Chapter 7 - THE PARTNER WHO WANTED EVERYTHING
Victor Sloane had always envied Graham.
Graham had charisma.
The Calloway name.
The loyalty of the dockworkers.
And a wife who could solve problems Victor didn't understand.
Victor had money.
Connections.
And patience.
He believed those qualities should have made him the most powerful man in Charleston.
For years, he had waited.
Then he found an opportunity.
Graham had become increasingly focused on expansion.
New terminals.
International shipping routes.
Political relationships.
Victor offered to manage the complicated ownership restructuring.
Graham agreed.
He signed documents without reading them carefully.
Trusted Victor's explanations.
And ignored Eleanor's occasional questions.
Victor understood something Graham did not.
A marriage built on convenience could become a business vulnerability.
He used that weakness.
Documents bearing Eleanor's electronic signature appeared in the corporate records.
Voting rights shifted.
New entities acquired control.
And Victor quietly prepared to take over.
When Eleanor began investigating, Victor became nervous.
He called Graham.
"Your wife is causing trouble."
Graham frowned.
"She's not my wife anymore."
"Not legally yet."
Graham's jaw tightened.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
Victor sighed.
"She's asking questions about the restructuring."
Graham went still.
"What questions?"
"Ownership. Transfers. Signatures."
Graham looked toward the watch on his wrist.
Then asked:
"Did she approve those transfers?"
Victor hesitated.
"Of course."
Graham stared.
"Are you sure?"
Victor laughed.
"Why wouldn't I be?"
Graham ended the call.
Then opened his corporate files.
For the first time in years, he began reading the documents himself.
By midnight, he had found three inconsistencies.
By two in the morning, he had found seven.
And by dawn, he understood something terrifying.
Victor had not simply been stealing money.
He had been stealing control.
Graham stared at the papers.
Then whispered:
"Eleanor knew."
He reached for his phone.
Stopped.
May you like
And placed it down.
For once, he understood that calling his wife was not the same as earning her trust.
