Chapter 3: Secrets and Alliances
Two weeks passed, and the DeLuca mansion slowly transformed from a cold fortress into a sanctuary.
Harper was given a beautiful suite in the west wing, complete with a library and a balcony overlooking the lake. For the first few days, she rarely left her room, eating only when meals were delivered. But gradually, tempted by the quiet safety of the house, she began to explore.
She found Enzo in his study late one evening. The room was dark, lit only by the green glow of a banker’s lamp and the crackle of a fire. He was staring at a spread of financial documents, looking frustrated.
"You have the ledger upside down," Harper said softly from the doorway.
Enzo looked up, surprised. It was the first time she had approached him voluntarily.
"I'm a mob boss, Harper, not an accountant," he said, a faint, rare smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Preston's offshore accounts are tangled in a dozen shell companies. My hackers are good, but they can't bypass the encryption keys."
Harper walked into the room, her footsteps silent on the Persian rug. She was wearing a simple cream sweater that hid her collarbone, and her hair was tied back in a loose braid. She sat in the chair across from his desk.
"My father made me study forensic accounting," she said quietly. "He wanted me to manage the family’s dirty money so he wouldn't have to trust anyone else. I have the encryption keys, Enzo. I’ve had them for years."
Enzo leaned back, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Why didn't you use them to run away?"
"Because if I ran, he would find me. And when he found me, the punishment was..." She swallowed hard, her hand instinctively drifting to her shoulder. "But you... you can actually stop him. You have the power to make sure he can never hurt me again."
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, silver flash drive.
"This has everything," she said, her voice steadying. "The payments to the men who killed your brother. The shell companies. The bribery of federal judges. It’s all here. I kept it as insurance, but I was too terrified to use it."
Enzo looked at the drive, then up at Harper. The fragile, broken girl from their wedding night was still there, but beneath the fear, a fierce resilience was beginning to bloom.
May you like
He reached out and gently covered her hand with his. His palm was warm, rough, and solid.
"Thank you," Enzo said softly. "With this, I won't just ruin him. I’ll bury him."
