Chapter 17: The Raven Unmasked

Vincent's words echoed in my mind.

"I think I know who the Raven really is."

I stared at him in disbelief.

"Who?"

He didn't answer immediately.

Instead, he looked around the hallway to make sure we were alone.

"Not here," he whispered.

"We need to leave first."

The mansion was already filling with security guards after the tunnel collapse.

Lucas quietly led us through the rear exit while Vincent kept checking behind us.

Whoever had triggered the explosion knew we had discovered the underground office.

Which meant one thing.

They were watching us.

Half an hour later, we arrived at one of Vincent's private safe houses outside Manhattan.

The building was small, hidden among dense trees, and protected by armed guards.

The moment the doors were locked, I turned toward Vincent.

"Enough."

"Tell me everything."

He slowly placed the black ledger on the dining table.

"Do you remember the man Evelyn mentioned?"

"The Broker?"

"Yes."

"I spent the last three years trying to identify him."

"I always believed he worked for different mafia families."

"But I was wrong."

"Then who is he?"

"He isn't working for Raven."

"He is Raven."

Silence filled the room.

Lucas opened another folder recovered from the underground office.

"These financial records finally make sense," he said.

"Every payment listed here was approved through shell companies controlled by one person."

"Who?" I asked.

Lucas slid a document toward me.

At the bottom was a familiar signature.

Richard Sterling.

I frowned.

"Sterling?"

"Alexander's father?"

Vincent nodded.

"The dying Sterling heir isn't the head of the family anymore."

"His father quietly controls everything from behind the scenes."

"No..."

"Alexander would never..."

"We're not accusing Alexander," Vincent interrupted.

"We're accusing his father."

"Richard Sterling has spent decades building an underground financial network."

"The Raven organization launders money through shipping companies, construction firms, and political foundations."

"Romano Logistics was one of them."

I felt dizzy.

"So my father..."

"Worked with Richard Sterling."

"At first."

"Until they turned against each other."

"The bracelet..."

"Was only the beginning."

Lucas pointed toward another document.

"Look at the dates."

Every operation listed in the ledger ended with one name.

Sophia Romano.

"Why am I on every page?"

Vincent looked at me carefully.

"Because your mother left something behind before she died."

"Not money."

"Not jewelry."

"Information."

"What information?"

"Nobody knows exactly."

"But everyone believes only you can access it."

"That's impossible."

"I don't know anything."

"Maybe you don't realize you do."

My thoughts raced back to childhood.

My mother had always carried a silver music box.

She never let anyone touch it.

After her funeral, it disappeared.

"The music box..." I whispered.

Vincent immediately looked at me.

"What music box?"

I explained everything.

How Mother would wind it every night.

How she once told me that one day I'd understand its melody.

"Where is it now?" Lucas asked.

"I thought it was buried with her."

"Maybe it wasn't," Vincent replied.

"Maybe that's what everyone has been searching for."

Before anyone could continue, one of Vincent's guards entered the room.

"Sir."

"We caught someone trying to break through the security fence."

"Bring him in," Vincent ordered.

Moments later, two guards dragged a frightened young man into the living room.

He couldn't have been older than twenty-five.

"Please..." he begged.

"I don't want any trouble."

"Who sent you?" Vincent asked.

"I can't tell you."

"If I do, they'll kill my family."

"Who are they?"

"Raven."

The young man's entire body shook.

"What were you supposed to do here?"

"Leave this."

He handed Vincent a sealed envelope.

Vincent opened it carefully.

Inside was a single invitation.

Midnight.

Saint Gabriel Cemetery.

Come alone if you want the truth about Sophia's mother.

Signed only with a black raven.

"It's a trap," Lucas said immediately.

"Obviously," Vincent replied.

"Then we're not going."

"We are."

"Vincent—"

"This is the first time Raven has invited us."

"Which means they're confident."

"Or desperate."

I stepped forward.

"I'm coming too."

"No."

"This message is about my mother."

"Exactly why you shouldn't come."

"I'm done hiding behind everyone else."

Vincent looked at me for several seconds before giving a reluctant nod.

"Fine."

"But you stay beside me."

"Always."

Just before midnight, three black SUVs entered Saint Gabriel Cemetery.

Rain had begun falling, covering the old gravestones in silver mist.

Mother's grave stood near the center.

Fresh flowers had already been placed there.

"Someone was here," I whispered.

As we approached the grave, a slow clap echoed through the darkness.

"Very impressive, Vincent."

"It took you longer than I expected."

A tall man stepped out from behind an ancient oak tree.

He wore a black overcoat and leather gloves.

His face remained hidden beneath the shadow of an umbrella.

"The Broker," Vincent said coldly.

The man smiled.

"Finally."

"Someone remembers my real title."

"You're Raven," Vincent said.

"No."

The stranger chuckled.

"I'm only the messenger."

"Then where is Raven?" I asked.

The man slowly raised one gloved hand...

...and pointed directly at my mother's grave.

"You've been standing on the answer this entire time."