Chapter 10 - THE SEVEN SEATSThe Metropolitan Club had chandeliers older than most countries and secrets older than some governments.
At seven fifty-five, Luca and I entered together.
Not as groom and seamstress.
Not as crime boss and witness.
As bait.
The archive was in a steel case cuffed to Luca’s wrist.
A duplicate.
The real files were already being transmitted to three independent investigative journalists, two federal judges outside New York, and an international corruption task force.
Luca’s idea.
“Dead-man release,” Camille called it.
If anything happened to us, the remaining files went public automatically.
The Crown wanted secrets.
We were giving them daylight.
Matteo entered separately.
Gideon came under guard.
Daniel remained hospitalized.
Vivien had disappeared from custody six hours earlier.
Of course she had.
The meeting room was on the third floor.
Seven chairs surrounded a circular table.
A crown symbol was carved into the wood.
Five people were already seated.
Senator Evelyn Shaw.
A defense contractor named Arthur Bell.
Media billionaire Helen Price.
Federal appellate judge Martin Lowe.
And Cardinal Stephen Rusk.
I stared.
Religion.
Government.
Media.
Law.
Weapons.
Same table.
Different costumes.
Shaw smiled.
“Mr. Moretti.”
“Senator.”
Her eyes moved to me.
“Margaret’s daughter.”
“My name is Eleanor.”
“I know.”
“You killed my mother.”
No reaction.
“Strong accusation.”
“Correct accusation.”
She smiled.
“Sit.”
Luca remained standing.
“Where is Maria Santos?”
Shaw’s eyes flickered.
There.
Confirmation.
“I don’t know the name.”
I reached into my purse.
Pulled out red thread.
Placed it on the table.
Judge Lowe went pale.
Interesting.
“You know that.”
He looked away.
I pointed at him.
“You know Margaret’s signal.”
Shaw’s smile vanished.
Judge Lowe whispered, “I knew her.”
“From where?”
No answer.
Shaw said sharply, “Martin.”
He closed his eyes.
Then looked at me.
“Your mother saved my daughter.”
The room changed.
“How?”
“She represented women at a shelter after she disappeared.”
I shook my head.
“She wasn’t a lawyer.”
“No.”
He smiled sadly.
“She made me one.”
I stared.
He continued.
“My daughter fled an abusive husband. Margaret helped hide her.”
Shaw slammed her hand down.
“Enough.”
Judge Lowe looked at her.
“No.”
That word changed everything.
He stood.
“For thirty years I told myself The Crown prevented chaos.”
Cardinal Rusk whispered, “Martin.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“Your mother believed secrecy corrupts everyone eventually.”
My eyes filled.
“She was right.”
Shaw stood.
“You are under oath to this council.”
Lowe laughed.
“What court enforces it?”
The lights went out.
I muttered, “Seriously?”
Luca grabbed my hand.
Gunfire erupted.
Emergency lights flashed.
Matteo came through the side door.
“Down!”
We hit the floor.
Security teams moved.
Then the large wall panels opened.
Hidden passageways.
The Crown had escape routes.
Shaw ran.
I saw white fabric disappear behind her.
Vivien.
“She’s here!”
Luca turned.
Vivien fired.
Bullet struck the table.
Matteo tackled Luca down.
I ran after Shaw.
Bad idea.
I knew it immediately.
Still did it.
The passage led into a service stairwell.
Maria lay against the wall.
Alive.
Bound.
“Maria!”
Her eyes opened.
“Ellie?”
I dropped beside her.
“You made the stitch.”
She smiled weakly.
“Your mother taught me.”
Tears hit my eyes.
“Why didn’t you come to me?”
“They watched the atelier.”
“Who installed the devices?”
“Bastion.”
My heart sank.
“He knew?”
“He owed Charles money.”
“Carlo?”
“Found out.”
“And they killed him.”
“Yes.”
Footsteps.
Vivien appeared.
Gun pointed at me.
“Touching reunion.”
I slowly stood.
Maria whispered, “Run.”
Vivien laughed.
“No one is running.”
She looked different.
No diamonds.
No bridal perfection.
Hair wild.
Eyes empty.
“What happened to you?” I asked.
“Men.”
She smiled bitterly.
“Always men.”
“That’s not an excuse.”
“No.”
She raised the gun.
“But it is education.”
“You helped your father.”
“He sold me when I was twenty-two.”
I froze.
“To The Crown?”
“To Luca.”
