it to him!”
Daniel struck her.
I moved.
Vincent caught my wrist.
“Wait.”
I hated him for being right.
Daniel inserted the key.
The system requested two identities.
VINCENT MARINO.
EVELYN HARTWELL.
We stepped forward.
“Do it,” Daniel ordered.
I looked at Vincent.
He nodded once.
Trust.
I pressed my hand.
He pressed his.
The system unlocked.
Screens lit.
Thousands of names.
Transactions.
Routes.
Blackmail records.
Judges.
Mayors.
CEOs.
Then one file appeared:
PROJECT SOVEREIGN.
Daniel smiled.
“There.”
Vincent frowned.
“What is it?”
Samuel looked almost reverent.
“The future.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Men who say that usually need therapy.”
Vincent looked amused.
Daniel did not.
He opened the file.
My stomach dropped.
Project Sovereign documented a decades-old plan to consolidate control over Chicago’s ports, courts, police unions, and private security through hereditary ownership.
Angelo Bell had designed it.
Raffaele Marino had sabotaged it.
My grandmother Rose had tried to expose it.
Samuel killed her.
Everything connected.
Daniel reached for the control panel.
Vincent moved.
Gunfire.
The lights died.
Patricia dropped.
I crawled toward her.
Samuel grabbed me.
I elbowed him.
He cursed.
I ran.
Then Daniel’s voice echoed.
“Stop!”
A gun pressed against my back.
Vincent froze across the room.
“Evelyn.”
Daniel grabbed my arm.
“Open the transfer.”
“No.”
“Do it.”
“No.”
His grip tightened.
Vincent’s expression became terrifying.
“Take your hand off her.”
Daniel laughed.
“You care.”
Vincent’s face didn’t change.
“Yes.”
My heart stopped.
Daniel smiled.
“That makes this easier.”
He pointed the gun at me.
“Marry her.”
Silence.
“What?”
“Complete the merger. Now.”
I stared.
Daniel had brought an officiant.
Actual paperwork.
This lunatic had planned a wedding.
Vincent looked at me.
I shook my head.
“No.”
Daniel cocked the gun.
“Do it.”
Vincent’s eyes stayed on mine.
Then he said quietly,
“Evelyn.”
Something in his tone changed.
Trust me.
I understood.
Barely.
He stepped forward.
“I’ll marry her.”
My heart slammed.
Daniel smiled.
Then Vincent added,
“But only if she asks me.”
Daniel’s smile disappeared.
“What?”
“The trust requires voluntary consent.”
Vincent looked directly at me.
“So, sweetheart.”
May you like
My breath stopped.
“Do you want to marry me?”
