Chapter 5 - The Raid and the LeverageThe heavy oak doors of the Lake Forest estate shook under the synchronized impact of a battering ram.
Before Roman could even reach the ground floor, federal agents in heavy tactical gear swarmed the grand foyer, shouting orders and securing the perimeter. District Attorney Marcus Vance walked through the front doors flanked by four armed marshals, his expression smug and triumphant.
Roman descended the grand staircase with deliberate, unhurried steps. He wore a dark wool coat over a charcoal suit, his hands casually shoved into his pockets, looking less like a suspect and more like an owner inspecting unexpected visitors.
"Marcus," Roman greeted smoothly, stopping three steps from the bottom. "You're tracking mud on the imported marble. My wife hates that."
"Save the charm, Roman," DA Vance sneered, holding up a thick manila folder. "We have a federal warrant for your arrest, RICO violations, tax evasion, and obstruction of justice. Furthermore, we have obtained a subpoena for your private household medical records, courtesy of a concerned family member who wishes to expose the corrupt foundation of your domestic front."
Clare appeared at the top of the staircase, her breath catching in her throat. Dante had given the feds the clinic report. He was using the legal system to shatter what he couldn't destroy from the outside.
Roman didn't flinch. He didn't look back at Clare. His dark eyes remained locked onto the District Attorney.
"You think a subpoena and a stack of old RICO files gives you leverage over me, Marcus?" Roman asked softly.
"It gives me everything I need to put you away for the rest of your life," Vance replied with a grin. "Unless... you sign over the North Side shipping terminals to the city’s development trust as part of an immediate plea agreement."
The silence in the grand foyer was deafening. The federal agents stood frozen, waiting for the king to fall.
Roman slowly pulled his hands out of his pockets. He walked down the remaining three steps, stopping only inches from the District Attorney.
"You made one fatal mistake, Marcus," Roman said, his voice dropping into that chilling, lethal register that made even federal marshals step back. "You assumed I kept my business in the same house where I keep my wife."
Roman reached into his inner coat pocket and pulled out a sleek, encrypted flash drive, tossing it carelessly onto the console table beside the door.
"That drive contains eighteen months of wiretaps, offshore bank transfers, and bribery logs proving that you, Marcus Vance, accepted three hundred thousand dollars to fast-track your brother-in-law's real estate development through my district," Roman said calmly. "It was mailed to three independent media outlets twenty minutes ago with a timed release set for exactly 9:00 AM if I do not check in with my legal team."
Vance’s smug expression instantly vanished. The color drained from his face until he looked like a corpse. "You... you bluffing."
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"Am I?" Roman checked his platinum wristwatch. "You have four minutes to clear my house before the press gets the first notification."
Panic seized the District Attorney. He looked at his agents, then back at Roman. "Retreat!" Vance choked out, his voice cracking. "Fall back! Now!"
