Chapter 10 - The Traitor Revealed
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Wade wiped a smear of blood from his jaw and pulled the encrypted phone from his pocket. The caller ID was restricted.
“Roman,” Wade growled into the receiver, stepping over a fallen body. “If you think you can take this floor, you’re underestimating how willing I am to die today.”
A low, familiar chuckle echoed through the speaker. It wasn't Roman Sokolov.
“I told you he was a sentimental fool, Roman,” the voice said smoothly.
Wade’s blood ran entirely cold. He recognized that voice instantly. It was Julian, one of his top lieutenants—a man who had been trusted with the financial keys to Wade’s entire empire.
“Julian,” Wade whispered, a profound, sickening sense of betrayal washing over him. “You sold me out.”
“I secured my future, Wade,” Julian corrected arrogantly. “You’ve been distracted for a year, pining over a woman who left you. And now you’re throwing away the South Side ports for a bastard child? You’re weak. The Commission approached me. They want you gone, and Roman offered me your seat at the table if I helped him end you.”
“How did Roman know about Audrey?” Wade demanded, his grip tightening on his rifle. “How did he know about the hospital?”
“I tracked her credit cards, Wade. I’ve known about the kid for months,” Julian gloated. “I fed the information to the Bratva. I told them exactly when the boy’s heart started failing. It was almost too easy.”
Wade closed his eyes. The rage bubbling inside him was no longer hot; it was absolute, terrifying ice. Julian hadn't just betrayed the syndicate. He had endangered Audrey. He had used a dying infant as a pawn in a power grab.
“Where are you, Julian?” Wade asked softly, his voice devoid of all emotion.
“I’m safe in a penthouse, watching your empire crumble,” Julian laughed. “Roman’s second wave is coming up the freight elevators, Wade. Heavy artillery. You can’t stop them. Say goodbye to your little family.”
The line went dead.
Wade slowly lowered the phone. He looked at Silas, who had overheard the conversation over the earpiece feed.
“Julian is the rat,” Wade stated simply.
May you like
Silas’s face twisted in pure fury. “I’ll kill him myself, Boss.”
“No,” Wade said, turning his gaze toward the freight elevator doors at the far end of the hall. The red digital numbers were slowly rising. The second wave was arriving. “Julian is mine. Right now, we hold this hallway.”
