Chapter 7 - The Auditor's LedgerLate that night, while the mansion slept, Alessandro slipped into Dominic’s private study using a master key he had copied months ago.
His goal wasn't theft—it was exposure. He knew Dominic kept a hidden digital ledger in his safe—a record of offshore accounts, federal informants, and secret arrangements that could destroy the syndicate if leaked to the federal authorities or rival families. If Alessandro could copy the drive, he could orchestrate a coup from the shadows, framing Dominic as a federal rat while seizing total control.
His fingers flew across the mechanical keypad of the wall safe behind the mahogany desk. He punched in the anniversary of Dominic’s wife's death—the most obvious passcode for a grieving man.
Access Denied.
Alessandro cursed under his breath. He tried the birthday of Dominic's deceased wife.
Access Denied.
Sweat beaded on his forehead. The digital screen flashed red, warning him that one more incorrect attempt would lock the system and trigger a silent alarm to Dominic’s private quarters.
He stared at the keypad, breathing heavily. What else did Dominic care about now? What had changed everything?
His eyes drifted to the corner of the desk, where a small, childish drawing of a lion with a single-eared rabbit sat neatly framed under glass.
Lily.
With trembling fingers, Alessandro typed in the birth date of the housekeeper's daughter—a date he had forced Sophia to put in the personnel files.
May you like
Access Granted.
The heavy steel door swung open silently. Alessandro grinned like a madman, pulling a flash drive from his pocket.
