All Chapters of The Lost Ricci: Heir Back from the Dead: Chapter 21
- Chapter 25
25 chapters
Chapter 21: Paychecks
The heavy, velvet-draped room was silent for exactly three seconds before the explosion came.Leonardo Bronson’s face turned a shade of purple that matched the vintage wine on the sideboard. He didn't just stand; he lunged toward the table, his hand slamming onto the white linen cloth with a force that made the silverware dance."Get up," Leonardo hissed, his voice trembling with a cocktail of shock and unbridled fury. "Get out of that chair, you insolent, low-life parasite! Do you have any idea where you are? Do you have any concept of the sacrilege you are committing?"Dante didn't move. He leaned back into the plush leather of the "Imperial Chair," his arms resting casually on the gold-leaf armrests. He looked less like a trespasser and more like a king who had finally found his throne."I’m in a restaurant, Leonardo," Dante said, his tone infuriatingly level. "And I’m sitting in a chair. It’s a bit stiff, but the view of your collapse is excellent from here.""A chair?" Ken Lawren
Chapter 22: Frozen in fear
The Imperial Suite had transformed from a sanctuary of luxury into a courtroom of the damned. Leonardo Bronson sat huddled in a gilded chair, his sweat soaking through the collar of his bespoke tuxedo. He watched Dante... the man he had once ordered to scrub the grime from his foyer, sip a wine that cost more than most people’s monthly mortgage.Desperation is a powerful stimulant. Leonardo wiped his brow and leaned forward, his voice shifting into a nauseatingly oily pitch."Dante—or, should I say, Mr. Representative—we clearly got off on the wrong foot," Leonardo began, spreading his hands wide. "But we are men of business. Let’s set aside the... domestic misunderstandings. The Bronson Group has a development project in the North District. High-end retail, residential towers—it’s a gold mine. I’m offering you a joint venture. Fifty-fifty. We provide the land and the legacy; you provide the Apex Crown liquidity. It’s a win-win."Dante set his glass down with a soft clink that silence
Chapter 23: Signature!
Guilia’s mother lunged at Dante’s sleeve to try and convince him again, her eyes gleaming with a desperate hope, waiting for Dante to accept her offer to turn his failed marriage into a profitable arrangement.But Dante reached into the pocket of his charcoal sweater and pulled out his phone. He tapped the screen twice."You really are a remarkable woman, Mrs. Bronson," Dante said, his voice devoid of emotion."I knew you'd see reason," she purred, reaching out to pat his cheek.Dante stepped back, dodging her touch. "I wasn't complimenting your virtue. I was marveling at your timing. Rafael!"The restaurant owner appeared instantly, hovering near the edge of the alcove. "Yes, sir?""The audio feed from the house system," Dante commanded. "The alcove mic is active. Patch it into the main dining room and the lobby speakers. I want everyone to hear the Bronson family values."Beatrice’s face went from smug satisfaction to a mask of pure terror in half a second. "Dante? What are you doin
Ch-24: Dead?!
The rain lashed against the windshield of the black Mercedes SUV as Leonardo Bronson drove with a manic, white-knuckled grip on the steering wheel. Beside him, Beatrice was frantically shoving jewelry into a designer silk tote, her breath hitching in jagged gasps. In the backseat, Marcus was staring at his tablet, his face ghostly pale in the digital glow."It’s not just the bank accounts, Dad," Marcus whispered, his voice trembling. "The servers… our private cloud… it’s all gone. I can’t even log into the family trust portal. It says 'User Terminated by Administrative Authority.'""Shut up, Marcus!" Leonardo roared, blowing through a red light as they neared the perimeter of the city’s private airfield. "We have the offshore account in Zurich. That’s outside Apex’s jurisdiction. Once we’re on the Gulfstream, we’re untouchable. I’ve known Captain Miller for fifteen years. He’ll get us out."Leonardo was operating on pure adrenaline, the primal instinct of a cornered animal. He believe
Chapter 25: Final Dinner
The storm that had begun as a drizzle at the airfield had matured into a violent, thunderous gale. Over the Ricci estate… a sprawling fortress of glass, steel, and ancient stone nestled in the cliffs, the sky was a bruised charcoal, illuminated only by jagged veins of lightning.Leonardo Bronson sat in the back of a nondescript van parked three miles down the coast road. He was no longer the polished tycoon; his hair was matted, his eyes were bloodshot with a manic, sleepless fever, and his tuxedo was stained with the mud of the airfield. He had been released from police custody only two hours prior, his bail posted by an untraceable account in the Cayman Islands.He didn't care who had paid it. He only cared about the duffel bags of heavy weaponry sitting at his feet."You’re sure about this?" a man asked from the front seat. He was a scarred veteran of three bush wars, a mercenary known only as 'Viper.' "Assaulting a Ricci estate is a suicide mission for most. But for the price you