Chapter 3 - VICTOR’S VERSION
Victor came to Meredith.
Alone.
No guards.
No Lauren.
No lawyer.
He stood outside the bakery at 6:30 the following evening.
Meredith saw him through the glass and almost did not open the door.
Then she remembered Owen.
She unlocked it.
Victor entered.
His tuxedo had been replaced by a dark sweater and coat.
He looked tired.
Human.
Dangerous men often looked most human when stripped of ceremony.
“Where is Lauren?”
Meredith asked.
“I don't know.”
“Lie.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“I know she came here.”
“Better.”
“Is she still here?”
“No.”
That was true.
Lauren had gone into protective lodging arranged through independent counsel.
Victor looked relieved.
Meredith noticed.
“Were you going to hurt her?”
“No.”
“Would one of your men?”
“No.”
“Would your father have?”
Victor’s expression changed.
Thomas Ror had died four years earlier.
But some dead men still governed rooms.
“Yes.”
There.
Meredith folded her arms.
“Did you tell him about Owen?”
Victor closed his eyes.
“Yes.”
The answer arrived so quietly it almost escaped the room.
Meredith’s face went numb.
“Why?”
“I thought he would negotiate.”
“He killed my brother.”
“Yes.”
“You knew what he was.”
“I thought I could control him.”
Meredith laughed once.
Of course.
Victor’s first great sin had already contained the shape of every sin after it.
He thought he could control people more dangerous than himself.
Then spent twelve years trying to control everyone else so he would never fail that way again.
“What did Owen show you?”
“Financial records.”
“About?”
“My father was paying dock crews to provoke Hail workers. Small fights. Lost shipments. Damaged equipment. Enough to destabilize contracts.”
“Why?”
“He wanted Pier Six.”
Meredith’s stomach turned.
The feud that killed Owen had begun as business manipulation.
Not honor.
Not ancient hatred.
Market share.
“Owen figured it out?”
“Yes.”
“And trusted you.”
“Yes.”
“So you betrayed him.”
Victor’s face broke.
“Yes.”
No defense.
Meredith hated how much easier it would have been if he defended himself.
“Did you know Thomas planned to kill him?”
“No.”
“Can you prove that?”
“No.”
“Did you help cover it up?”
Victor did not answer.
Meredith’s voice sharpened.
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
That hurt worse.
“Why?”
“My father said if Hail learned the truth, the war would consume everyone.”
“So you let us blame the wrong people.”
“Yes.”
“People died.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Meredith stepped closer.
“Scott buried friends. My father buried employees. Your cousins died. Men’s children grew up without fathers because you decided truth was too dangerous.”
Victor’s eyes filled.
“I know.”
“Stop saying that.”
He looked away.
Meredith breathed.
Then:
“Why marry me?”
Victor met her eyes.
“Because I love you.”
She almost slapped him.
Instead she laughed.
“That answer is insulting.”
“It’s still true.”
“What else?”
Victor looked toward the bakery ovens.
“Your father was going to retire.”
“Yes.”
“Scott would never accept Ror control.”
“Correct.”
“You had the voting block.”
“Yes.”
“I thought if we married, both families would become too economically connected to fight.”
“You mean you would control the deadlock.”
“Yes.”
“You planned my governance rights before proposing.”
“Yes.”
“You slept with Lauren while planning to marry me.”
His face tightened.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
No good answer.
Finally:
“Cowardice.”
Meredith stared.
Victor continued.
“Lauren knew the version of me that never had to pretend I was good.”
“And I knew?”
“The version I wanted to become.”
That sentence almost moved her.
She hated him for it.
“Do not make me your moral rehabilitation program.”
“I’m not.”
“You already did.”
Silence.
Meredith walked behind the counter.
“Did you order Lauren to attend the wedding?”
“Yes.”
“Did you place the guards near Scott?”
“Yes.”
“Did you hire the evidence videographer?”
“Yes.”
“Did you intend Scott to hit you?”
Victor hesitated.
“Yes.”
“And then?”
“I would have stopped the escalation.”
Meredith stared.
“You created the escalation.”
“Yes.”
“You humiliated me publicly.”
His eyes lowered.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I needed the breach.”
There it was.
No romantic excuse.
No misunderstanding.
A strategic attack using her body, her wedding, her brother’s grief, and Lauren’s jealousy.
Meredith removed the platinum engagement ring.
Placed it on the counter.
Victor looked at it.
“I don’t want that back.”
“I do.”
She pushed it toward him.
“What happens now?”
He asked.
Meredith almost smiled.
“That's the first question you’ve asked me instead of answering for me.”
Victor closed his eyes.
“Fair.”
“What happens now is that you leave.”
“Meredith.”
“No.”
He stopped.
She pointed toward the door.
Victor took the ring.
At the threshold, he turned.
“I will give Naomi everything about Owen.”
Meredith stared.
“Everything?”
“Yes.”
“Even if it destroys you?”
He looked down at the ring.
“It should have twelve years ago.”
Then he left.
Meredith watched him disappear into the cold.
For one terrible moment, she wanted to run after him.
That was the part nobody warns you about.
May you like
Knowing someone is unsafe for your life does not automatically remove them from your heart.
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