Chapter 5 - The Trap is Set
For the next four days, a quiet, nerve-wracking cold war played out inside the Caruso mansion.
To the outside world, nothing had changed. Juliet continued her daily duties—preparing meals, guiding Nico through his schoolwork, and maintaining the house. Victor Dane visited twice, completely unaware that his plot was unravelling.
Under Matteo’s instructions, Juliet began secretly reviewing the encrypted West Wing financial ledgers stored in Matteo's private safe.
Every night, after Nico was asleep, Juliet sat at the mahogany desk in Matteo’s study, her head bent over stacks of bank statements, while Matteo sat beside her, shielding her with his presence.
"Look here," Juliet pointed out on Thursday night, tracing a manicured finger down a column of numbers. "Every third Tuesday of the month, a dummy corporation named 'Vanguard Consulting' receives a $250,000 wire transfer from your Detroit shipping terminal."
Matteo leaned in close, his shoulder pressing against hers. The scent of his cedarwood cologne mixed with her sweet vanilla perfume.
"Vanguard Consulting," Matteo read, his eyes darkening. "That’s an offshore shell company registered in the Cayman Islands. Victor set it up five years ago, claiming it was for union payouts."
"It wasn't for union payouts," Juliet said, turning to look at him. "The routing numbers match Victor’s personal private accounts in Switzerland. He’s stolen over six million dollars over the last three years."
Matteo stared at the screen, the evidence concrete and undeniable.
"He was draining the family reserves to build his own empire," Matteo said grimly. "When Elena found out, she threatened to tell me. That's why she died."
Juliet laid a comforting hand on his arm. "We have everything we need now, Matteo. The financial trail is clean. He can't wiggle out of this."
Matteo looked at her hand on his arm, then raised his gaze to meet hers. The intense pressure of the past week seemed to evaporate, leaving a raw, electric tension between them.
"I couldn't have done this without you, Juliet," he said softly, his voice dropping into a tender register.
"I just did what was right, Matteo," she replied, her breath catching in her throat as he reached up, his thumb gently stroking her cheekbone.
"No," Matteo whispered, leaning closer until their foreheads almost touched. "You brought light back into this dead house. You saved my son. You saved me."
Juliet’s heart hammered against her ribs. She looked at his full lips, feeling the magnetic pull between them—a pull that had been growing stronger every single day.
Slowly, deliberately, Matteo leaned down and pressed his lips to hers.
The kiss was deep, warm, and desperate with months of unspoken longing. Juliet melted against his broad chest, her fingers weaving into his dark hair as he pulled her closer, anchoring her against his body.
When they finally pulled apart, both of them were breathing heavily, their eyes locked in a silent promise.
"After tomorrow," Matteo murmured against her skin, "after Victor is dealt with... I want us to build a real life together. Not as employer and housekeeper. As a family."
Juliet smiled softly, tears of happiness rising in her eyes. "I'd like that, Matteo."
Suddenly, the silent security tablet on the desk chimed with a red alert flashing across the screen: GARAGE DOOR MANUAL OVERRIDE.
Matteo’s eyes snapped to the screen.
The live camera feed showed Victor Dane entering the basement garage via a side security door, accompanied by three armed men wearing heavy tactical jackets.
"He knows," Juliet gasped.
"He tried to check his offshore accounts and found out I froze them an hour ago," Matteo realized, his face turning into a mask of pure steel. "He’s come to destroy the evidence—and clear his path out of the country."
Matteo reached into his desk drawer, pulling out a sleek black SIG Sauer pistol. He checked the chamber with practiced ease and engaged the safety.
"Stay here, Juliet," Matteo ordered sternly. "Lock the doors. Do not open them for anyone except me."
"Matteo, be careful!" she pleaded, grasping his lapel.
He kissed her quickly, fiercely. "Always."
He slipped out of the study, disappearing into the dark corridor like a phantom.
Juliet stood in the center of the quiet room, her blood running cold. But as she heard the faint sound of footsteps echoing on the grand staircase below, her eyes darted toward the hallway.
Nico’s room was at the end of the wing.
May you like
She couldn't leave him alone.
Ignoring Matteo's command, Juliet grabbed a heavy brass candlestick from the mantle, unlocked the study door, and sprinted down the hall toward the boy's bedroom.
