Chapter 6 - The Woman They Thought Was Leverage
Three months later, Clara understood something about Luca’s world.
Everyone expected relationships to be transactions.
Money bought loyalty.
Fear bought silence.
Favors created debts.
That was why nobody understood Clara.
She wanted nothing.
Which made her difficult to control.
It also made Luca vulnerable in a way his rivals understood perfectly.
The warning arrived at St. Jude’s.
An envelope.
Inside was the hundred-dollar bill Clara had once spent.
Or rather, another bill with the same tiny symbol marked in one corner.
Clara called Luca.
“I got something.”
His voice changed instantly.
“Where are you?”
“Nurses’ station.”
“Stay there.”
“Luca—”
“Clara.”
She recognized the tone.
“Fine.”
Twenty minutes later, he arrived.
He studied the bill.
“Same group?”
“Yes.”
“What do they want?”
“Me.”
Clara stared at him.
“No.”
“They think you’re leverage.”
“Are they right?”
Luca looked up.
“Yes.”
She appreciated that he did not lie.
“So what happens?”
“You leave the city temporarily.”
“No.”
“Clara.”
“No.”
“You cannot argue with everything.”
“Watch me.”
He rubbed his forehead.
“They’re expecting me to protect you by hiding you.”
“Then don't.”
His eyes narrowed.
“What are you suggesting?”
“They’re watching me because they think I’ll lead them to you.”
Luca slowly understood.
“No.”
Clara smiled.
“You haven’t heard the plan.”
“I know that smile.”
“You've known me three months.”
“Longest three months of my life.”
She laughed.
Then became serious.
“Let them think their plan is working.”
What followed was not Luca’s usual method.
That was Clara’s condition.
No revenge.
No street war.
Instead, information was quietly documented and passed through attorneys and investigators already examining the earlier incidents.
The people watching Clara exposed themselves.
Financial records connected them to the original attack.
Witnesses cooperated.
The network began collapsing from the inside.
And Luca did something his enemies never expected.
He stayed out of sight and let evidence do the work.
Weeks later, Marco entered Luca’s office.
“It’s finished.”
Luca looked up.
“All of them?”
“The organization responsible for the attack has fractured. Several people are in custody. The rest disappeared.”
Clara sat on the couch eating takeout noodles.
“So basically my plan worked.”
Marco nodded.
“Unfortunately.”
Luca stared at him.
“Why unfortunately?”
“Because now she’ll never stop mentioning it.”
Clara pointed her fork at Marco.
“You’re my favorite.”
“I know.”
Luca shook his head.
“I regret introducing you two.”
Clara smiled.
“No, you don’t.”
He looked at her.
And smiled back.
May you like
“No.”
He didn’t.
