Chapter 9: The Whispering Gallery
Chapter 9: The Whispering Gallery
By midweek, the financial bait had been taken. The transfer was claimed at a private private banking vault in midtown Manhattan. But instead of a street thug or a rival mob boss stepping forward, our covert surveillance cameras captured an entirely unexpected face: Julian Vance, a high-ranking senior state prosecutor who had built his career publicly attacking Dominic’s former enterprises.
I handed the surveillance photos to Dominic in his private library. Mia was downstairs teaching Harper how to paint watercolors, their cheerful chatter floating up through the grand floorboards.
Dominic stared at the high-definition photographs of Prosecutor Vance leaving the private vault holding a sleek leather briefcase.
"Julian Vance," Dominic murmured, a dark chuckle escaping his lips. "The crusader of justice. He didn't want to lock me up; he wanted to inherit my empire."
"He’s been using state resources to squeeze your former business associates, forcing them to divert funds into Elysian," I explained. "He knows you’re going legitimate, Dominic. He thinks you can't retaliate without exposing your own past and risking everything you’ve built with Mia."
"He thinks wrong," Dominic said, setting the photos down. "He assumes I still play by underworld rules where we settle debts with gunshots. But I’m not that man anymore. We hit him where it actually hurts a politician: the truth."
Just then, Mia walked into the library, carrying a tray with fresh iced tea. She noticed the serious air in the room, her intuitive eyes drifting between Dominic and me. She didn't look frightened; the time when she cowered in fear was long gone. Over the past months, she had grown into a pillar of quiet strength.
"Is it happening again?" Mia asked gently, setting the tray on the coffee table.
Dominic stood up, walking over to her and taking her hands in his. "A ghost from the past trying to make a name for himself at our expense. But I promise you, Mia, there will be no violence. Not here. Not anywhere near you and Harper."
May you like
Mia looked deep into his eyes, searching for any lingering darkness. "I trust you, Dominic. But don't carry the weight alone. You have a family now. We fight for our peace together."
Dominic smiled, leaning down to press a soft kiss against her forehead. "Then let's give Prosecutor Vance a lesson in accountability."
