Chapter 6 - The Name Behind the Scorpion.
Adrian did not sleep.
By sunrise, the penthouse had become a quiet command center.
Peter Hale had moved trusted guards to every entrance.
Dr. Mercer remained with Noah.
Claire sat near the windows, still wearing the same maid uniform, her blonde hair coming loose from its tie.
She looked more exhausted with each passing hour.
Adrian stood at the dining table surrounded by printed financial records.
Victor Cafalli's name appeared where it should not have appeared.
Shell companies.
Consulting fees.
Security payments.
Transfers authorized through accounts Daniel Dawson had reviewed before vanishing.
The pattern was not proof by itself.
It was worse than that.
It was a map.
"He used your company," Claire said.
Adrian did not look up.
"He used my father's company first."
"And then yours."
That sentence cut deeper.
Adrian finally met her eyes.
"I didn't know."
Claire's expression remained flat.
"Daniel didn't know if you knew."
"But he told you to trust me."
"At the end."
Adrian frowned.
"What changed?"
Claire looked toward Noah.
"He met someone from your father's old office."
"Who?"
"He never told me."
"Why?"
"Because two days later, he came home bleeding."
Adrian went still.
Claire's voice weakened.
"His shirt was torn. His ribs were bruised. He had a cut behind his ear."
She pressed her lips together before continuing.
"He wouldn't go to the police."
"Why not?"
"Because one of the men who attacked him showed a police badge."
The room fell silent.
Peter entered from the hallway carrying a tablet.
"We found something."
Adrian turned.
Peter placed the tablet on the table.
Security footage from the garage appeared on screen.
A black sedan had entered at 11:41 p.m.
The license plate belonged to a city vehicle assigned to the Department of Buildings.
The driver stepped out.
Peter froze the image.
A tattoo was visible above the man's wrist.
A black scorpion.
Claire inhaled sharply.
"That's one of them."
"You've seen him before?" Adrian asked.
"Outside my apartment."
Peter advanced the video.
The man met someone near the service entrance.
The second person remained mostly in shadow.
Then he turned his head.
Adrian recognized him immediately.
Gabriel Stone.
His chief of security.
Claire covered her mouth.
Adrian stared at the image without blinking.
Gabriel had protected him for eight years.
He had stood beside Adrian at his father's funeral.
He had once pulled Adrian away from a burning car on the New Jersey Turnpike.
Adrian had trusted him with his home, his schedule, and every vulnerability that mattered.
Peter said quietly, "What do you want me to do?"
Adrian's phone rang before he could answer.
Gabriel's name appeared on the screen.
Claire whispered, "Don't answer."
Adrian picked up.
"Morning, Gabriel."
Gabriel sounded calm.
"We need to talk."
"About what?"
"About the woman in your apartment."
Adrian's eyes stayed on the frozen image of Gabriel meeting the tattooed man.
"Come upstairs."
Peter stared at him in alarm.
Gabriel paused.
"You sure?"
Adrian's voice became almost friendly.
"Absolutely."
He ended the call.
Claire stood.
"Why would you invite him here?"
Adrian looked toward the double doors.
May you like
"Because liars are most useful when they think they're still trusted."
The elevator indicator began to climb.
