Second Marriage, The Billionaire's Planned Love novel Chapter 180

180 Chapter 180 Vault of Memories

180 Chapter 180 Vault of Memories

Caleb’s POV

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After Heidi and Scott departed from the compound, I shifted my focus to my crew. I briefed them on Inspector Adler’s call and the harsh reality that we still had another rat lurking somewhere in our ranks. I explained Scott’s upcoming role managing the legitimate front operations and Heidi’s return as our financial overseer for the underground accounts.

“Finally, some damn good news!” Xavier burst out with genuine relief. “Boss, you and I were drowning in those money laundering operations without Heidi handling the books!”

“Absolutely, Xavier, but I had to honor the arrangement she made with the old Don,” I said, running a hand through my hair.

“Good thing she couldn’t stay away from the family either!” Jude grinned with satisfaction.

“Hey, check this out – Daniel got transferred back to our territory. He’s partnering with Adler,” Xavier mentioned casually. “If it’s cool with you, I’d like to bring him into our poker games at the safe house.”

“You don’t need permission for that, Xavier. Daniel’s more than welcome!” Dominic jumped in immediately, and we all nodded in agreement. “Just as long as he keeps his hands off Gemma. And remember, you promised to help me since I agreed to let Lila and Ruby go.”

“Chill out, Dominic, we’ve got your back. Actually, I think Daniel might be interested in Lila anyway. He was asking questions about her,” Xavier revealed with a knowing look.

“Really?” I raised an eyebrow. “When’s he arriving in the territory?”

“This weekend, I think. Why?” Xavier’s curiosity was obvious.

“Hold on.” I pulled out my burner phone and sent Ivy a quick encrypted

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message, unable to suppress my smile at her response. “Xavier, I need to talk to Daniel. Can you set that up?”

Xavier called Inspector Martinez, and after exchanging pleasantries, he handed me the secure line. I wanted to express my gratitude for rescuing my son from Roman’s men, and Ivy was thrilled about adding another member to our inner circle. So I asked Daniel to be one of my groomsmen and

mentioned he’d be paired with Lila. He was genuinely excited, accepted without hesitation, and insisted on arriving early to join my bachelor party at the compound.

“Well, that solves a major headache for Zoe and me,” Jude said with obvious relief, and we all stared at him blankly. “A partner for Lila, guys! Zoe made it crystal clear that fixing this was my responsibility.”

“Ivy was stressing about that too,” I admitted.

Jude dove into explaining everything already arranged for my engagement dinner. He’d secured catering from our Italian contacts, elegant decorations imported from Sicily, and a string quartet for ambient music during the meal. He also confirmed that our house manager Walter would spend the entire day at the estate coordinating services and receiving deliveries. Everything was perfectly positioned for me to ask Ivy’s father for her hand in marriage, though in our world, it was more about showing respect than seeking permission.

Heidi’s warning about Roman’s remaining associates echoed in my mind, so I called our banker to schedule time for accessing the family vault to retrieve the wedding rings and engagement ring. Jude had also booked an appointment at our tailor for selecting my wedding suit.

Then Roman’s menacing presence crept back into my thoughts, and I realized we needed enhanced security at the estate. The property sprawled across acres with extensive perimeter areas. A dedicated security team was essential for the coming days. I called Fisher into my office.

“Don Thorne, first, I must apologize for my failure in assigning Caleb and

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Fisher to protect Miss Ivy and your son,” Fisher said as he entered, clearly mortified by recent events.

“Fisher, stop right there. You have nothing to apologize for. We were all deceived by that rat bastard Roman. Your performance has always been exemplary, so don’t worry. This situation doesn’t reflect poorly on your abilities whatsoever,” I assured him firmly.

“Even so, sir, I apologize and would appreciate the opportunity to apologize to Miss Ivy personally,” Fisher persisted with professional dignity.

“That’s fine,” I said. “Ivy returns early next week, and you can speak with her then, but I guarantee she’ll tell you the same thing.” Fisher offered a professional smile and respectful nod. “But I called you here because I need you to assess a situation and provide appropriate security measures.”

“Absolutely, Don Thorne, I’m at your complete disposal.”

“I’m hosting dinner at my parents‘ former estate tonight. Ivy and I are marrying this weekend in the mansion’s garden, and we’re relocating there permanently. I want ironclad protection for my family, especially since Roman’s remaining associates are still out there.”

“Congratulations, sir. You need a permanent security team stationed there. I’ll assemble a team without compromising our other operations,” Fisher proposed.

“That sounds perfect. Can you have this team ready today?”

“Yes, sir. I can assemble and deploy the team. They’ll arrive before your dinner, conduct comprehensive sweeps of the entire property inside and out, then begin continuous surveillance,” Fisher suggested, and I found his approach excellent. “I’ll have Justin lead the team we place there.”

“The same Justin who headed security during my father’s time?” I asked, genuinely surprised.

“Exactly. He spent considerable time in Europe completing advanced tactical and surveillance training. Then he provided protection for a politician in

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witness protection before returning to the family,” Fisher explained.

“That’s absolutely perfect! I trust Justin completely, just like I trust you,” I declared with confidence.

Fisher withdrew, assuring me he’d handle everything, which significantly eased my anxiety. After that, I accompanied the crew to our private vault as our scheduled appointment approached, and punctuality was crucial in family business.

At the vault, we were escorted to a private room adjacent to the main chamber, where I entered the combination and used my key to open the family safe. The contents were promptly brought to the room for my inspection.

Opening that safe felt like unleashing a flood of emotions. I traced my fingers across those numerous velvet boxes and couldn’t contain the tears that escaped. There were my mother’s precious jewelry, my father’s watches and family rings, and various small treasures. Items deeply personal to our bloodline, each carrying tremendous history.

Despite my happiness about marrying the love of my life, diving into the conspiracy investigation and discovering my parents‘ assassination was deliberate sabotage created an aching wound in my heart. I couldn’t stop thinking that they should be here. I couldn’t escape thoughts of everything Roman stole from me when he sabotaged my parents‘ car with that bomb. He murdered my parents and robbed them of experiencing this moment with me. He stole their chance to meet their grandchildren, to be moved by my children, and to become the wonderful grandparents they would have been.

Roman didn’t just kill my parents, though that alone was devastating beyond measure. The assassination completely altered the trajectory of my life, Ivy’s life, and Max’s life. Without the hit, I wouldn’t have lost Ivy that night at the auction. We would have remained together or at least maintained contact. I would have witnessed my son’s birth, his first words, his first steps. They wouldn’t have endured so many hardships or faced danger from rival families because Ivy had been a single mother in enemy territory.

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Everything could have been different. But it wasn’t! However, from this moment forward, I wouldn’t allow anyone to harm my family again. I would make every moment with Ivy by my side meaningful. I would ensure my family’s safety and happiness.

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