Chapter 9 - The Locket of Truth
Upstairs in the secure penthouse suite, the chaos of the downstairs breach felt miles away. The thick steel shutters remained sealed, and the room was bathed in the warm, soft light of a table lamp.
Emma sat on the plush white rug, coloring in a picture book while Bruno rested his massive head across her small sneakers, snoring softly.
The private elevator chime chimed twice.
Sophia stepped out first, followed closely by Alessandro and Marco. Sophia rushed across the room, scooping Emma up into her arms and burying her face in the little girl's hair.
"Mommy, you're squeezing too tight!" Emma giggled, wriggling free.
"I'm sorry, sweetie. I just needed to check on you." Sophia set her down, then hurried over to the small coat rack near the door. She unzipped Emma's pink winter coat, reached inside the inner lining with a small pair of sewing scissors, and carefully ripped open a hidden seam.
From the dark recess of the fabric, she pulled out a small, heavy silver locket shaped like an old-fashioned compass.
She turned around and handed it directly to Alessandro.
Alessandro took the locket, turning it over in his calloused hands. He noticed the tiny micro-USB port hidden along the hinge. "David’s insurance policy," he murmured. "He knew they were going to kill him."
"He told me to keep it safe no matter what," Sophia whispered, tears finally spilling over her lashes. "He said if anything ever happened to him, it was the key to bringing down the men who stole his company."
Alessandro pocketed the locket, his expression hardening into a lethal resolve. "With this, we don't just defend ourselves against Sterling. We destroy his entire financial empire in federal court before the week is out."
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He looked at Sophia, then down at Emma, who was once again patting Bruno's velvet ears.
"You and your daughter are no longer running, Sophia," Alessandro promised, his amber eyes burning with an intense, unyielding protection. "Viktor Sterling is about to find out what happens when you wake a sleeping beast."
