Chapter33 Suppressing Rage

Chapter33 Suppressing Rage
Talia POV
I immediately left with my team. The abandoned factory was overgrown with weeds, broken walls blocking sight lines. Perfect for an ambush.
I had the bodyguards split into four groups, guarding the factory's four exits. I took Vincent and Luka and hid in the beams of the main building, watching the cement platform below in the open area. That was the designated transaction point.
At five fifty, a black sedan pulled into the factory. Prosecutor Ross got out with two subordinates. Their suits looked completely out of place in this rundown location.
He kept checking his watch, looking impatient, muttering, "Dragging their feet, making me late getting off work."
Ten minutes later, another car arrived. Gavin got out with an unfamiliar man, likely a middleman sent by Aron, clutching a black document bag tightly.
"You brought the ledgers?" Ross stepped forward, eyeing the bag.
Gavin handed over the document bag, looking around warily. "Where's the money? Mr. Aron said it was ledgers for five million cash, delivered simultaneously."
Ross's subordinate carried over a briefcase, opened it to display the cash inside. "Not a cent short. Let me verify the ledgers first."
The middleman blocked him. "Mr. Prosecutor, we do this our way. Money first, then verification."
The two started arguing. I crouched on the beam, catching Vincent's eye.
Just as Ross's hand was about to touch the document bag, I shouted, "Now!"
Bodyguards rushed out from all sides. Ross and his men's faces changed dramatically. They tried to run but were blocked by bodyguards already guarding the exits.
"Who are you? How dare you obstruct a prosecutor's investigation!" Ross blustered, his hand reaching for his waist, trying to draw his service weapon.
Luka moved faster, chopping down on his wrist. The gun clattered to the ground.
"Investigation? What investigation are you conducting with fake ledgers?" Luka sneered, kicking him to the ground.
Gavin's legs went weak with fear. He turned to run toward the back of the factory building. I jumped down from the beam, landing right in front of him. "Gavin, where are you running?"
I crossed my arms, looking at him. "You worked so hard to get this 'treasure.' Won't you share it with us?"
His face went deathly pale, his lips trembling. "Talia... how are you here?"
I gestured, and two bodyguards stepped forward to restrain his arms. "If I wasn't here, how would I catch you, you traitor? Did you think Aron really wanted to help you? He's just using you as a pawn. Once you're useless, he'll be the first one to dispose of you."
Gavin tried to argue, but the middleman suddenly attacked, pulling out a knife hidden in his jacket and lunging at me.
Vincent reacted quickly, grabbing his wrist and twisting hard. The knife fell to the ground, accompanied by a scream as the middleman's arm was bent at an unnatural angle.
In less than five minutes, everyone was subdued.
I picked up the black document bag from the ground. Opening it, I found the fake ledgers inside, still marked with Gavin's fingerprints.
I told Vincent, "Take them all back. Question them separately. Focus on Ross. Find out how deep his connections with the Casa family go and who the mole in the family is."
By the time we were escorting everyone back, dawn was breaking.
Gavin was stuffed in the car, wailing the whole way. "I was framed! Serafina forced me! She made me steal the ledgers, or she'd destroy my company."
I ignored him, pulling out my phone to call Jareth.
"All done?" His low chuckle came through the line.
I said, "Yes. Got everyone, retrieved the ledgers. Ross and the middleman are both here. Gavin's still claiming innocence, saying Serafina made him do everything."
Jareth laughed softly. "As expected. Bring them to the villa basement. I'll question them personally. You come back first. Be careful on the road."
After hanging up, I looked out at the scenery passing by. This move had been the right one.
As for the next step?
I smiled and told Vincent, "Hand me the tablet."
The figure on the screen was pacing anxiously.
Serafina was circling her apartment, her phone practically burning in her grip.
The agreed time had long passed. Not only had Gavin not reported in, he hadn't even returned a single call.
She dialed again. Only the mechanical voice came through the receiver. "The number you have dialed is currently unavailable. Please try again later."
Serafina clutched her phone, pacing rapidly through the apartment. Her heels clicked loudly against the floor.
She pressed the dial button for the fifth time. As soon as the mechanical prompt began, she jabbed to disconnect. Her fingers were white from gripping too hard, her brow knotted, her breathing quick and shallow.
She ran her hand through her hair, strands falling messily around her temples. Her other hand rubbed unconsciously at her pocket. Her steps grew faster and faster, panic churning in her eyes.
Suddenly, as if remembering something, her brow furrowed tight. She whirled around and lunged for the sofa, grabbing her bag. Her trembling fingers pulled out her phone, swiping frantically across the screen, desperate to delete every trace.
Serafina grabbed her phone from the sofa, fingers flying as she opened her messages. Just as she was about to select and delete, she remembered the call logs needed clearing too. And the banking app, the transaction records couldn't be left either.
She fumbled through the operations, small beads of cold sweat forming on her forehead.
What she didn't notice was that in the corner of the living room ceiling, an inconspicuous camera was silently recording, capturing her panicked evidence destruction in perfect detail.
This was something I'd arranged long ago. Ever since discovering something was off between Serafina and Gavin, I'd had Rico secretly install hidden surveillance in her apartment, just waiting for her to slip up.
Watching her panicked state on the screen, I sneered. "The fox finally shows her tail."
The car had just reached the villa entrance when I headed straight to find Jareth with the tablet.
He was in the study handling documents. Seeing me enter, he looked up. "You have results?"
I placed the tablet in front of him and opened the video. "Look. Serafina couldn't reach Gavin and has already started destroying evidence of her contact with the Casa family. It's all here."
Jareth watched the screen, his expression darkening, his grip on the pen tightening.
The video ended. Jareth tossed the tablet onto the table, pulled out his phone, and called Rico.
"Bring Serafina in."
"Yes, Don Jareth."
After hanging up, Jareth stood, the anger in his eyes sharp and unmistakable.
I stood to the side silently, knowing in my heart that Serafina had just backed herself into a corner.
Before long, Rico returned with his team. Serafina was held between two bodyguards, her hair disheveled, her face still marked with tear stains she hadn't wiped clean. Clearly she'd struggled on the way here.