A man stood near the window.
He was tall, bald, and dressed in an expensive dark suit.
"Miss Romano?"
She stopped.
"Are you Thomas?"
The man smiled.
"Not exactly."
Her hand tightened around her bag.
"Where is the recording?"
He glanced toward a door at the end of the corridor.
"Inside."
"I'd prefer to speak here."
"Of course."
He stepped closer.
"Your father was a very careful man."
Isabella said nothing.
"He understood that some financial arrangements are too complicated for ordinary people to understand."
"My father understood numbers better than anyone I knew."
"Yes. He did."
The man's expression changed.
"Unfortunately, he also understood things he shouldn't have."
Isabella took a step backward.
"Who are you?"
"Someone who has been trying to correct a mistake."
"What mistake?"
"Your father made the mistake of trusting Adrian Moretti."
Her face went pale.
"How do you know Adrian?"
The man smiled.
"Everyone knows Adrian."
He glanced toward the elevator.
"Come inside, Miss Romano."
"No."
His smile disappeared.
"That wasn't a request."
He reached for her arm.
Isabella pulled away.
"Don't touch me."
Two men emerged from the doorway.
One grabbed her bag.
The other caught her wrist.
She struggled.
"Let go!"
The bald man took her phone.
"Where is Adrian?"
"I'm not telling you anything."
He looked at her with mild disappointment.
"Then we'll have to wait for him."
***
At 12:42 p.m., Adrian's phone rang.
He was already inside the Bellgrave Hotel.
He had arrived through the underground parking entrance and was standing in a private lounge with Marco.
The call came from an unknown number.
He answered.
"Moretti."
A man's voice responded.
"Your girlfriend is becoming a very inconvenient person."
Adrian's eyes turned cold.
"Who is this?"
"You know who I am."
"Then you know better than to waste my time."
The man laughed.
"Come upstairs."
"Why?"
"Because I have something you want."
Adrian looked at Marco.
The older man immediately understood.
"Isabella?"
The voice on the phone answered.
"Very good."
Adrian walked toward the elevator.
"If you've touched her—"
"You're going to do what? Threaten me?"
"No."
He pressed the button.
"I'm going to ask you a question."
The man laughed again.
"What question?"
"How much time do you think you have?"
The line went dead.
Marco moved beside him.
"Adrian, wait for the others."
"No."
"At least let me—"
"She's upstairs."
The elevator doors opened.
Adrian stepped inside.
Marco followed.
***
The sixth-floor corridor was illuminated by warm golden lights.
A group of guests stood near the far end, pretending not to notice the disturbance.
The bald man had Isabella pressed against the wall.
Her eyes found Adrian the moment he appeared.
"Adrian!"
The man tightened his grip.
"Stay where you are."
Adrian walked forward.
"Let her go."
The bald man smiled.
"You've become predictable."
"Perhaps."
Adrian looked at Isabella.
"Are you hurt?"
She shook her head.
"Not yet."
"Good."
The man laughed.
"You really believe you can walk in here and take her?"
Adrian stopped.
"I don't believe anything."
He looked at the man's hand.
"I know."
The first gun appeared behind the bald man.
Then another.
A third man stepped from a doorway, raising his weapon.
Marco moved behind Adrian.
The hallway had become a narrow corridor of polished wood, expensive artwork, and loaded guns.
The bald man looked around.
"Now you're outnumbered."
Adrian's expression did not change.
"You're confusing numbers with power."
"Is that what you tell yourself?"
"No."
Adrian glanced toward the elevator.
"That's what I tell men who haven't learned the difference."
The bald man shifted his weight.
A second later, the elevator doors opened.
Three Moretti men emerged.
The silver-haired man walked in front.
His name was Enzo Caruso.
He had been Adrian's father's personal adviser and had served the Moretti family for thirty-seven years.
He looked at the armed men.
Then at Isabella.
Finally, at Adrian.
"Boss."
The bald man frowned.
"Boss?"
Enzo ignored him.
"Are you all right?"
Adrian nodded.
"Take Isabella."
The bald man pulled her closer.
"Nobody moves!"
Enzo stopped.
Adrian looked directly at the man.
"You have one opportunity to leave this corridor alive."
The bald man smiled nervously.
"You're bluffing."
Adrian's voice lowered.
"I have never needed to bluff."
The next few seconds passed with terrible speed.
One of the armed men made a sudden movement.
Marco shouted.
A gunshot shattered the silence.
Guests screamed.
A lamp crashed against the floor.