Chapter 4 - The Father Who Built an Empire on Lies
Adrian Vescari's father had been dead for nine years.
His name was Lorenzo Vescari.
A legendary businessman.
A feared criminal leader.
And, according to Paolo Ricci's recording, the man responsible for his own son's disappearance.
Adrian stared at the screen.
For the first time, he looked genuinely lost.
"My father loved Matteo."
I didn't answer.
Then he added, "At least, I thought he did."
The investigator reviewing Paolo's evidence explained that the recording was only a lead.
It needed corroboration.
But the financial records already revealed irregularities.
Several companies connected to Lorenzo had received large transfers shortly after Matteo vanished.
The money came from pension-backed port investments.
Adrian's jaw tightened.
"How much?"
The investigator checked the figures.
"Over four hundred million dollars across several transactions."
I felt sick.
Four hundred million dollars.
While my mother had died apologizing for hospital bills.
While I counted coins to buy groceries.
While ordinary families worked until their bodies gave out.
Someone had been stealing money on a scale I couldn't imagine.
Then the investigator opened another document.
An old Marseille property deed.
The beneficial owner was listed as Daniel Vale.
My father.
I stared.
"That's impossible."
Adrian looked at me.
"What?"
"My father barely had money for rent."
The investigator nodded.
"The property may have been held through an employee trust."
I leaned closer.
A second name appeared beneath Dad's.
RENÉ MARCHAND.
My heart stopped.
"That's my grandfather."
Adrian frowned.
"Your mother's father?"
I nodded.
Mom had rarely spoken about him.
She said he'd been a dockworker who died before I was born.
But now his name appeared on a trust connected to hundreds of millions of dollars.
The investigator continued.
"René Marchand helped establish a workers' investment cooperative that financed part of the port infrastructure."
I stared.
"Then why didn't anyone know?"
"Because the ownership records were replaced after the original agreements disappeared."
Adrian leaned back.
The pieces were beginning to fit together.
Matteo discovered the fraud.
Daniel helped investigate.
Lorenzo wanted the records hidden.
Vincent became the man responsible for controlling the European transactions.
Then my father vanished.
And Matteo was declared dead.
I felt cold.
"Did Lorenzo order them killed?"
The investigator shook his head.
"We don't know yet."
Then Gabriel entered.
His expression was grim.
"Boss, Vincent has disappeared."
Adrian looked up.
"Where?"
"He left his residence before dawn."
"And Trevor?"
Gabriel hesitated.
"The translator is missing too."
My stomach tightened.
Trevor Hall.
The man who'd deliberately mistranslated Lucien's threats.
Then Gabriel placed an envelope on Adrian's desk.
"It arrived at the gate."
Inside was a small black feather.
And a handwritten message.
THE GIRL KNOWS TOO MUCH.
I stared at it.
Then saw the second line.
ASK MARA WHY HER AUNT CELESTE WAS PAID TO BETRAY HER.
My blood ran cold.
Because Aunt Celeste hadn't merely stolen my education money.
May you like
She'd apparently been paid to destroy the last person who could identify the black ledger.
Me.
