My Husband Betrayed Me — I Took His Empire Chapter 04

My Husband Betrayed Me — I Took His Empire Chapter 04

The next morning, I drove to Don Enzo’s country residence.

The old house sat deep inside a grove of oak trees south of the city. The iron gate was covered with

rust, and an old Buick covered in dust was parked outside.

Don Enzo was sitting in his study.

He wore an old wool vest, a cigar resting between his fingers.

He looked at me once, said nothing, and simply nodded toward the safe.

I walked over.

I entered my mother’s date of death.

The safe opened.

Inside the second compartment was a black velvet box.

I opened it.

The ring lay inside.

The serpent crest, coiled around the blade, caught the dim glow of the desk lamp

Beside it was a yellow envelope sealed with wax.

The Valentino family crest was pressed clearly into the seal.

The Letter of Disposal.

I closed the box, took the envelope, and placed it inside my coat.

Don Enzo watched me.

“The five undecided elders on The Commission.”

He picked up a piece of paper from the desk.

“I wrote them letters. Take them with you.”

He looked at me seriously.

“They know my handwriting. They know that ring.”

“As for Luca Russo’s people, that’s your problem.”

“Thank you, Don Enzo.”

“Don’t thank me.”

His voice was calm.

“When your father filled out the Letter of Disposal twenty-five years ago, his hand never shook.

He looked directly at me.

“Make sure yours doesn’t either.”

When I left the old house, there was a brown paper bag in my trunk.

Inside were Don Enzo’s handwritten letters to the five elders.

Luca Russo thought they were old men who were too afraid to stand up.

But Don Enzo’s handwriting and the ring in my possession were enough to bring them back.

I left Don Enzo’s house and went straight to Marco Russo’s place.

Marco Russo was Luca Russo’s cousin.

He was also one of Luca’s votes on The Commission.

Two days earlier, Vivian Ferraro had discovered that Marco had helped Luca manage the shell

company in the Cayman Islands.

I didn’t knock.

I called him directly.

“Marco, I’m downstairs.”

“Come out.”

Three minutes later, Marco Russo rushed outside wearing slippers.

His face went pale when he saw me.

“Sofia…”

“Get in the car.”

He sat in the passenger seat, his fingers twisting together nervously.

“The Cayman company.”

I started the engine.

“Vivian Ferraro already found out about it.”

“The registration documents, the bank records, the nominee agreement you signed.”

I glanced at him.

“I have copies of everything.”

Marco’s face turned completely white.

“Sofia, I…”

“I was only a name on paper. He told me to sign a few documents. I didn’t know anything…”

“Whether you knew or not doesn’t matter.”

I looked at him.

“When The Irish Mob investigates, the person listed as the legal representative is the one who goes

to prison.”

His breathing became uneven.

“Sofia, please…”

“I don’t have time to go in circles.”

I pulled up the picture of the Territory division agreement on my phone and handed it to him.

“Your cousin is selling Valentino’s docks to The Irish Mob.”

I pointed at the document.

“The money you helped move through the Cayman company.’

“Part of it went into Fiona O’Malley’s account.”

“The rest paid The Irish Mob’s legal fees.”

I stared at him.

“You’ve seen this agreement.”

“You still want to tell me you knew nothing?”

Marco looked at the map.

The red lines dividing Valentino’s Territory were like knives cutting through everything his family

had built.

His lips trembled.

For a long time, he said nothing.

Finally, he whispered:

“He told me that money was just being moved around temporarily…”

“Marco.”

I turned toward him.

“I’ll remove your name from this.”

His eyes lifted.

“But you have to do one thing for me.”

“What?”

“At the Feast of the Seven Fishes, sit beside your cousin.”

I looked at him.

“When The Commission votes, I want to see you raise your hand.”

A pause.

“Against him.”

Marco’s fear didn’t disappear.

“The Irish will come after me…”

“As long as Luca Russo falls that night, they won’t get the dock routes.”

I leaned back.

“They won’t waste their time protecting someone who has no value.”

“Your cousin falls, and I’ll clean your name from the Cayman company.”

I looked at him coldly.

“But if he doesn’t fall, your name stays attached to those documents.”

“Anyone investigating where that money went will come to you

first.”

“Think carefully.”

Marco bit his lip.

The silence lasted for a long time.

Then he nodded.

I dropped him off and called Vivian Ferraro.

“I brought one back.”

“Marco Russo.”

Her voice came through the phone.

“Good.”

“Four left.”

“The former dock security chief owes a lot of money at a casino.”

She continued.

“The casino belongs to The Irish Mob. Luca Russo paid off his debt.”

“The Eastside Casino manager has an illegitimate son. Luca Russo arranged his son’s private

school tuition.”

“The other two…”

“One took money.”

“The other one has something Luca Russo can use against him.”

“Do you have proof of the threats and payments?”-

“Everything.”

“Photos, recordings, bank transfers.”

“All of it.”

I looked out the car window.

“Sofia.”

Vivian hesitated.

“Are you planning to deal with them directly?”

“Not before the dinner.”

I answered calmly.

“But on the day of the Feast of the Seven Fishes, each of those four people will find a piece of paper

underneath their seat card.”

“What kind of paper?”

“The kind with one sentence.”

I explained.

“The casino manager’s seat gets a note.”

“Private school tuition at Golden Oak Academy. Who paid for your son’s education?”

“The security chief gets another.”

“The Irish Mob casino. You know where the copy of your debt agreement is.”

“One sentence is enough.”

Vivian was quiet for several seconds.

“They’ll panic.”

“And when people panic, they don’t know how to vote.”

“Exactly.”

“What about Marco Russo?”

“I already spoke with him.”

I looked ahead.

“He won’t need a note.”

“On that night, he knows what he has to do.”

Everyone on Luca Russo’s side was being handled.

Now it was time to deal with the people who had been waiting for Valentino’s old Don.