Chapter 18 - The Betrayal at Six-Thirty
Victor changed nothing.
That was his strategy.
Dinner remained at six-thirty.
Matthew still attended school.
Hannah still worked clinical rotations.
Arthur still ran Davis Maritime.
Marcus still commanded security.
Everyone behaved normally.
Behind the scenes, Victor created three false pieces of information.
Each was shared with a different executive.
Arthur heard that the ledger would be moved to Connecticut.
Melissa Grant heard it was being stored in Manhattan.
Thomas Reed heard it would leave the country.
Owen Pike received a fourth location.
Marcus monitored every response.
Hannah waited.
Forty-eight hours later, armed men broke into the Connecticut property.
Victor stared at the report.
“Arthur.”
Hannah shook her head.
“Maybe someone overheard.”
“Only Arthur knew.”
Marcus looked devastated.
Arthur Blake had worked beside Victor for twelve years.
He had helped clean Davis Maritime after Anthony.
He had visited Matthew in the hospital.
He had donated to Claire’s foundation.
Victor called him.
“Come for dinner.”
Arthur arrived at six-thirty.
He brought Matthew a model cargo ship.
That nearly made Hannah ill.
They ate roast chicken.
Matthew talked about school.
Arthur laughed.
Victor remained calm.
After dessert, Matthew went upstairs.
The second his door closed, Marcus locked the dining-room entrance.
Arthur slowly placed down his napkin.
“So.”
Victor looked across the table.
“How long?”
Arthur did not pretend.
“Four years.”
Hannah felt betrayed despite barely knowing him.
“Why?”
Arthur looked at Victor.
“Your father saved my father from prison.”
“Dominic owned your father.”
“Same difference.”
“No.”
Arthur laughed bitterly.
“That is easy for you to say after inheriting billions.”
“I inherited poison.”
“You inherited choices.”
Victor leaned forward.
“So did you.”
Arthur’s face tightened.
“Raymond promised stability.”
“He promised crime.”
“He promised Davis Maritime would not be dismantled because its CEO suddenly discovered morality.”
Hannah stared.
“You think cleaning the company was weakness?”
“I think thousands of employees depend on Victor being feared.”
Victor’s expression remained still.
“Did you arrange Eleanor’s kidnapping?”
“No.”
“The engagement-party feed?”
“I provided the building access.”
Hannah wanted to throw something.
“Matthew was there.”
“I knew Raymond would not hurt him.”
“You trusted a man using a child as leverage?”
Arthur looked away.
Victor stood.
Marcus moved.
Arthur immediately raised his hands.
“I’m unarmed.”
“That doesn’t make you harmless.”
Arthur’s voice cracked.
“Victor, listen.”
“No.”
“If you turn me over, Raymond will know.”
“He already knows.”
“No.”
Arthur looked terrified.
“He thinks I’m still loyal.”
Victor paused.
That mattered.
Arthur continued quickly.
“I can bring him the ledger.”
Marcus scoffed.
“And walk into an ambush.”
“Probably.”
“Why would you help now?” Hannah asked.
Arthur looked toward the staircase.
“Because Matthew called me Uncle Arthur.”
His voice broke.
“I told myself this was business. That Raymond wanted control, not blood.”
He looked at Victor.
“Then I saw that video at the engagement party. I saw Matthew’s face.”
Victor’s eyes remained hard.
“Remorse after exposure is convenient.”
“I know.”
Arthur removed a small USB device.
“I copied Raymond’s communications.”
Marcus took it.
“If this is malware—”
“It isn’t.”
Hannah looked at Victor.
“What do you want to do?”
The old Victor would have punished betrayal instantly.
The new Victor thought.
Finally:
“You will wear a wire.”
Arthur went pale.
“You’ll deliver a fake ledger.”
“Victor—”
“And if Raymond asks about my son, you will tell him exactly what he wants to hear.”
Arthur swallowed.
“What does he want to hear?”
Victor’s face became ice.
“That I am willing to trade Matthew’s trust for peace.”
Hannah understood the trap.
Raymond believed Victor ultimately valued control.
He could not imagine Victor sacrificing wealth.
That blindness would expose him.
Arthur nodded.
“When?”
Victor looked at Marcus.
“Tomorrow.”
The meeting took place beneath an abandoned ferry terminal in Red Hook.
Arthur wore the wire.
Federal agents surrounded the perimeter.
Victor and Hannah listened remotely.
Raymond arrived at 9:04 p.m.
“You have the notebook?”
“Yes.”
“And Victor?”
“He’s panicking.”
Raymond laughed.
“Finally.”
“He’ll sign away the trust companies if you leave Matthew alone.”
“Of course he will.”
Arthur paused.
Then asked the question Victor needed answered.
“What happens after Matthew turns twenty-one?”
May you like
Raymond’s response made Hannah’s blood freeze.
“He won’t.”
