Chapter 17 - JULIAN'S FILE

Matteo refused to believe Victor.

Mara did not have that luxury.

"Check him."

Julian looked wounded.

"Mara—"

"Check him."

Matteo nodded to Chen.

Julian surrendered his phone and laptop.

The investigation found something real.

Julian had communicated with Victor twice in the past year.

"Why?" Matteo asked.

Julian sat across from them, exhausted.

"Because I was trying to buy back Carlo's original blackmail files."

"Without telling me?"

"You would have gone to war."

"You don't know that."

Julian looked at him.

"I knew you then."

That landed.

Julian had paid Victor for documents proving Thorne ordered Carlo's murder.

Victor took the money and delivered fakes.

Then used the secret meetings as leverage.

"So he wants protection because you know where he hid the originals," Mara said.

Julian nodded.

Inside, federal agents found recordings, financial files, and photographs.

One recording captured Senator Thorne ordering Victor to "finish Eleanor's problem."

Another proved Thorne paid for Carlo's murder.

The case became larger than Mara, larger than Matteo, larger than one family.

Charges spread across three states.

Thorne was denied bail.

Victor agreed to cooperate.

Bianca accepted responsibility for assault, false statements, and obstruction in exchange for testimony against her father.

Preston survived surgery and filed for divorce.

Mara visited him once.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"I know."

"Can you forgive me?"

Mara thought about Eleanor.

"Maybe one day. But forgiveness is not the same as getting a place in my life."

Then Julian brought Mara the permanent-trust documents for her daughter.

The trustee could remove Matteo as voting representative if his conduct threatened the child's welfare.

"You put this in?"

Julian shook his head.

"Carlo did."

Matteo stared at the clause.

His father, for all his sins, had built one exit door from himself.

Mara picked up the pen.

"I want another condition."

"What?" Matteo asked.

"No criminal revenue touches her trust. Ever."

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Matteo answered first.

"Agreed."