Chapter 6 - The Trap at Founders Night
Dominic expected fear.
Elena gave him an audit.
For the next six days, she reconstructed every transaction connected to Ashbourne Trust.
She barely slept.
Adrian began confiscating her coffee after midnight.
She began hiding coffee.
Marcus became unwillingly involved in what he called “the caffeine war.”
“You’re his security chief,” Elena complained.
“Yes.”
“Not his beverage police.”
Marcus shrugged.
“Benefits are excellent.”
Thomas recovered enough to help.
Together, father and daughter found the pattern Dominic had hidden for nearly two decades.
He had financed criminal alliances through legitimate Vale Meridian contracts.
More importantly, they found proof connecting Dominic to Nathaniel Vale’s murder.
Adrian stared at the evidence.
He could kill Dominic.
Or he could destroy him publicly.
For the first time in his life, Adrian chose the second.
Founders Night arrived.
The Vale Meridian ballroom glittered above Chicago.
Elena wore a deep emerald gown.
When Adrian saw her, he stopped speaking mid-sentence.
Marcus looked between them.
“I’m leaving.”
“No one asked you to,” Adrian said.
“I know.”
He disappeared anyway.
Elena smiled.
“What?”
Adrian shook his head.
“Nothing.”
“You’re staring.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because apparently I have lost subtlety.”
She laughed.
He approached.
“You don’t have to do this.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Elena.”
“Adrian.”
He sighed.
“You enjoy that.”
“Immensely.”
The plan depended on Dominic believing Thomas would attend.
He did not.
Thomas remained in a secure location.
Elena carried a drive containing copies of the evidence.
Adrian carried nothing.
That was deliberate.
At nine fifteen, Dominic entered.
Conversation stopped.
He looked immaculate.
Silver hair.
Black tuxedo.
Warm smile.
A murderer dressed like someone’s favorite uncle.
“Adrian.”
“Dominic.”
His eyes moved toward Elena.
“So this is the accountant.”
“Auditor,” she corrected.
Dominic smiled.
“I’ve heard you’re particular about terminology.”
“I’m particular about fraud too.”
Adrian almost smiled.
Dominic did not.
“Where is Thomas?”
“Safe.”
Dominic’s eyes cooled.
“Nothing is safe.”
The lights died.
Guests screamed.
Emergency lighting appeared.
Gunshots erupted downstairs.
Marcus’s voice sounded through Adrian’s earpiece.
“Multiple hostile teams entering.”
Dominic smiled.
“Welcome to the end of your empire.”
Adrian moved Elena behind him.
She immediately stepped beside him.
He looked at her.
“Beside,” she reminded him.
Despite everything, he nodded.
Dominic’s men sealed the ballroom.
Politicians and executives were forced to the floor.
Dominic climbed onto the stage.
Then he addressed the room.
“My nephew has brought violence into this company for years.”
Adrian stared.
Dominic continued.
“Tonight his enemies have finally come to collect.”
It was theater.
Dominic intended to appear the victim.
Then save everyone.
But Elena noticed something.
One gunman wore a Vale Meridian security badge.
Wrong department code.
She whispered to Adrian.
“They’re impersonating your security.”
He understood.
Dominic planned to manufacture evidence that Adrian’s own men had attacked the gala.
Marcus spoke through the earpiece.
“Federal teams are five minutes out.”
Too long.
Dominic pointed toward Elena.
“Bring her.”
Two men approached.
Adrian moved.
A weapon pressed against a guest’s head.
Dominic smiled.
“Choose carefully.”
Elena touched Adrian’s arm.
“I’ll go.”
“No.”
“Trust me.”
His eyes burned.
Then he released her.
Elena walked toward Dominic.
He took her arm.
“Where is the evidence?”
“Everywhere.”
His smile vanished.
“What?”
“I uploaded it.”
“You’re lying.”
“Check your phone.”
Dominic did.
Notifications filled the screen.
Major news organizations had received documents.
Federal prosecutors.
Board members.
Shareholders.
The ballroom began buzzing as guests checked their own phones.
Dominic’s face changed.
Elena smiled.
“You made the mistake Warren Pike made.”
“What mistake?”
“You assumed the person doing the boring reconciliation work wasn’t dangerous.”
Dominic slapped her.
Adrian moved.
Elena stumbled.
Dominic pulled a gun.
Everything stopped.
He aimed at her.
Adrian’s voice became terrifyingly calm.
“Put it down.”
Dominic laughed.
“Or what?”
Adrian stepped forward.
“You spent twenty years teaching me what fear can accomplish.”
Another step.
“But she taught me something you never understood.”
Dominic’s finger tightened.
“What?”
“That people follow you farther when they don’t hate you.”
Several of Dominic’s hired men hesitated.
Adrian had contacted their families.
Shown them proof Dominic planned to sacrifice them afterward.
One lowered his weapon.
Then another.
Dominic looked around.
“No.”
His army was abandoning him.
Marcus entered with loyal security.
Federal agents followed.
Dominic grabbed Elena.
Gun against her throat.
“Back away!”
Adrian stopped.
Dominic dragged her toward the glass balcony.
Elena remained strangely calm.
She looked at Adrian.
He remembered their plan.
If Dominic took a hostage—
Distract.
Delay.
Trust.
Adrian held his hands out.
“You win.”
Dominic smiled.
Elena knew Adrian was lying.
The security doors behind Dominic locked automatically.
He turned for half a second.
Elena drove her heel onto his foot and twisted free.
Marcus tackled him.
The gun slid away.
Adrian reached it first.
Dominic lay helpless.
Adrian pointed the weapon at his uncle.
Twenty years of rage filled the space between them.
Dominic smiled through blood.
“Do it.”
Adrian’s hand tightened.
“Adrian,” Elena whispered.
Dominic laughed.
“You know what you are.”
Adrian looked at Elena.
Then at the gun.
He lowered it.
“Yes,” Adrian said.
“I finally do.”
Federal agents cuffed Dominic.
As they pulled him away, he stared at Elena with hatred.
She stared back.
No fear.
May you like
Dominic Vale had spent a lifetime believing power meant making people afraid.
He lost everything to a woman he had considered too insignificant to notice.
