Chapter 3 - War in the Syndicate
The news hit the front pages of every newspaper and society blog in Chicago by dawn.
THE HART-MORETTI SWITCH: JULIAN TAKES THE BEAUTY, NIKOLAI TAKES THE BRAINS.
By 10:00 AM, I was sitting in the high-ceilinged glass office of Moretti Enterprises on the top floor of the Hancock Tower. A cup of hot black tea sat on the polished mahogany desk in front of me, next to a three-inch thick binder containing the internal audits of my father’s company, Hart Logistics.
The heavy double doors swept open, and Nikolai walked in, tossing his charcoal jacket onto a leather couch. He unbuttoned his top two shirt buttons, looking dark, dangerous, and thoroughly invigorated.
"Your mother has called my office seven times this morning," Nikolai said, leaning against the edge of the desk, looking down at me. "She left a message claiming you are having a mental breakdown and begging me to return the Imperium ring."
I didn't look up from the financial ledger. "Tell her she can have the ring back when she pays off the four-million-dollar offshore loan I found buried in Hart Logistics' Q3 report."
Nikolai let out a low laugh. "You found it already?"
"It took me twenty minutes," I said, sliding the binder toward him. "My father hasn't paid federal import taxes on his West Coast shipping containers in three years. He’s been using Julian's political promises as collateral to keep the auditors at bay. Julian didn't just fall in love with Serena, Nikolai. He made a secret deal with my father to wipe out that debt once he became Don."
Nikolai’s smile vanished, replaced by a sharp, calculating glint. "So Arthur Hart was selling me out to Julian."
"Precisely," I said, leaning back in my leather chair, crossing my legs. "If Julian became Don, he would use Moretti funds to bail out my father, making Hart Logistics a permanent dependency of the syndicate. But if you become Don..."
"...Hart Logistics goes under," Nikolai finished my sentence, his dark eyes gleaming with deep satisfaction. "And my brother loses his financial backing before the council even meets."
Before I could reply, the office intercom buzzed sharply. Nikolai’s executive secretary spoke nervously over the speaker.
"Mr. Moretti? Your father... Don Vincenzo... is on line one. He demands to see you and Miss Hart at the estate immediately."
Nikolai looked at me, his jaw setting into a hard line. "The old man wants to inspect his new daughter-in-law."
"Is he going to be a problem?" I asked, standing up and smoothing down my cream-colored tailored trousers.
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"My father is a dinosaur, Evelyn," Nikolai said, walking around the desk and holding out his hand to me. "He believes in tradition, bloodlines, and strength. Julian went to him this morning crying that you manipulated me. Now we go show him who really holds the power."
I took his hand, feeling the warm, steady reassurance of his grip. "Let's go meet the Don."