I stared.
She laughed.
“You think I wanted that engagement?”
Luca had said it was strategic.
For both sides.
“I was currency.”
Her hand trembled.
“My father promised Shaw access to Moretti shipping if I married Luca.”
“Then why kill him?”
“Because once I inherited everything, I wouldn’t need him.”
I almost admired the insanity.
Almost.
“You were going to murder Luca during your vows.”
“I was going to free myself.”
“By becoming exactly like your father.”
That hit.
Her face twisted.
“Shut up.”
“No.”
She stepped closer.
“Do you know what women like you get wrong?”
“What?”
“You think dignity protects you.”
I looked at Maria.
Then at Vivien.
“No.”
I held up my scissors.
“Preparation does.”
I threw them.
Not at her.
At the fire alarm pipe.
The metal tip struck the glass sprinkler bulb.
Water exploded.
Vivien flinched.
Maria kicked her ankle.
I lunged.
Gun fired.
Pain burned past my ear.
We crashed into the wall.
Vivien clawed my face.
I grabbed her wrist.
She was stronger than she looked.
Then Maria wrapped a loose cable around Vivien’s gun hand.
The weapon dropped.
Vivien screamed.
I kicked it away.
Luca appeared.
He saw me on the floor.
Saw Vivien.
His face went terrifyingly blank.
He lifted the gun.
“Luca.”
He stopped.
“Don’t.”
Vivien laughed.
“She tried to kill you.”
“Yes.”
“She’ll try again.”
“Probably.”
Vivien’s smile disappeared.
I stood.
“But she doesn’t get to turn you into executioner.”
Luca stared at me.
Then lowered the gun.
Security took Vivien.
Maria cried silently.
I hugged her.
She whispered, “Margaret would be proud.”
That nearly destroyed me.
Back in the council chamber, Senator Shaw had been captured.
Arthur Bell surrendered.
Helen Price tried to buy a guard.
Cardinal Rusk prayed.
Judge Lowe offered full cooperation.
Gideon stood before the seventh chair.
Empty.
Luca noticed.
“Who sits there?”
Gideon looked at Shaw.
She smiled.
“You still don’t know.”
The door opened.
Teresa entered.
My heart stopped.
Luca stared.
“Teresa?”
She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
Then walked toward the seventh seat.
“No.”
Luca’s voice broke.
She stopped behind the chair.
“I was asked to sit here twenty years ago.”
Silence.
“But I refused.”
Shaw’s smile vanished.
Teresa looked at me.
“Your mother gave me courage.”
Then she turned the chair around.
Carved beneath the crown was another name.
ANTONIO MORETTI.
Luca’s father.
Teresa continued.
“The seventh seat was never reassigned.”
Luca stared.
“Why?”
“Because The Crown expected you to inherit it.”
Shaw laughed.
“It belongs to you.”
Luca looked at the chair.
Generations of power.
Money.
Fear.
Influence.
Everything men like Antonio spent lifetimes building.
Shaw whispered, “Take your seat, Luca.”
He walked toward it.
I held my breath.
He put one hand on the carved back.
Then lifted the chair.
And threw it through the stained-glass window.
Everyone gasped.
It crashed into the courtyard below.
Luca turned toward Shaw.
“There.”
His voice was calm.
“Seat’s open.”
I started laughing.
Couldn’t help it.
Matteo laughed too.
Camille covered her mouth.
Even Judge Lowe smiled.
Shaw stared in disbelief.
Luca walked to me.
“You all right?”
“My ear hurts.”
He touched my cheek carefully.
“You ran after an armed senator.”
“I know.”
“That was stupid.”
“I know.”
“You threw scissors at a sprinkler.”
“Worked.”
His mouth twitched.
Then the building shook.
An explosion downstairs.
Camille cursed.
“Secondary team!”
Smoke began pouring through the corridor.
Shaw smiled.
“You didn’t think we came without insurance.”
Luca grabbed my hand.
We ran.
But behind us, Gideon stopped.
He stared at the burning council room.
“What are you doing?” Luca shouted.
Gideon looked at him.
“Ending what I started.”
“No.”
He locked the fire door between us.
Luca slammed against it.
“Gideon!”
Gideon smiled through the glass.
For the first time, he looked peaceful.
“Your father gave you a kingdom.”
Flames rose behind him.
“Build something better.”
Then he turned and disappeared into the smoke.
May you like
The ceiling collapsed.
And Luca screamed his name.
