Chapter 5 - Framed in the Dark
Red emergency lights flashed along the hallways as the mansion descended into absolute chaos.
Victor was on his feet instantly, drawing his sidearm, pushing Iris behind him. "Stay here!" he barked as Marco and three armed guards rushed into the parlor.
"Boss!" Marco shouted, his face pale with sweat. "The private vault in the basement! The alarm was triggered three minutes ago! The biometric safe was opened!"
Victor’s eyes narrowed into slits. "Who has access to the basement vault?"
"Only you, sir... and Mrs. Croft," Marco replied nervously. "But the cameras in the basement corridor were cut manually ten minutes ago using an internal clearance code!"
Victor sprinted down the grand staircase toward the basement, Iris following closely behind despite his orders to stay put. She couldn't leave Victor, not when she saw the sheer panic in his eyes.
They reached the heavy steel doors of the underground vault. The vault was wide open. Inside, sitting on the central steel table, was a black briefcase that had been pulled from Victor’s private lockbox.
Lying next to the open safe was a set of master keys—keys that belonged exclusively to the housekeeping staff.
"Check the safe," Victor commanded coldness washing over his face.
Marco stepped inside, checking the contents. "The ledger, boss. The master ledger containing the names of every judge, police chief, and politician on our payroll... it’s gone. If that book reaches the federal authorities or the Moretti family, the entire organization collapses by morning."
A heavy, suffocating silence fell over the room.
Marco turned around slowly, holding up a small object he had found hooked on the edge of the steel safe door.
It was a bracelet made of pink glass beads.
Iris gasped, her hand flying to her wrist. Her wrist was bare. The pink beaded bracelet—the last physical memory she had of her dead daughter Maya, the bracelet she wore every single second of her life—was gone.
"No..." Iris whispered, stepping back, her face turning as white as paper. "No! My bracelet! I... I lost it this afternoon while folding laundry! I didn't drop it here! I’ve never even been in this basement!"
Marco looked at Victor, his face grim. "Boss... her clearance code was used on the basement keypad at 9:14 PM. We checked the digital log."
Iris looked at Victor, her eyes wide with terror, tears streaming down her face. "Victor! Look at me! Please look at me! I didn't do this! I swear on my daughter’s grave, I didn't touch your safe! I don't even know what a ledger is!"
The guards stepped forward, their hands resting on their holsters, waiting for Victor's command. In the Castellano family, treason was punished by immediate execution. Anyone caught stealing from the Don was buried in the dark, no questions asked.
Victor stood frozen. His jaw was clenched so hard his teeth threatened to shatter. He looked at the pink bracelet—the sacred object Iris cherished above her own life—lying on the cold steel table. He looked at the digital log displaying her security code. Every piece of physical evidence pointed directly at the woman standing in front of him.
"Victor, please!" Iris sobbed, taking a step toward him, her hands raised. "I love your son! I love... I would never hurt you! Please believe me!"
Victor closed his eyes, his breathing heavy and ragged. The conflict inside him threatened to tear his soul in half. Was he being blinded by his feelings? Was Iris a plant sent by the Moretti family all along? Or was she being framed by a snake hiding inside his own fortress?
"Lock her in the guest suite," Victor ordered, his voice hollow, completely devoid of emotion. "Guards outside her door twenty-four seven. Nobody touches her until I find out where that ledger went."
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"Victor!" Iris screamed as two guards gently but firmly grabbed her arms, leading her away. "Victor, please!"
Victor didn't look back as she was led away. He stood in the dark vault, picking up the pink glass bracelet, holding it tightly in his palm until the beads bit into his skin.
