Chapter44 Profit Above All

Chapter44 Profit Above All
Talia POV
Two AM, the day after tomorrow.
Jareth and I sat in the car, watching surveillance footage of the south district shipping line.
On screen, Aron's three men drove two vans and, as expected, targeted our empty vehicles. They stopped them without effort, beat up the "escorts," and drove triumphantly toward the port.
"Pretty bold." Jareth took my hand. "If this doesn't work, we'll be in trouble."
I leaned on his shoulder. "Don't worry. He won't escape. He thinks he's stealing luxury accessories. Little does he know, I had people put several boxes of counterfeit money printing plates in those empty trucks. Not a major crime, but enough for customs to detain his people and freeze his three port accounts."
At 3:30 AM, word came from the port.
Aron's men had just driven to the unloading area when Max and customs officers caught them. They opened the truck and found counterfeit printing plates scattered everywhere.
They arrested everyone on the spot and, following the trail, raided one of Aron's temporary warehouses at the port, finding plenty of smuggled cigarettes and alcohol he hadn't had time to sell.
When I got the news, I'd just made tea. I poured a cup and took a sip. "Have customs make a big deal out of this. Make sure the media knows too. Say they seized counterfeit printing plates and the suspects are connected to the Casa family."
As expected, by noon, all the major news outlets were reporting the port's seizure of counterfeit money.
Aron's phone was ringing off the hook. Partners demanded to terminate contracts. His port business was completely shut down by customs. He lost at least tens of millions.
I hung up with customs, fingers tapping the desk as I planned the next move.
Aron had just taken a hit. The media was still focused on the port counterfeit money story.
But that wouldn't last long. I needed to use this window to turn up the heat on Gavin and the Casa family, completely divert public attention.
I pulled out the list Vincent had compiled, people who had conflicts with the Casa family. On the last page was Tina, the reporter who'd helped Gavin expose family scandals before.
He was greedy for money but held grudges more. Last month, Aron's people had stolen his exclusive story. He'd been wanting revenge ever since.
I had Vincent contact Tina and arrange to meet at a private room in Phantom Nightclub.
That evening, Tina showed up with his camera. After sitting down, he looked at me. "Miss Hayes, you're not trying to bury another story, are you? I still haven't received the money from last time."
I tossed him an envelope with a stack of cash and a USB drive. "The money's your compensation. What's on the drive is enough for a major story and revenge."
Tina felt the envelope. "What's the story? Don't tell me it's nothing important again."
I leaned back on the sofa. "It's about Gavin. All that family crime material he gave you before was fabricated. Plus, there's a recording of him colluding with Prosecutor Ross, even transfer records of him taking Casa family money. It's all there."
Tina's hand froze. He quickly plugged the USB into his laptop, played a bit of the recording, then looked up sharply. "Ross is a star prosecutor. If Gavin colluded with him to frame Camorra, this will be front page news!"
I poured him a drink. "Verify it yourself. But let me remind you, about Aron from the Casa family smashing up your studio, if you break this story, you can take down both Gavin and Ross while getting back at the Casa family. Two birds with one stone."
Tina rubbed his hands together, grinning. "Miss Hayes, you're the best! I'll go write this up right now. I guarantee I'll blow this up so big that Camorra's troubles will be forgotten."
He left hurriedly with the USB and cash. Vincent came in. "You really trust him? He's all about profit. What if the Casa family buys him off?"
I sneered. "He wouldn't dare. He's still bitter about Aron smashing his studio. Plus, I have evidence of him taking black money from Gavin. If he betrays us, I'll make sure he can never work as a reporter again."
Sure enough, early the next morning, all the major platform headlines changed.
"Shocking Reversal! Gavin Fabricates Evidence to Frame Camorra, Colludes with Prosecutor for Bribes"
"Casa Family Implicated, Prosecutor Ross May Be Guilty of Corruption"
The news not only included recordings of Gavin and Ross talking, but also screenshots of transfer records from the Casa family, even testimony from the print shop owner Gavin used to forge documents.
Online comments exploded. People who'd been cursing Camorra completely changed their tune, now condemning Gavin's lack of principles and demanding thorough investigation of Ross and the Casa family.
I scrolled through my phone, watching public opinion shift completely in our favor, and called Jareth. "It worked. Tina's article muddied the waters. No one's watching us anymore."
Jareth said, "I just got a call from the prosecutor's office. Prosecutor Henry can't handle the public pressure. He's publicly announced he'll investigate both Camorra and Casa families simultaneously, focusing on the collusion case between Gavin and Ross."
I felt relieved. That chess move paid off.
As soon as Prosecutor Henry's statement went out, the whole city's atmosphere changed.
The prosecutor's office was surrounded by reporters demanding answers about Ross and the Casa family's relationship. Police who'd been focused on Camorra reassigned officers to investigate Gavin. The pressure on us eased considerably.
Third-Person POV
In the basement.
Serafina, imprisoned for so long, was losing her mind.
If this dragged on, either Jareth would completely abandon her or she'd be disposed of once things calmed down. After thinking it through, only Gavin could help her.
Even if that man was useless, at least they were tied together. As long as she could get out, even if it meant fully cooperating with the Casa family, she'd do it.
When a servant brought in food, Serafina quickly reached out and slipped a small note under the tray. She whispered barely audibly, "Give this to him."
The servant kept her eyes down and discreetly tucked the note into her sleeve. She was Serafina's most trusted confidant of over ten years, loyal to the core.
The note had just one sentence, written urgently and decisively:
"Find Gavin. Have him get me out. Afterward, I'll give him twenty percent of south district channel profits."
Late that night, the confidant found a gap in the patrol schedule and climbed over the villa's back wall. She hurried along back roads to Gavin's temporary hideout, a rundown apartment.
The apartment hallway had only one flickering yellow light. Two Casa family men stood at the door, guns at their waists, looking like they were guarding a prisoner.
The confidant's heart sank. As expected, Gavin was under Aron's control.
She waited in the shadows for a long time until the two men stepped away to smoke. Then she quickly ducked into the side alley and called up in a low voice, "Gavin! Come down!"
Soon, urgent footsteps sounded upstairs. Gavin pushed open the side door and entered the alley, looking annoyed. "What are you calling me down here in the middle of the night for?"
The confidant glanced both ways to make sure no one was around before moving closer. "It's Miss Serafina. She needs you to find a way to get her out."