Chapter 78 The Paper Trap

Chapter 78 The Paper Trap
Lorenzo stepped into his private office and slammed the door, his chest heaving. He looked in the mirror and saw his reflection staring back at him. His nose was swollen, and there was a dark smear of his blood across his white collar.

"Damn it," he hissed.

He ripped off the ruined shirt, threw it into the trash can, and grabbed a fresh blue shirt. He went into the adjoining bathroom and splashed ice-cold water on his face, scrubbing until the skin was raw, making sure every trace of the fight was gone, and combed his hair back into place. 

By the time he walked toward the conference room, he was more composed.

He pushed the double doors open. Salvatore and Luca were already there, sitting at the long glass table with the rest of the executive team.

"My apologies for the delay," Lorenzo said, his voice smooth and professional. "A minor issue required my attention."

He sat down and opened his briefcase, handing out thick stacks of documents to everyone at the table. For the next forty minutes, he used a laser pointer to show financial projections on the large screen.

He talked about strategic benefits and structural growth, explaining how the merger would make the Damiano and Grusso names the most powerful in the country.

When he finished, the room broke into applause. The other executives looked impressed, whispering to each other and nodding in agreement.

But Luca did not clap.

He sat with his chin resting on his hand, flipping through the pages of the document with a focused look in his eyes. The silence in the room stretched out, becoming heavy and uncomfortable.

"Is there a problem, Luca?" Lorenzo asked, keeping his tone light, but his pulse raced.

Luca looked up, his eyes cold. "I have questions."

"Go ahead," Lorenzo said, leaning back.

Luca tapped a finger on page thirty-four. "Why are these substantial finances being moved directly into the Grusso family name? This money belongs to the Damiano corporate umbrella. Why the shift?"

Lorenzo forced a small smile. "That’s standard procedure in a merger of this size, Luca. It balances the weight of the two families."

"It doesn't balance anything," Luca snapped, flipping to another page. "And why are half of the Damiano family shares being transferred to the Grusso name? This isn't a merger. This looks like a takeover."

"You’re being paranoid," Lorenzo said, his voice hardening. "This is exactly what we discussed in the preliminary meetings. It’s about unity."

"No," Luca said, closing the folder with a loud sound. "I disagree with this assessment. And I refuse to sign."

The room went dead silent. Salvatore looked at his son, surprised.

"Luca, we’ve worked on this for weeks," he said softly.

"I don't care, Father," Luca replied him. He looked directly at Lorenzo. "For the best interest of the Damiano family and our entire business, I can’t put my signature on this. Our lawyers need to review every single line of this again. We will get back to you with a final decision."

Lorenzo felt a surge of heat in his neck. He wanted to reach across the table and choke Luca. Everything was falling apart. 

"If that’s how you feel," he said through gritted teeth. "I suppose we can wait for the legal review."

The meeting ended in tension. The executives hurried out, sensing the atmosphere in the room. Only Salvatore remained seated, looking tired as he went through the documents again.

"I’m afraid my son is right to be cautious, Lorenzo," Salvatore said. "We should proceed with more care. Let the lawyers handle it."

"Of course, Salvatore," Lorenzo responded. "Whatever makes you comfortable."

Lorenzo walked out of the building and got into his car, driving through the city streets, his mind a mess.

Why today? he thought. Why is everything crumbling at once?

His phone rang. It was Marco, one of his men from the warehouse. He answered it immediately.

"What is it?" he barked.

"Sir," Marco said. "The hospital called Alexander. His mother is ready to be discharged. She’s sitting there waiting for him right now. Do we act?"

A cruel satisfaction filled Lorenzo’s chest. He felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth.

"Yes," he said. "Pick her up. Alexander needs to learn that every choice has a price. Get her now."

"Noted, sir," Marco said. The line went dead.


At the Harrington mansion, Vincent paced his living room, looking at his watch for the tenth time.

"Where is that kid?" he muttered.

Alexander hadn't shown up to work. He hadn't called or even sent a text. 

He had tried calling him five times, but it went straight to voicemail. It was unprofessional, and it was starting to piss him off.

"He’s testing my patience," he growled to the empty room. "He thinks he can just disappear? Nobody does that to me."

Then his phone rang in his hand. It was Valeria.

"Hey, Vinnie," she said. "Just calling to check in. How are things?"

"Things are annoying," Vincent snapped. "That staff of mine, Alexander? He didn’t show up today. No call, no nothing. I’m pissed off, Val. He’s testing my limits."

On the other end of the line, Valeria felt the blood drain from her face. Her heart began to beat fast. Alexander was never late. He was a professional. If he wasn't at work, it meant something had gone horribly wrong.

"He didn't show up?" she asked, trying to keep her voice flat and calm, to prevent her brother from suspecting anything. "That’s strange. Maybe he just got sick?"

"He should have called," Vincent responded. "I don't pay people to be sick in silence."

Valeria took a deep breath. She didn't want her brother to know she was worried. 

"Well," she said casually. "Don't let it ruin your night. You have enough to do with your fiancée arriving soon. Why don't you just send some of your boys to his house? If he isn't there by tomorrow, then you can really get mad."

Vincent stopped pacing. "That’s a reasonable idea. I’ll send a couple of guys over there tonight just to see if he’s hiding under the covers. If he is, I’m firing him."

"Good plan," Valeria said. "Let me know what they find. I’ll talk to you later, Vinnie."

She hung up the phone and leaned against her kitchen counter. Her breathing was shallow.

"Oh, Alex," she whispered. "What is going on?"