Chapter 4 - The Boardroom Ambush
|
The next morning, Clara walked into the downtown headquarters of Russo Enterprises.
She wasn't wearing a cocktail dress. She wore a sharp, tailored navy suit that accentuated her curves, her hair pulled into a sleek bun. If the world knew she was the boss's wife, she was going to dress like it.
The atmosphere in the building had shifted overnight.
Security guards stood straighter. Executives who usually ignored her in the elevator now offered polite, nervous nods.
She walked into the main conference room for the quarterly financial review. Five of Dominic’s top capos were already seated, reviewing the ledgers.
One of them, a scarred, brutal man named Falcone, sneered when she entered.
"Well, look who it is," Falcone mocked. "The new Queen of Chicago. Tell me, Clara, do you charge Dominic by the hour for your accounting, or does that fall under wifely duties now?"
Two of the other men chuckled nervously.
Clara didn't flinch. She walked to the head of the table, dropped her heavy leather briefcase onto the mahogany, and opened it.
"I charge by the million, Falcone," Clara said smoothly. "Which brings me to your southern shipping routes."
She pulled a thick stack of printed spreadsheets and slid them across the table.
"I spent the weekend reviewing the fuel costs for your trucks," Clara continued, her voice cold and professional. "According to these logs, your trucks are burning fuel at a rate that defies the laws of physics. Unless, of course, you're running ghost shipments off the books and pocketing the profits."
Falcone’s face drained of color. "You don't know what you're talking about, you fat—"
"Finish that sentence," a dark voice warned from the doorway.
Dominic leaned against the doorframe, sipping a coffee. He didn't look angry; he looked amused.
"Go on, Falcone," Dominic urged. "Speak to my wife."
May you like
Falcone swallowed hard, sweat beading on his forehead. "Dom, she's misreading the numbers. It's just a clerical error."
"She never misreads the numbers," Dominic said, walking into the room. "You have exactly one hour to wire the stolen funds back into the main account. If you don't, Clara is going to audit your entire life. And whatever she finds, I will make you bleed for."
