286 Hunter and the Russo family 7

Hunter admired the room where he got the treatment. All the machines and the equipment… if he does not know where he is, he would think that he is in the emergency room of some fancy hospital.

"I apologize for the equipment in the escape room malfunctioning." Fabricio told Hunter when the medic finished his treatment.

"I want to know how this can happen. I don't believe it's an accident." Mia said angrily.

"I understand. I already summoned the technicians and they are waiting for me." Fabricio assured Mia that he will get to the bottom of this and give her a proper explanation. "Stay with Hunter. He needs rest, and we will meet for dinner. I hope that by then I will have some answers for you."

Mia had a strong hunch that this is Keith's doing, but without evidence, she would just be slandering him. If it's anyone else, it would be easier, but this is Keith, a man who grew up by Fabricio's side and Fabricio will always think twice before labeling him as a traitor... and he will definitely not do it without proof.

She wanted to go with Fabricio but then she thought that she should not leave Hunter on his own. That will only give Keith more chances to hurt Hunter. Even if it's not Keith personally, many people in the house believe that Keith is a suitable heir, and as such, they will follow Keith's orders, no matter what those orders are.

For the rest of the afternoon, Hunter was sitting on the sofa and Mia was making sure that his leg is up and that he is not bored. Mia got snacks and drinks and she was telling him about her childhood. Mostly about her mother.

Hunter noticed gentleness in Mia's voice, and he concluded that she was very attached to her mother. That would explain Mia's change in attitude when she found out that Fabricio is a cheater. In a way, Mia felt that her father is betraying them as a family.

"Mia…" Hunter called while rubbing Mia's hand gently. "I promise, I will never cheat on you."

Mia smiled. "I know that those are your thoughts now, but in the future… if you find another woman and you wish to pursue her, make sure to break up with me first. I will not tolerate you two-timing on me."

Hunter thought how that is acceptable. "I hope that you will do the same for me."

Mia agreed with a comment: "It's not very likely that there is a more majestic man on this earth than you. I would be silly to cheat on you."

Hunter chuckled. He liked that she called him 'majestic'.

They went for dinner and Penelope didn't join. Fabricio said that she is tired and will eat in her room, and Mia knew that is a lame excuse to avoid her.

Fabricio didn't have good news for them. "The technician who was doing the maintenance on the mechanisms of the escape room is missing. His backup confirmed that there was tampering with switches on the control board, but it was reverted before he got a chance to see what exactly was done. The surveillance cameras in those areas were shut off for some time today, there was unplanned maintenance."

Mia found all this too convenient: "You are saying that a technician changed the wiring only for Hunter's pass, and when Hunter finished, the wiring was reverted and now the man is missing? And cameras didn't catch anything of the culprit who accessed the system two times? Doesn't that mean that the room was sabotaged on purpose and that the technician was following someone's orders? And that someone didn't want to be exposed? I suggest you look for the body of the technician in the graveyard."

Fabricio looked at Mia with a mix of emotions. Her deductions are the same as his. He can see that she is furious, but even with all that emotional turmoil, her reasoning capability is amazing. She is brilliant, worthy of being his successor. On the other side, if this is correct, it means that someone high on the hierarchy is behind this. Not everyone can dispose of a technician without alerting others. Fabricio's gaze moved to Keith. Can he accuse him without evidence?

"Do you want me to check the graveyard?" Keith guessed.

"I sent people." Fabricio responded. 

Keith knows that Fabricio is not involving him in this investigation because he is a suspect, but Keith does not care. Fabricio was always the righteous one, and without firm evidence, there is no way that he will accuse Keith of anything. And Keith made sure that there is no evidence.

Mia looked at Keith and Fabricio who resumed their dinner and she could not stand the anger which bubbled inside her.

"Father…" Mia called in an official tone. "You gave the order for Hunter not to be harmed. Right?"

Fabricio confirmed and waited for Mia to continue so that he finds out where she is going with this.

"Whoever harmed Hunter, went against your orders. This organization is based on strict hierarchy, discipline, and loyalty. Without any of those, we will crumble. If they can bluntly disobey you in your own house, what are they doing out in the field? Is that what you want me to inherit? A mess? If they have no regards for you, how will they follow me? Do you want me to take over only to be killed?"

Fabricio's frown deepened with every Mia's word but Mia was not done. She stood up and looked at her father sternly.

"I have no problem proving to anyone in the organization that my skills make me the qualified boss, but if their loyalty is somewhere else, no matter what I do, they will not obey me. How I see it, you are only putting a target on my back. Or is that your goal? To use me for practice and for Roberto to learn some valuable lessons before he takes over?"

"You know that is not the case!" Fabricio said louder than he intended.

"Then, I suggest that you clean your own house before mentioning again that I am your heir. Think about what kind of organization you want me to take over, but I can assure you that I am not a fool who will walk into a den full of rabid wolves."

Mia was relieved to get this off of her chest and she resumed her dinner. There is nothing better than good food to calm her emotions.

Hunter ate with a small smirk at the edge of his lips. Mia is amazing. Her little speech will force Fabricio to do a proper investigation and to deliver punishments. Hunter wondered, how will Keith take that? Probably not peacefully. After all, he is under Fabricio's wing for more than two decades, how can Keith abandon his dreams of taking over?

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