Chapter 11 - The Shell Company
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The silence in the dining room was absolute. The clinking of silverware stopped. Every mafia capo turned their attention to the woman standing in the crimson dress.
Rockford Jones began to sweat profusely at the far end of the table. Evelyn’s jaw tightened, her manicured fingers gripping her wine glass so hard the stem looked ready to snap.
“Cyprus?” Dante forced a laugh, though it sounded hollow and defensive. “I don't know what you’re talking about, Mrs. Moretti. I don't have investments in Cyprus.”
“That’s strange,” Adelaide replied smoothly, picking up a remote control from the table. She pressed a button, and a massive projector screen dropped silently behind Mateo’s chair.
The screen illuminated the dark room with high-definition financial documents.
“Because according to these encrypted bank logs, a shell company named Aegis Holdings received exactly fifteen million dollars three months ago,” Adelaide said, pacing slowly behind her chair. “The exact same amount my father, Rockford Jones, supposedly lost in the tech market.”
Rockford whimpered, burying his face in his hands.
“This is absurd!” Dante stood up, pointing an aggressive finger at Adelaide. “Boss, are you going to let this... this scarred little librarian disrespect me in front of the family?”
Mateo didn't move. He sat back in his heavy chair, swirling his wine, looking at Dante with eyes like black ice.
“Let my wife finish, Dante,” Mateo commanded softly.
Adelaide clicked the remote again. A new document appeared. It was a wire transfer authorization.
“I traced the IP address that authorized the transfer from Jones Financial to Aegis Holdings,” Adelaide continued, her voice dripping with lethal precision. “It didn't come from my father’s office. It came from a private laptop registered to Evelyn Jones.”
All eyes snapped to the stepmother. Evelyn stood up, panicked. “That’s a lie! She’s framing me! She’s always hated me!”
“I do hate you, Evelyn,” Adelaide said calmly. “But math doesn't have emotions. Math leaves a trail.”
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She clicked the remote one final time.
“And the ultimate beneficiary of Aegis Holdings, the man who withdrew five million dollars in cash just last week to pay off corrupt union bosses?” Adelaide paused, letting the tension peak. “Is Dante.”
