Chapter 9 - THE NIGHT CALDER CAME BACK
Victor Calder made his move on a cold Friday night.
A coordinated attempt to disrupt Dominic's legitimate shipping operations began with false emergency calls and suspicious activity near several warehouses.
Marcus recognized the pattern.
“Diversion.”
Dominic nodded.
“Where's the real target?”
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A familiar voice spoke.
“Hello, old friend.”
Dominic went still.
“Victor.”
Calder laughed.
“Miss me?”
Dominic looked toward Marcus.
“What do you want?”
Calder's voice hardened.
“You took everything from me.”
Dominic said nothing.
“My position. My money. My name.”
“You destroyed your own position.”
Calder laughed.
“Still pretending you're better than me?”
Dominic's jaw tightened.
Calder continued.
“I hear your daughter has a new friend.”
Dominic's blood ran cold.
“Leave her out of this.”
Calder laughed.
“Then give me what I want.”
Dominic looked toward Marcus.
“Which is?”
“The waterfront contracts. The shipping routes. The accounts.”
Dominic stared at the phone.
Calder continued.
“Or the waitress pays for your mistakes.”
The call ended.
Dominic immediately contacted law enforcement and his security team.
Brielle was moved to a safe location with her consent.
Evelyn and Lily remained under protection.
But Brielle refused to hide without understanding what was happening.
She looked at Dominic.
“He's threatening me because I helped your family.”
Dominic nodded.
She swallowed.
“Then don't give him anything.”
Dominic stared.
“Brielle—”
“No.”
Her voice strengthened.
“Don't let him use me to hurt you.”
Dominic looked at her.
For a moment, he saw the same woman who had stood in the street holding a broken chair leg.
Bleeding.
Terrified.
Unwilling to move.
And he understood something.
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Brielle wasn't fearless.
She simply refused to let fear make her cruel.
