Chapter 699

When Zinnia opened the door, Nicoletta lunged forward, trying to rush past. Zinnia reacted instantly, shoving her back with force.
Nicoletta stumbled, crashing to the floor in the middle of the dimly lit room. When she looked up, Caitlin was already stepping inside.
Zinnia and the others stood guard at the entrance. There was nowhere to run, no one left to call for help.
Caitlin sat down in a nearby chair, her gaze sharp and cold as she studied the disheveled woman on the floor. The once–elegant matriarch of the Jonathan Family was gone–what sat before her now was a wreck, hair tangled, eyes wild.
“You still think someone’s going to save you?” Caitlin’s tone was icy. “The First Lady, maybe?”
She gave a short, humorless laugh. “When you were rich and powerful, sure, she was your friend. But now? You’re nothing more than a prisoner. Do you really think she’d even remember your name?”
Nicoletta glared up at her, shock flickering across her face. “What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be dead!”
So all her plans had failed–her assassins, her traps. None of it had worked.
Caitlin crossed her legs, calm as ever. “Your people? The ones you stationed outside the Jonathan estate to ambush me? They’ve all been taken care of. Everything you thought of, I already anticipated.”
“But you left!” Nicoletta spat. “The servants said you were gone!”
“I did leave,” Caitlin said smoothly, “but there’s still unfinished business. Like the list of assets stolen from my grandfather’s estate. You were the one behind the scheme–you should know exactly where they are.”
Nicoletta’s eyes flashed. She was cunning enough to understand that Caitlin wouldn’t kill her not yet. She straightened slightly, forcing herself to sound composed. Discover more novels at.net
“You want that list?” she said. “Then release me.”
“Release you?” Caitlin leaned forward slightly. “You planned and executed a massacre. Dozens of people from my grandfather’s family died because of you. I won’t just release you–I’ll make sure you stand trial for every single life
you destroyed. You’re going back to the US to face justice.”
The finality in Caitlin’s voice made the air feel heavy.
Nicoletta’s bravado wavered, her eyes darting from side to side. She fell silent, lips pressed together.
No matter what Caitlin asked, she refused to answer.
Caitlin waited a moment, then spoke again, her tone softer but far more dangerous. “You’re not talking, fine. But think of your son, Nicoletta. Do you really want him to pay the price for your sins?”
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Chapter 699
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That hit its mark. Nicoletta’s head jerked up, eyes flashing with alarm. “What are you talking about? What are you planning to do?”
Caitlin smiled faintly. “Just so you know, your brother Ignatius has been captured. So has Dustin. And all their operations–their networks, their influence–it’s gone. You have nothing left to bargain with.”
Nicoletta’s face went pale. Her breath hitched, panic creeping into her eyes. “What… what did you say?”
She couldn’t believe it. Her brother, her allies, all of them–finished.
“The Seventh Door. The Silent Order. All of it,” Caitlin said evenly. “Destroyed.”
The words struck like thunder. For the first time, true fear showed in Nicoletta’s expression.
“And your son, Israel,” Caitlin continued. “Don’t think I won’t deal with him too.”
Nicoletta’s composure cracked. “No! Leave him out of this! He’s innocent! He’s Hector’s blood, the Jonathan heir–you can’t hurt him! Hector won’t allow it!”
It was the first time she’d sounded like a mother in a very long time.
Caitlin’s eyes stayed on her. “After everything you’ve done, do you really think your son can still hold his head high as a Jonathan? Tell me, should he call Hector his father–or his grandfather? You should decide what’s more important to you, Nicoletta. Your son’s life, or the Jonathan assets. You can only choose one.”
She stood, turning toward the door. “Think carefully.”
Nicoletta’s heart pounded. Her mind raced through panic and despair. She was cornered–completely cornered.
Just as Caitlin reached the doorway, Nicoletta broke. “Wait!” she cried out. “Caitlin–please–don’t hurt my son! I’ll give you what you want!”
Caitlin paused, glancing back over her shoulder. That was what she’d been waiting for.
“Where is it?” she asked.
Nicoletta swallowed hard, defeated. “In my private villa–there’s a hidden room behind the study. That’s where I keep the documents.”
“How do we get in?”
“You’ll have to take me with you,” Nicoletta said, voice trembling. “The system needs facial recognition and fingerprints. Without me, no one can open it.”
Caitlin thought for a moment, then nodded. “Fine. Bring her.”
Zinnia and the others hauled Nicoletta to her feet, binding her hands loosely enough to allow movement, then escorted her out to the vehicles.
The convoy headed across the city to a secluded estate–a lavish villa surrounded by high walls and
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Chapter 699
manicured gardens. It was the same place where Nicoletta had once met with Fletcher in secret.
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Inside, Caitlin ordered her to unlock the doors. Nicoletta entered a code on the keypad, and the heavy gates opened.
They went straight to the first floor study, a vast room filled with books and dark wood furniture. Caitlin looked around, her voice cool but sharp. “Where’s the entrance to the secret room? Open it.”
Nicoletta lifted her bound wrists. “Untie me first. I can’t do it like this.”
Caitlin signaled to Zinnia. “Let her go. But keep your eyes on her.”
Freed, Nicoletta walked slowly behind the desk. Her fingers searched beneath its edge until they found a small switch. A section of the wall shifted with a low mechanical click, revealing a metal panel with a biometric
scanner.
Nicoletta leaned toward it, letting the system scan her face. Then she entered a numeric code and pressed her thumb to the fingerprint pad.
After a few seconds, the reinforced steel door unlocked with a hiss.
Behind it was a narrow, dark passageway leading deeper underground.
Caitlin gestured sharply. “You first.”
Nicoletta hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward into the shadows, her steps echoing softly.
Caitlin and Zinnia followed close behind, their flashlights cutting through the darkness, while the others waited outside to guard the entrance.
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