Chapter 42
Seeing the smile on Isabella's face, Laura felt a bit better too and finished the bread in just two bites.
Then she wiped her mouth with a napkin and continued.
"The scariest part is, Costa isn't alone. The whole management team is rotten to the core. The CFO is his cousin, the purchasing manager is his brother-in-law, and even the security captain is his relative."
Isabella suddenly understood Vitale's real intention in sending her here.
This wasn't an ordinary financial crisis, but a carefully planned systematic corruption.
Costa dared to be so arrogant because he had already turned the entire factory into a family business.
"Do the workers know the truth?"
"They only know they're not getting paid." Laura shook her head, "Costa told them that headquarters was withholding their hard-earned money. Last week, workers tried to protest at city hall, but Costa's security stopped them. Three people were seriously injured."
Isabella was a bit confused. Wasn't Vitale a mafia boss? Couldn't someone like him handle this?
But Laura shook her head, "Because Costa was Mr. Luca's father's man. He has plenty of people on his side too, and they've fought battles before. But once the police get involved, it becomes hard to handle."
Just then, Isabella's phone vibrated.
Vitale sent an encrypted file with a simple, direct message: [Costa's offshore accounts, solid evidence.]
She opened the file and gasped. Costa had nearly two hundred million dollars in foreign accounts, and the transfer records showed large sums being moved from the factory accounts to this secret account every month.
"Oh my God." Laura caught a glimpse of the screen, her voice trembling, "He's literally bleeding the company dry!"
Suddenly Vitale's call came through to Laura's phone. Laura put it on speaker.
Vitale's cool voice came through, "Be careful when you handle this. If we used my family's methods, Costa wouldn't have made it this far, but I want to let my little secretary Isabella handle it. She wants to do things the normal way, so we'll do it the normal way. I hope she won't disappoint me."
"Also, I'll come over as soon as possible to handle things there. You two stay safe."
After the call ended, Laura smoothly shifted gears and accelerated, the car cruising steadily on the empty interstate highway.
"Mr. Luca said he'll come over as soon as possible to handle things here." Laura relayed, her eyes focused on the road ahead, "He wants us to stay calm and not act rashly."
Isabella responded absently, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the car window.
During the two-hour drive, they decided to take turns driving.
When it was Isabella's turn at the wheel, the wind howled past the window, but her thoughts had already drifted back to Lumaria.
Was Vitale coming in person to protect her?
Would he tell her about that embarrassing dream from last night?
Ever since she suggested that employers and employees should keep their distance, Vitale hadn't been to her apartment in a long time.
Isabella had made that request herself, afraid the neighbors would see Vitale coming and going from her place, but now she was crazy with missing the sight of him in her apartment.
"I'm too dependent on him." She whispered to herself, her knuckles turning white from gripping the steering wheel so hard.
She had to change this state, or Aria and Laura would both worry about her.
When they arrived at their destination, Laura had just woken up.
She keenly noticed the tears in Isabella's eyes.
"God, are you okay? Did you think of something sad?"
"It's just the wind." Isabella quickly got out of the car, grabbing her handbag, "We're here."
A restless crowd had gathered in the open space outside the factory. Isabella stood on her toes, searching the crowd for that familiar figure.
The conflicting feelings of disappointment and relief confused her.
She had just decided to be independent, so she shouldn't be hoping for his appearance.
On the bulletin board, her and Laura's names were prominently marked in red marker.
As she stopped to look, a tall shadow loomed over her.
"I'm Henley Fields." Henley crossed his arms over his chest, his muscular arms covered in tattoos, "You're the one the company sent?"
He looked her up and down dismissively, "God, you look like I could knock you flying with one punch. What can you do?"
Isabella adjusted her glasses, her gaze cold behind the lenses, "I can make you face reality. Fists won't solve problems, but money can."
She stepped forward, fearlessly meeting Henley's eyes, "I know you're the real power here, and that you used to work for Mr. Luca. So, please move aside. I want to go in and talk sitting down."
Henley raised an eyebrow. He'd seen plenty of beautiful women, but this was the first one so sharp-tongued.
Hearing Vitale's name, his eyes flickered, and he stepped aside.
Isabella walked into the makeshift work shed and sat down at the simple conference table.
She pointed to her name tag, her voice clear and strong.
"I'm Isabella, Mr. Luca's secretary. I know why you're protesting. Because someone took your wages."
She looked around at the restless crowd, "But among all of you here, that thief is hiding."
The shed immediately erupted in discussion.
Then Henley stood up and shouted, "Ms. Martinez, please come to my office for a detailed discussion, will you?"
"No need." Isabella refused firmly, "I'm not comfortable being alone with men."
Henley burst into loud laughter, drawing everyone's attention to them.
"I won't try anything with you." He stopped laughing, but his eyes became dangerous, "I just want to tell you a story, the real story of this factory. After you hear it, you'll understand why the riot happened."
Isabella noticed Laura was talking with some workers not far away, occasionally casting worried glances in her direction.
She took a deep breath, knowing this was the best chance to learn the truth.
"Then," she straightened her collar, "please lead the way."
Henley's office was located in a separate building at the deepest part of the factory. This used to be Costa's territory.
But Costa had been fired by Vitale in the end. The mess he left behind was still there though, very tricky, and the workers were hot-tempered too.
Isabella noticed that the surveillance cameras in the hallway had all been deliberately damaged.
Henley closed the door and said bluntly, "Costa was too greedy. I warned him that taking the workers' hard-earned money was crossing the line."
He took out a ledger from the safe, "These are the real accounts. Costa embezzled more than just wages—retirement funds and workers' compensation insurance too."
Isabella quickly flipped through the ledger, her heart racing, "Why are you only bringing this out now?"
"Because Vitale sent you." Henley looked at her meaningfully, "He doesn't trust people easily. Since he chose you, it means you're worth trusting."
Suddenly Laura's cry came from outside the window.
Isabella rushed to the window and saw Costa with a group of people surrounding Laura.
"Looks like," Henley stood beside her, "the real show is just beginning."
Isabella gripped her phone and for the first time took the initiative to call Vitale.
No matter how much she wanted to be independent, at this moment she was incredibly grateful that the powerful Vitale was always behind her.