Chapter 2 - Blood on the LedgerThe name hit the room like a cold blast of wind. Victor Vance wasn't just a rival syndicate leader; he was a corporate predator who weaponized federal agencies and shell companies to swallow legitimate businesses whole. If Vance had the audit trail, he didn't just want to destroy Damian Moretti—he wanted to own the wreckage.
"Vance doesn't want to expose the money laundering to the FBI," Emma realized aloud, the pieces clicking together with terrifying precision. "He wants the routing keys. He wants to hijack your laundering pipeline and force you out of Chicago."
"Bingo," Mateo muttered, glancing nervously toward the main entrance of the ballroom. "And our sources say Vance’s cleaners are already clearing out Mercer’s office downtown. Anyone connected to the audit is a loose end."
Emma felt the blood drain from her face. Her apartment. Her computer. Her desk.
"My mother," she whispered, panic tearing through her chest. "My mother lives three blocks from my apartment."
Before Damian could answer, the crystal chandelier above the ballroom flickered violently once, twice, and then shattered. Total darkness swallowed the room.
Screams erupted from the elite crowd. Champagne glasses crashed to the floor in a symphony of breaking glass. Heavy-duty tactical flashlights cut through the gloom from the double doors, casting blinding white beams across the panicked faces of politicians and socialites.
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"Get down!" Damian roared.
Before Emma could process the order, a massive arm encircled her waist, lifting her off her feet. Damian dragged her violently behind a heavy marble pillar just as a barrage of suppressed gunfire chewed through the drywall where she had been standing seconds before.
