Chapter 4 - the forged signature
Within thirty minutes, Adrien had Lena moved via an underground tunnel to a fortified brownstone in Gramercy Park. The property was an off-the-grid fortress, monitored by Marco’s elite tier of guards.
Adrien sat across from Lena at a heavy oak table. On it lay Marcus’s leather briefcase, now fully picked apart by Marco.
"Marcus isn't just an abusive boyfriend, Lena," Adrien said, pushing a file toward her. "He’s Julian Blake’s son. Julian was my father’s consigliere until twenty years ago, right around the time my sister vanished. Marcus didn't meet you by coincidence in Boston three years ago. He targeted you."
Lena shook her head, tears stinging her eyes. "No. Marcus took care of me after college. He paid off my student loans, he got me my apartment... he told me my mother owed his family money."
"Did he ever show you proof?" Adrien asked.
Lena reached into her small purse, which Marco had retrieved from the club foyer. Her trembling fingers pulled out a folded, yellowed paper she had stolen from Marcus’s safe that very afternoon—the reason Marcus had chased her through the storm.
"I found this today," Lena said, handing it to Adrien. "It’s an eviction and restraining order against my mother from nineteen ninety-nine. It forced her out of New York and took away every penny she had."
Adrien opened the document. At the bottom was the signature authorizing Elena Viscari’s total exile from the family fortune.
May you like
The signature was his own name: *Adrien Viscari*.
Lena looked at him, her voice cracking with pain and betrayal. "Marcus told me you were a monster who threw your own pregnant sister onto the street to keep the empire for yourself. Is that why you took me in tonight? To finish what you started?"
