Chapter 12 - the 24-hour clock
Dominic didn't flinch. He fixed his cold glare on Moretti. "Explain yourself, Moretti."
Moretti rested his hands on the table, leaning forward. "According to the ancient charter of the Commission, if a Don's authority is challenged by evidence of high treason within his own immediate household, any family boss has twenty-four hours to claim his territory—unless the Don can present the head of the traitor before midnight tomorrow."
"The traitor stands in front of me," Dominic said, reaching toward his holster.
"No," Moretti chuckled softly. "Sophia was small time. Vivienne was just a greedy fool. The real traitor who authorized the dock seizure signed the charter using your father's original seal. You don't even know who holds the true power in your own house, Dominic."
Moretti turned on his heel and walked out of the council chamber, flanked by four armed bodyguards. The other syndicate bosses remained silent, watching Dominic carefully.
Dominic turned to Mateo. "We're going back to the mansion."
Twenty minutes later, in the mansion's private archive room, Dominic spread out the historical documents recovered from the safe.
He compared the fresh wax seal found on the signet ring to the seal on the original family charter from thirty years ago. They matched perfectly.
"Mateo," Dominic said, analyzing the wax impression under a microscope. "This wax isn't thirty years old. It's synthetic sealing wax manufactured in Italy last year."
"Which means someone has been duplicating your father's seal recently," Mateo said.
"Not duplicating," Dominic corrected, looking up. "They have the original ring mold."
Dominic’s mind raced through the clues: the altered medical files, the Zurich bank transfers, the recorded voice, the lipstick in Julian's room, and the fresh wax seal.
Everything pointed toward one central truth: the person directing Moretti wasn't an outsider. It was someone who had access to the Bellaro vaults, someone who knew every secret protocol of the estate.
Dominic stood up abruptly. "Someone lied about what happened the night my wife died in that car fire seven years ago."
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"Who, Boss?" Mateo asked.
Dominic looked at Mateo with dark eyes. "The only man who survived the fire along with Elena—your predecessor, Chief Security Officer Marcus."
