Chapter 8 - THE MAN BEHIND VINCENT
Ethan Ward had no mafia history.
That was exactly why no one watched him.
He understood finance.
Corporate governance.
Trust law.
Medical-directive structures.
He understood the Morettis better than they understood him.
Vincent understood violence.
Ethan understood paperwork.
Together, they were dangerous.
Ethan admitted enough over the phone to clarify motive.
Gabriel’s restructuring would move controlling shares of legitimate companies into a protected employee-benefit trust.
Sofia would retain wealth.
But not the concentrated voting power Ethan expected eventually to manage through her.
He had married into a fortune believing it would remain a dynasty.
Gabriel was dismantling the dynasty.
Ethan refused to accept that.
“So you used Vincent,” Gabriel said.
“Vincent used himself.”
Ethan sounded almost amused.
“He believed you were betraying your blood.”
“And you?”
“I believe money should stay with people capable of managing it.”
Sofia whispered:
“You mean you.”
Silence.
Then:
“I mean us.”
She laughed through tears.
“There is no us.”
That was the first crack in his calm.
“Sofia.”
“No.”
Her voice steadied.
“You cut into my brother’s back.”
“I never touched him.”
“You paid for it.”
Silence.
“You used my company.”
“I used an administrative pathway.”
I hated people who cleaned cruelty with professional vocabulary.
Then Gabriel asked:
“Did you order the infection?”
Ethan paused.
“No.”
I believed him.
Strangely.
“The procedure was never supposed to become infected.”
“So paralysis was intended.”
“Temporary weakness.”
Sofia covered her mouth.
Gabriel’s face became unreadable.
Ethan continued:
“Enough to validate incapacity.”
“You almost killed him.”
“That was Vale’s incompetence.”
Cowardice again.
Everyone’s fault except the planner.
Luca traced the call.
Ethan knew.
He disconnected before location resolved completely.
Approximate area:
Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.
Then Sofia said:
“We have a house there.”
Of course.
Police were notified.
No Moretti hunting party.
Gabriel insisted again.
But Ethan had one last move.
At 11:00 p.m., news alerts hit.
Anonymous documents sent to media outlets alleged Gabriel Moretti’s “medical collapse” resulted from illegal drug use and violent instability.
Videos accompanied them.
Gabriel delirious in the penthouse.
Throwing objects.
Threatening staff.
The footage was real.
Context missing.
No fever.
No oxygen reading.
No hidden scar.
No infection.
No explanation.
The narrative began spreading immediately.
Crime boss loses mind after shooting.
Questions over ability to control empire.
Board instability.
I watched Gabriel read the headlines.
His face showed nothing.
Then one clip played.
Gabriel grabbing a nurse’s throat.
Not me.
The fourth nurse.
I stared.
“Did you do that?”
“Yes.”
“No excuse?”
“No.”
Good.
He continued:
“I was delirious.”
“That explains.”
“It doesn’t erase.”
Better.
Then he turned to Luca.
“Find her.”
“The nurse?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I owe her.”
Sofia looked at him.
“You’re worried about apologizing now?”
Gabriel’s eyes stayed on the screen.
“I’m learning timing.”
I almost smiled.
Then another news alert appeared.
A document leaked beside the videos.
Gabriel’s private restructuring agreement.
But altered.
The employee-benefit trust pages had been replaced.
The leaked version showed one beneficiary controlling everything after Gabriel’s incapacity.
Elena Hart.
Me.
My name exploded across the screen.
The story instantly changed.
Mystery nurse positioned to inherit Moretti empire.
I stared at Gabriel.
“You have got to be kidding me.”
May you like
He closed his eyes.
Ethan had just made me look like the person who tried to kill Gabriel.
