Chapter 10 - THE MAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE THE BLAME
Vincent had not run to Montréal.
Ethan planned to make it look that way.
Passport trail.
Abandoned car.
Cash withdrawal.
All staged.
Vincent was supposed to become the entire explanation.
Convenient villain.
Family resentment.
Direct access.
History of violence.
Then disappear.
Maybe forever.
That frightened Sofia more than anything.
“If Ethan can do that to Vincent…”
She didn’t finish.
Gabriel did.
“He can do it to you.”
The demand was obvious.
Bring Sofia.
Why?
Ethan still needed something from her.
Maybe signatures.
Maybe access.
Maybe emotional leverage.
Police controlled the response.
Gabriel argued from his hospital bed.
Lost.
I enjoyed that more than I should have.
The “old Moretti clinic” turned out to be a shuttered rehabilitation property once owned by Gabriel’s father.
Ethan knew the family would understand the reference.
Sofia wore a wire.
Police positioned teams.
No Luca sniper fantasy.
No Moretti convoy.
Gabriel hated every second from the hospital.
I sat nearby because his blood pressure kept climbing.
“Stop staring at the monitor.”
“My sister is walking into a trap.”
“With trained officers nearby.”
“My men are better.”
“Your men are emotionally involved.”
“So am I.”
“Exactly.”
He glared.
Then on the live audio feed, Ethan’s voice appeared.
“Sofia.”
She entered alone.
“Where’s Vincent?”
“Alive.”
“What do you want?”
“Your authorization.”
“For what?”
“Transfer rights.”
“To what?”
“Your holdings.”
She laughed bitterly.
“You almost killed Gabriel for shares?”
“No.”
Ethan sounded offended.
“I prevented him from giving away a dynasty.”
“You mean a company.”
“You don’t understand what your name is worth.”
“I understand exactly.”
Her voice steadied.
“That’s why I don’t want to spend my life trapped inside it.”
I looked at Gabriel.
He heard.
His expression changed.
Maybe he had never asked Sofia what she wanted either.
Ethan said:
“Sign.”
“No.”
A sound.
Chair scraping.
Vincent groaned.
Then Ethan:
“If you don’t, he dies.”
Sofia answered:
“He tried to destroy my brother.”
Vincent laughed weakly.
“Fair.”
Even Gabriel almost smiled.
Sofia continued:
“But I’m not letting you turn me into someone who decides whether people live based on signatures.”
Silence.
Then Ethan lost control.
Finally.
He shouted.
Accused her of ingratitude.
Said he had spent years becoming acceptable to the Morettis.
Years being looked down on.
Years waiting for Gabriel to die or step aside.
There it was.
Not finance.
Humiliation.
Entitlement.
Resentment.
Different costume.
Same disease.
Then officers moved.
Noise erupted over the feed.
A gunshot.
Gabriel tried to get out of bed.
His legs failed.
I caught him before he hit the floor.
“Stay down.”
“Sofia.”
“Stay.”
Another shot.
Then:
“Suspect down!”
Gabriel stopped breathing for one second.
I gripped his shoulders.
“Wait.”
Radio chatter.
Then:
“Female secure.”
Sofia alive.
“Hostage secure.”
Vincent alive.
“Suspect wounded, conscious.”
Ethan alive.
Gabriel collapsed back against the bed.
His eyes closed.
For the first time since I met him, he cried.
Quietly.
No performance.
Then he whispered:
“I almost lost her because I never asked what she wanted.”
I knew he was talking about Sofia.
Maybe also his mother.
Maybe everyone.
I said:
“Then ask next time.”
He looked at me.
“I am.”
My heart shifted.
Dangerous.
I ignored it.
Then Dr. Kim entered with his latest neurological results.
She smiled.
“Good news.”
Gabriel looked down at his legs.
“What?”
“You’re recovering faster than expected.”
She touched his left foot.
“Try again.”
He concentrated.
His foot moved.
Not much.
Enough.
Then his toes curled.
Gabriel stared.
I smiled.
“You saw that?”
He looked up at me.
“Don’t cry.”
“I still hate you.”
May you like
“Excellent.”
But I was crying.
