Chapter 1 - The Black Ledger
Dominic reached his hand deep into the torn silk lining of his mother’s handbag.
His fingers brushed against cold metal and a thick, leather-bound book.
He slowly pulled out a heavy black ledger secured with a biometric padlock.
Lucian wiped a streak of blood from his mouth and stared at the book with wide eyes.
Valeria scrambled to her feet, her expensive dress ruined by the spilled champagne.
She looked at Lucian with a mix of absolute panic and terrifying desperation.
Dominic realized this ledger was the only reason they had invited his mother to the estate tonight.
This small book contained the real financial records of the family empire.
It held the proof that Lucian had been embezzling billions of dollars to fund an underground criminal syndicate.
"Give me that book right now, Dominic," Lucian demanded as he reached inside his tailored jacket.
Dominic did not wait to see the weapon Lucian was reaching for.
He grabbed a heavy silver champagne bucket from the overturned cart and hurled it straight at Lucian’s head.
The solid metal struck Lucian perfectly on the jaw, sending him crashing back into the broken wine display.
Valeria screamed and lunged forward, producing a small silver knife from her evening gown.
Dominic grabbed her wrist mid-air, twisted it sharply, and shoved her backward into the grand piano.
He quickly wrapped his strong arm around his mother’s frail shoulders.
"We need to leave this house immediately," Dominic whispered as he pulled Margaret toward the hallway.
They sprinted through the opulent corridors as the sound of heavy boots echoed from the security wing.
Lucian’s private mercenaries were already storming into the mansion to lock down the perimeter.
Dominic pushed his mother into the dark library and locked the heavy oak doors behind them.
He scanned the room for a weapon or a secondary exit, his heart pounding against his ribs.
He remembered his late father had built a secret passage behind the main bookshelf.
Dominic rushed to the fireplace and pulled the hidden lever disguised as a bronze statue.
The massive bookshelf slowly creaked open, revealing a dark, narrow staircase leading down.
He guided his trembling mother into the dusty passage just as bullets began to tear through the library doors.
They descended into total darkness, relying only on the faint glow of Dominic’s cell phone flashlight.
The air grew cold and damp as they reached the underground tunnels beneath the estate.
Dominic pushed open a heavy iron gate, leading them out into the rainy woods behind the property.
He finally stopped to catch his breath, turning to check if his mother was safe.
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Margaret looked up at him with a terrifyingly pale face and touched her stomach.
Her hand was completely covered in dark, warm blood.
