Chapter 3 - Blood in the BoardroomThe silence in the penthouse became suffocating. Leo had fallen asleep on a velvet sofa, exhausted by the day's trauma. Emily watched Gabriel’s face as the news sank in. There was no rage, no shouting—only a terrifying, absolute stillness.
Julian Mercer was Gabriel’s younger brother and the Chief Financial Officer of Mercer Enterprises. He was the polished, charismatic face of the family, the one who spoke to mayor's offices and news networks while Gabriel controlled the shadows.
"Julian," Gabriel murmured. "He was at the charity gala tonight. He had access to the medical network."
"What are you going to do?" Emily asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"I am going to host a family dinner," Gabriel said quietly.
An hour later, the private dining room of the penthouse was prepared. High above the city, Julian Mercer walked in, wearing an immaculate double-breasted suit and holding a glass of scotch. He smiled, but his eyes darted nervously toward Emily, who sat rigid at the head of the long oak table under Gabriel's strict orders.
"Gabriel," Julian said smoothly, sliding into a seat. "Thank God the boy is safe. I heard about the chaos at Centennial Park. And who is this young lady? The good Samaritan?"
"She is the reason Leo is alive," Gabriel said, pouring himself a drink. "And she is the reason we found the mole."
Julian’s hand froze for a microsecond before he lifted the glass to his lips. "A mole? Gabriel, you're being paranoid again. The Vanguard has been desperate ever since you seized Pier 42."
"The order didn't come from Pier 42, Julian," Gabriel said, resting his hands flat on the table. "It came from an internal terminal. Signed with an encryption key only three people possess: you, me, and our late father."
Julian laughed softly, a bitter, nervous sound. "Are you accusing me? Of targeting my own nephew? Gabriel, I built the financial architecture of this empire! Why would I burn it down?"
"Because you didn't want the empire," Emily suddenly interrupted, her eyes fixing on Julian's wrist.
Julian glared at her. "Keep your mouth shut, coffee girl."
"Your watch," Emily said, her heart pounding as she remembered a small detail from the park. "When Leo was talking about his detail, he said Thomas was shot by a man wearing a silver watch with a broken face—stopped at 5:14 PM. You're wearing that exact watch right now. The crystal is cracked."
Julian’s face drained of color. He reached inside his jacket, but Gabriel was faster.
In a lightning-swift motion, Gabriel slammed Julian’s hand against the hardwood table, driving a heavy steak knife directly through the center of Julian’s palm, pinning him to the wood.
Julian screamed in agony, blood pooling over the polished oak.
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"Who bought you?" Gabriel demanded, leaning over his bleeding brother with cold, lethal fury. "Tell me before I let Vance take you to the basement."
"It... it wasn't the Vanguard!" Julian gasped, tears of pain streaming down his face. "It's bigger than them! They paid me fifty million! They said... they said they didn't want Leo dead. They just wanted his blood!"
