Chapter 13 - Velvet and Gunpowder"Impossible," Marius grunted, his body instantly shifting into a combative posture, his hand sliding under his tuxedo jacket. "I saw you take a bullet to the chest. I saw the warehouse collapse on you."
"You saw what I wanted you to see, Boss," Katya sneered, her scarred cheek twitching. She gestured casually to her guards. "A bulletproof vest and a private scuba team beneath Pier 14 work wonders when you plan the betrayal six months in advance."
"Who are you working for, Katya?" I demanded, stepping forward, refusing to hide behind Marius. "The Camorra is dead. The Orlov syndicate is dust. Who is pulling your leash?"
Katya let out a dry, raspy laugh. "You poor, naive girl. You still think this was about mafia territory? You think your little degree and your cute spreadsheets made you special?"
She stood up from the baccarat table, leaning on a gold-tipped cane.
"Marius’s father didn't just kill accountants, Bianca," Katya continued, her eyes flashing with sinister delight. "Your father, Marco Rossi, wasn't a victim. He was the chief architect of the Archon Council's global banking network! He hid three hundred billion dollars across six continent-wide shadow accounts. And he locked those accounts with a biometric key that could only be inherited by his biological offspring!"
My breath caught in my throat. I staggered back a inch. "What?"
"Why do you think Marius kept you so close for three years?" Katya barked, looking at Marius with pure venom. "Why do you think he paid for your mother’s cancer treatments? Why do you think he brought you into his inner circle? He didn't love you, Bianca! He was waiting for you to turn twenty-five so your biometric profile would mature and unlock your father’s vault!"
I turned my head slowly to look at Marius.
His face was terrifyingly pale. His jaw was clenched so hard I could hear his teeth grinding. He didn't look at Katya. He looked directly at me.
"Bianca," Marius said, his voice raw, desperate, and pleading. "Look at me. Listen to me."
"Is it true?" I whispered, the velvet walls of the VIP room suddenly feeling like they were closing in on me. "Is that why you hired me?"
"In the beginning... yes," Marius confessed, the truth ripping out of his chest like a confession under torture. "Four years ago, my father gave me the key to your location on his deathbed. He told me to find Marco Rossi’s daughter and use her to unlock the Archon fortune."
The room shattered around me. Three years of trust, passion, and belief—all built on a masterfully executed lie.
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"But Bianca," Marius took a frantic step toward me, reaching for my hand. "I swear on my soul, the moment I saw you... the moment I knew you... it stopped being about the money! I abandoned the project! I hid you! I burned Pier 14 to save you from the Council!"
"Touch touchingly sweet," Katya mocked, raising her hand. "But the Archon Council doesn't care about your love story. Kill the Don. Bring the girl."
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