CHAP 13 — THE SECRETARY’S MOVE
Mave requested a meeting with Sofia Ross.
Vincent objected.
“You have a disturbing addiction to meeting people who want us bankrupt or dead.”
“Occupational hazard.”
“You used to schedule lunches.”
“I miss those days.”
Sofia chose a public library.
Mave liked her immediately.
That was inconvenient.
Sofia had dark hair, calm eyes, and the posture of someone who never sat with her back to a door.
Donovan’s daughter.
Alive.
Unbroken.
“Mave Vale.”
“Sofia Ross.”
Neither offered a hand.
Sofia opened a folder.
“I don’t work for Carmine.”
“I know.”
“You figured that out quickly.”
“I’m a secretary.”
Sofia smiled.
“I saw the press conference.”
“Then you understand the title doesn’t offend me.”
“I hoped it wouldn’t.”
“Why are you attacking Costa Maritime?”
“Because it financed Carmine for decades.”
“Not anymore.”
“Vincent still runs the organization.”
“For now.”
Sofia studied her.
“You’re going to dismantle it.”
Mave said nothing.
Sofia smiled.
“I knew Marcus Vale’s daughter would eventually understand.”
“You never knew my father.”
“My father talked about him.”
Mave’s expression hardened.
“Donovan has lied enough for several lifetimes.”
“Yes.”
Sofia’s smile vanished.
“But he never lied about Marcus.”
She explained.
Carmine kidnapped Sofia at sixteen.
Not to kill her.
To train her.
He sent her overseas.
Schools.
Finance.
Languages.
Corporate intelligence.
She became one of his best operators.
Then she learned the truth.
Carmine had used Donovan’s fear to maintain two loyal assets.
Father and daughter.
Sofia escaped three years earlier.
Donovan continued pretending she was captive because that lie gave him access to Carmine.
“Then why betray us?”
“To keep Carmine convinced.”
Mave understood.
Donovan had never switched sides.
He had been playing every side.
“How much of the attack is real?”
“All of it.”
“Why?”
“Because Costa has to weaken before Carmine can be separated from it.”
Mave stared.
“You’re burning the house to catch one man.”
Sofia’s expression remained calm.
“I’m burning the rooms where he hides.”
“Employees work in those rooms.”
That landed.
Mave leaned forward.
“Dock workers. Assistants. Drivers. People with mortgages.”
Sofia said nothing.
“You’re doing the same thing Carmine does.”
Sofia’s eyes hardened.
“Do not compare me to him.”
“Then stop treating ordinary people as acceptable losses.”
Silence.
Mave slid a proposal across the table.
A coordinated separation.
Vale activates the charter provision.
Vincent divests the syndicate-linked assets.
Sofia stops attacking legitimate operations.
Together, they isolate Carmine financially.
Sofia read.
“You trust Vincent?”
“I trust what he does next.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
“Exactly.”
Sofia looked at her for a long time.
Then:
“My father says you’re dangerous.”
Mave smiled.
“He finally got something right.”
They made the agreement.
When Mave returned, Vincent waited in her office.
“You went without security.”
“I had security.”
“Two lawyers and a librarian do not count.”
She handed him the agreement.
Vincent read.
His expression changed.
“You negotiated a ceasefire?”
“Yes.”
“With Sofia Ross?”
“Yes.”
“And she agreed?”
“Yes.”
Vincent stared.
“What?”
“You’ve worked for me three years.”
“Correct.”
“I think I underpaid you.”
“Severely.”
Vincent smiled.
Then he saw Clause Seven.
His smile vanished.
“You want me to surrender syndicate control.”
“Yes.”
“Mave.”
“You said you wanted out.”
“I said I wanted separation.”
“This is separation.”
“It gives the captains independence.”
“It gives them a choice.”
“Some will choose Carmine.”
“Yes.”
Vincent looked at her.
“You’re asking me to give up the one thing keeping them afraid.”
Mave answered softly:
May you like
“I’m asking whether fear is the only reason they follow you.”
That question followed Vincent for the rest of the night.
