Chapter 13 - The Traitor Unmasked
Executing the counter-offensive required absolute secrecy within the Rossi estate.
Late that night,
while reviewing medical charts in the study,
I noticed an anomaly in the household logs.
Someone had accessed the secure communication terminal at 3:00 AM,
transmitting encrypted coordinates to an external IP address.
I immediately brought the log file to Dominic,
who was reviewing supply manifests by candlelight.
"Look at the timestamp,
" I said,
pointing to the glowing monitor.
"This wasn't an outside hack; it came from a terminal inside the East Wing guest house.
"
Dominic's expression hardened into ice.
"The East Wing is currently occupied by only one person,
" he murmured.
"Dante,
my chief financial advisor.
"
"Dante?" I gasped,
remembering the polite,
impeccably dressed man who had greeted me upon my arrival.
"He's been with my family for fifteen years,
" Dominic said,
his voice dangerously low.
"Greed makes loyal men forget their vows,
boss,
" I noted quietly.
Within ten minutes,
Marco and Salvatore hauled Dante into the study,
throwing him onto the Persian rug.
Dante's face was pale as chalk,
his expensive suit rumpled and sweat-soaked.
"Boss! It's a mistake!" Dante stammered,
scrambling backward until his spine hit the bookshelf.
"I didn't send anything to Vince!"
Dominic walked slowly toward him,
towering over the cowering accountant like an executioner.
"The terminal in your suite logged the transmission using your personal encryption key,
Dante,
" Dominic said softly.
"Unless ghosts are using your password,
you sold my location to the sniper.
"
Dante broke down,
sobbing uncontrollably as he realized escape was impossible.
"They.
.
.
they threatened my gambling debts!" he screamed.
"Vince bought my promissory notes! I had no choice!"
Dominic stared down at him for a long,
agonizing moment.
"In my world,
choices define a man,
" Dominic whispered.
May you like
"You chose betrayal.
"
