Chapter 7 - THE NAME IN THE LEDGER
The encrypted ledger was finally opened.
Every page contained names.
Every transaction.
Every murder.
Every bribe.
Then I saw Marcus.
My hands trembled.
His name appeared beside millions of dollars.
"Marcus."
He didn't answer.
"You knew."
"No."
"Then explain this."
He stared at the document.
His face went pale.
"I didn't know."
The ledger showed payments made when Marcus was nineteen.
Before he became boss.
Before he met me.
His father had used Marcus's identity.
He had built an account in his son's name.
The money had funded murders.
Bribery.
Political corruption.
Marcus had been framed before he was old enough to understand the game.
My mother had planned everything.
If the ledger became public, Marcus would take the blame.
She had built the perfect trap.
The federal prosecutor wanted him arrested.
I stood between them.
"He's innocent."
The prosecutor shook his head.
"We'll determine that."
Marcus didn't fight.
He simply looked at me.
"Emma."
I stepped closer.
"I'm not letting them take you."
"If they arrest me, stay away."
"No."
"Please."
"I spent three years believing you didn't care about me."
His eyes softened.
"I cared too much."
He reached for my hand.
"I thought distance would keep you alive."
I squeezed his fingers.
"It didn't."
He smiled sadly.
"No."
Then the courthouse exploded.
Chaos erupted.
The lights went out.
Someone grabbed me.
I screamed.
Marcus fought through the crowd.
"EMMA!"
A van sped away.
I was inside.
My hands were tied.
A hood covered my head.
Someone sat beside me.
My mother.
She had escaped.
"You."
She laughed.
"You always were your father's favorite mistake."
"Where are we going?"
"Home."
"This isn't my home."
She smiled.
"You'll understand."
The van stopped.
I was dragged into a room.
There was a table.
Two chairs.
And a photograph.
My wedding photograph.
My mother placed it in front of me.
"You love him."
I said nothing.
"That's why he will come."
"You think he'll trade the ledger for me."
"He will."
She was right.
Three hours later, the door opened.
Marcus walked in alone.
No gun.
No men.
Nothing.
My heart broke.
"Marcus."
He looked at me.
"I'm here."
My mother smiled.
"Put the ledger on the table."
Marcus did.
She picked it up.
Then she laughed.
"Do you know what I love about you?"
Marcus stared at her.
"You still believe sacrifice makes you noble."
She pulled out a gun.
But before she could raise it, the lights exploded.
Alessandro stormed in.
He had escaped custody.
He shot the weapon from Isabella's hand.
Federal agents followed.
My mother was arrested again.
This time, there was nowhere to run.
Marcus rushed toward me.
He untied my hands.
I threw myself into his arms.
He held me tightly.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"Everything."
I shook my head.
"You came."
"Always."
He kissed my forehead.
Then his phone rang.
Marcus answered.
His expression changed.
"What?"
He listened.
Then looked at me.
"The prosecutor found something else."
"What?"
Marcus whispered:
"The ledger contains a final page."
"What's on it?"
May you like
He looked terrified.
"Your name."
