Chapter 114
Marcus’s and Dante’s POV
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Marcus turned slowly and came back down from the one step he’d already taken on the staircase. He stared at Dante like he’d just grown a second head.
“What did you just say?”
“Let’s steal the contract back,” Dante repeated, his tone completely calm and matter-of-fact like he’d just suggested they order pizza instead of proposing they commit a felony.
“Are you insane?” Marcus said, his eyes widening with genuine confusion. He looked around the room like he was checking if this was some kind of prank, if cameras were hidden somewhere. “Are you actually out of your mind right now?”
He gestured at Dante with both hands. “Dante. Dante Rivera. The morally upright lawyer. The guy who lectures me about following proper legal channels and doing things by the book. That Dante is sitting in my living room talking about stealing?”
“Don’t look at me with those judgy eyes,” Dante said, completely unbothered by Marcus’s reaction. He walked back over to the couch and sat down like this was just another normal conversation they were having.
Marcus stood there for a moment, still processing what he’d just heard. Then slowly, almost against his better judgment, he followed Dante back to the sitting area and lowered himself onto the opposite couch.
They sat facing each other in silence for a beat.
“Hear me out,” Dante said, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.
“Okay,” Marcus said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Let’s say I’m willing to entertain this absolutely ridiculous idea. I just want to hear the brilliant plan you apparently have cooking up in that head of yours.”
He reached out and tapped Dante’s forehead with his index finger, not hard but enough to make his point.
Dante swatted his hand away. “Listen. Penelope is right up there.” He pointed at the ceiling. “She lives on the top floor. Same compound, same building as you. She’s literally right above us as we speak.”
“I’m aware. What’s your point?”
“My point is she’ll least expect something like this to happen. Think about it. She’s sitting up there feeling smug and satisfied, probably drinking champagne and planning exactly when to drop that bomb on the board.
She’s not going to keep the contract in some high-security vault or safe. Why would she? She thinks she’s already won.”
Dante’s eyes lit up as he talked, getting more animated.
“I’m very sure she thinks you and Elara don’t even know that the contract has been stolen yet. She’s probably assuming Elara still has no idea those papers are missing from her old apartment. So she’s just keeping it
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Chapter 111
somewhere in her penthouse, waiting to see the best time to hit you with it for maximum damage.”
“Okay, so what? We just walk up there and ask nicely if we can have it back?”
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“No, we steal it back,” Dante said simply. “We target a time when she’s out of the penthouse and we move. It’s simple. In and out, clean.”
“In and out, clean,” Marcus repeated slowly, his tone dripping with sarcasm and disbelief. “You make it sound like we’re picking up dry cleaning.”
“I’m serious, Marcus.”
“I can see that, which is what’s concerning me.” Marcus leaned back against the couch cushions and rubbed his temples. “I’m not buying this idea of yours, Dante. This is insane. But let’s say, hypothetically, let’s just say that we decided to go through with this absolutely crazy plan.
What’s your survival ratio? What are the chances we actually pull this off without getting caught?”
“Marcus, there’s no survival ratio. Nobody is dying here. This isn’t some action movie. There’s no guns, no violence, no dramatic fight sequences. We’re just going into an apartment, finding a document, and taking it back.”
“Just,” Marcus said, emphasizing the word. “You say ‘just’ like it’s that easy.”
“It can be that easy if we’re smart about it.” Dante was really warming to this idea now, his hands moving as he talked. “Think about it. You live in the same building. You probably have access to her floor through the elevator. Security knows you, they’re not going to question you being anywhere in this building.”
“Security also works for her,” Marcus pointed out.
“They’re loyal to Penelope. She pays them well to keep her informed about everything that happens in this building.”
“Then we do it when security changes shifts. When there’s that fifteen-minute window where the new guy is getting briefed and the old guy has already checked out mentally.”
Marcus stared at his best friend like he was seeing him for the first time. “When did you become this person? The person who plans heists?”
“I’m not planning a heist, I’m planning to recover stolen property.”
“That’s literally what every thief says to justify what they’re doing.”
“Marcus.” Dante’s voice became serious now, all traces of excitement gone. “What other option do you have? You said it yourself. There’s no legal defense against that contract if Penelope presents it to the board. Your signature is there, Elara’s signature is there, the terms are clear. You’ll lose everything.”
Marcus didn’t respond. He just sat there, his jaw working as he ground his teeth together.
“But if we get that contract back,” Dante continued, “if we destroy it, then Penelope has nothing. It becomes her word against yours. And who’s the board going to believe? You, the CEO who’s been running this
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company successfully for years? Or Penelope, the woman everyone knows has been trying to undermine you since your father died?”
“She could have made copies.”
“Did Elara make copies of her copies?”
“No. She said she only made the one set that she left in her apartment.”
“Then chances are Penelope hasn’t made copies either. Why would she? She thinks she has the only evidence She’s not expecting anyone to try to take it from her.”
Marcus stood up and started pacing again, but this time it wasn’t frantic or angry. It was thoughtful. He was actually considering this.
“Give it a try,” Dante said, watching him pace. “We can literally go right now if you want. When I was coming up with Elara earlier, we saw Penelope stepping out. She was all dressed up, and had her driver waiting. It looked like she was going somewhere for the evening. What do you think? Want to take a look and see if the coast is clear?”
Marcus stopped pacing and turned to face Dante. He studied his friend’s face, looking for any sign that this was a joke or some kind of test.
But Dante looked completely dead serious.
“Who is this person?” Marcus said finally, gesturing at Dante with both hands. “Who are you right now? Because the Dante I know would never suggest something like this. The Dante I know quotes legal statutes for fun and refuses to even jaywalk because it’s technically against the law.”
“The Dante you know is also your best friend who’s not going to sit back and watch you lose everything without at least trying something,” Dante shot back. “So what’s it going to be? Are we doing this or not?”
