CHAPTER 7 – THE FINAL EXCHANGE
CHAPTER 7 – THE FINAL EXCHANGE
Vincent folded Marco's note only once before slipping it into his jacket.
The ballroom buzzed with panic, but his face remained unreadable.
Carmine stepped forward immediately.
"Boss, it could be a trap."
"It is," Vincent replied.
"But Lily is still a child."
He turned toward the frightened guests.
"Ladies and gentlemen, tonight's celebration is over."
No explanation.
No apology.
Within minutes, armored vehicles escorted every guest from the estate while Vincent's men quietly secured every road leading in and out of the property.
Meanwhile, Lily crawled through the narrow tunnel behind the hidden bookshelf, clutching Anthony Moretti's journal and the sealed envelope.
The passage ended beneath an abandoned greenhouse on the edge of the estate.
Moonlight poured through shattered glass.
She had barely caught her breath when someone stepped from the shadows.
It was Celeste.
Only now, she no longer looked like a bride.
Her veil was gone.
The white gown was covered by a black trench coat.
She held no weapon.
Only tears.
"Please don't run," she whispered.
Lily instinctively backed away.
"You lied."
"I know."
"You wanted to hurt Mr. Moretti."
Celeste closed her eyes.
"I wanted revenge."
Before Lily could answer, another voice echoed through the greenhouse.
"Finally."
Marco Moretti emerged from the darkness, applauding slowly.
He looked older than in the video, but unmistakably the same man.
"Vincent always did have excellent timing."
Several armed men surrounded the greenhouse.
Moments later, Vincent walked inside alone, exactly as the note had demanded.
His eyes immediately found Lily.
"Are you hurt?"
She shook her head.
Marco smiled.
"Still protecting strangers before yourself."
Vincent ignored him.
"Let the girl leave."
Marco laughed.
"You still think this is about the girl?"
He pointed toward Anthony's journal.
"It's about that."
Marco explained the truth that had been hidden for decades.
Anthony Moretti had built his empire with ruthless methods, but before his death he had decided to abandon organized crime completely.
He secretly transferred the family's fortune into a legal foundation that would eventually dissolve every criminal operation connected to the Moretti name.
Only one document could activate the transfer.
It wasn't money hidden inside the cake.
It wasn't diamonds.
It was the sealed letter Lily carried.
Marco had discovered the plan years earlier and staged his own death before Vincent could inherit everything.
He had manipulated Adrien, recruited Celeste by exploiting her father's financial ruin, and spent five years trying to recover Anthony's final instructions.
"But then," Marco said bitterly, "a little girl ruined everything."
May you like
He looked directly at Lily.
"You were never supposed to see the cake."
