Chapter 6
The top floor of the Moretti Tower in downtown Chicago commanded a breathtaking view of the glowing city skyline. Snow fell in soft white sheets outside the reinforced glass windows of the executive boardroom.
Caleb Moretti walked into the room at exactly 5:55 PM.
Sitting around the long mahogany table were six senior captains of the Moretti family—men who had built the empire alongside Dominic’s father. They sat in stony silence, their faces grim.
At the head of the table sat Dominic.
Caleb walked in smoothly, sliding into his usual chair at Dominic’s right hand. “Dominic. Gentlemen. I brought the quarter reports you asked for.”
Dominic didn’t look at the files. He sat back in his high-backed leather chair, swirling a glass of ice water.
“Before we look at the numbers, Caleb, I want to discuss a minor security issue,” Dominic said smoothly, his voice echoing in the large room.
Caleb adjusted his cuffs. “What kind of issue?”
“A breach of trust,” Dominic replied quietly. He gestured toward the large wall screen behind him.
The screen flickered to life, displaying high-definition security camera footage from the previous night. It showed the dark alley near Emily’s apartment.
The video clearly captured the black sedan pulling up, the two men tackling Emily to the ground, and her bag being violently ripped from her arms. Then, the video zoomed in on the silver sedan parked across the street.
The resolution sharpened, revealing Caleb’s face clearly visible behind the glass.
The boardroom went dead quiet. The older captains shifted in their chairs, their eyes hardening as they looked toward Caleb.
Caleb’s expression froze. “Dominic... I can explain that. I was following up on a tip that the maid was meeting with Syndicate operatives. I arrived just as the altercation happened—”
“You didn’t step out of the car,” Dominic interrupted, his voice like iron. “You watched a woman get assaulted by two known Syndicate hitmen—men who happen to be on your private payroll.”
Dominic reached into his coat and pulled out a thick folder, dropping it onto the table with a loud thud.
“These are bank transfers from an offshore account in the Cayman Islands,” Dominic said, leaning forward. “Signed by you, transferring payments to the same Syndicate crew that targeted my staff.”
Caleb’s face went completely pale. He realized instantly that he had walked into a trap. The board meeting wasn't a discussion—it was a tribunal.
“You’re setting me up!” Caleb shouted, standing up so fast his chair slammed against the floor. He reached into his jacket for his firearm.
Before his hand could even clear his holster, Vince stepped out from the shadows near the corner of the room, pointing a suppressed pistol directly at Caleb’s chest.
“Don’t do it, Caleb,” Vince said calmly.
May you like
Dominic didn’t even flinch. He slowly stood up, buttoning his suit jacket.
“You broke the first rule of this family,” Dominic said, looking down at his cousin with cold disdain. “You brought an innocent civilian into our war to cover your own incompetence.”
