Chapter 4
Derek Vaughn had protected Lorenzo for nine years.
He had stood outside Lucy’s hospital room.
Escorted Alina during threats.
Driven Lorenzo home after his father’s funeral.
Now his face was frozen on a security still beside Marcus and Ramona.
Lorenzo stared at it for a long time.
Anthony watched his hands.
They did not move.
That worried him more than anger.
“Bring Derek.”
“No.”
Anthony paused.
Lorenzo’s voice remained flat.
“Let him think we haven’t seen this.”
Alina looked at him.
The old Lorenzo would have dragged Derek into the room.
The old Lorenzo would have wanted fear immediately.
This Lorenzo wanted the rest of the network.
Downstairs, Ramona regained her confidence.
She drank champagne while two guards stood ten feet away.
Marcus leaned against the terrace rail.
When Lorenzo returned, Marcus smiled.
“Finished playing detective?”
Lorenzo stopped.
Alina remained beside him.
Not behind him.
Marcus noticed.
“So,” he said, “are you going to ask your wife why she was planning to embarrass you?”
Alina’s eyes narrowed.
“What are you talking about?”
Marcus reached into his jacket slowly.
Three bodyguards shifted.
He smiled and removed a folded document.
“Your proposal.”
He placed it on the table.
Alina opened it.
Her face changed.
It was a recommendation addressed to the Carbone board.
Suspend Marcus from all financial oversight.
Audit Ramona’s donor projects.
Freeze three related vendor accounts.
Alina looked at Lorenzo.
He had never seen it.
Marcus watched both of them.
“You want to know why we call her a family problem?”
His voice was steady now.
“Because she was preparing to remove us.”
Alina’s fingertips rested on the page.
Lorenzo looked at her.
“Is this yours?”
A pause.
Then:
“Yes.”
The answer shifted the room.
Ramona leaned back.
Satisfied.
Lorenzo’s eyes stayed on Alina.
“When were you going to tell me?”
Her hand tightened around the document.
“When I had proof.”
Marcus laughed softly.
But Alina turned the final page.
Her eyes stopped.
At the bottom was an approval block.
LORENZO CARBONE.
Signed.
Lorenzo leaned closer.
His expression changed.
“I never signed that.”
May you like
Ramona’s glass stopped halfway to her lips.
Someone had forged Lorenzo too.
