Chapter 7 - THE SINS OF THE FATHER
"She was trying to dismantle his entire shadow network before he could realize she knew," Vanessa muttered, moving swiftly ahead of the terrified group. The narrow passageway twisted sharply, leading them far beneath the mansion’s sprawling foundation into a forgotten wine cellar. Michael stumbled violently against the damp stone wall, leaving a thick, dark smear of blood across ancient brickwork.
Daniel caught the bleeding man before he collapsed completely, his mind furiously connecting the horrifying dots of his wife's final desperate days. His father orchestrated the fake clinic, laundering billions through phantom medical accounts while remaining a completely untraceable phantom himself. Rebecca hadn't just uncovered a simple localized fraud; she had accidentally declared war on a ruthless, invisible global king.
They reached the heavy iron door at the bottom of the stairs, the absolute final barrier between them and the subterranean garage. Michael slumped against it, his skin practically translucent in the dim, flickering emergency lighting. "I didn't know it was him," Michael gasped, coughing up a terrifying amount of blood. "I swear, Daniel. I thought it was a cartel."
May you like
"It doesn't matter anymore," Daniel replied coldly, stepping past the dying man who had so easily traded Rebecca’s precious life for money. He handed his infant daughter to Elena, his cold eyes locking onto the heavy iron latch of the cellar door. If they could just reach the armored transport vehicles on the other side, they might actually survive tonight.
Vanessa pulled her suppressed pistol, checking the chamber with a sharp, professional click that echoed incredibly loudly in the confined, damp space. "We breach on three. Whatever is on the other side, we do not stop moving until we are in a vehicle." Daniel grabbed the rusted iron handle, his knuckles turning completely white. He silently mouthed the number three.
