Chapter 9 - The Signature
Giulietta had not signed anything.
That did not matter to the bank.
On paper, she had.
"This is the reputational crisis clause," Nico said. "The fake prenup was insurance. They already built a second path."
Giulietta paced Elena's office.
"Who can submit an emergency board request?"
"You, Elena, Vittorio, or the CFO."
"CFO is in London. Elena is missing."
Marco nodded.
"Vittorio."
Giulietta looked at the terminal on Elena's desk.
"Maybe."
Nico frowned.
"You still don't believe he's the top?"
"No. Because men at the top don't personally escort hostages into clinics. They send people."
Third drawer. Locked.
Inside was a flash drive taped beneath a legal pad.
A single video file appeared.
Elena sat in this same office, looking directly at the camera.
"If Giulietta is watching this, then someone has tried to activate the proxy package."
Elena continued.
"The package began with Antonio Marconi's death. Antonio believed Warren Hale was laundering corporate losses through a series of acquisitions and intended to use a family marriage to gain voting authority over Marconi shipping terminals."
"Antonio created Bellflower as a defensive trust. It contains controlling options over the port companies, not cash. Whoever controls Bellflower can block any hostile transfer of Marconi assets."
Giulietta leaned closer.
"Why hide it?"
As if answering her, Elena said, "Antonio did not tell Vittorio because he suspected his brother was compromised. He did not tell Giulietta because he wanted her free to choose whether she would ever enter family business."
The recording paused for three seconds.
Then Elena's face changed.
"There is one more thing. Antonio did not die of natural causes."
May you like
Giulietta stopped breathing.
"I believe someone altered his medication. I never proved who. But the night he died, Warren Hale was in the house."
