Chapter 10 - THE PRICE PLACED ON VICTOR
Marcel explained that the ninety million had been assembled by twelve shipping executives, political intermediaries and private contractors.
Each had suffered financial damage after Victor modernized Moreau Maritime.
Victor ended secret port agreements.
He canceled contracts involving illegal cargo.
He replaced executives loyal to his father.
He believed he was cleaning the company.
Instead, he threatened a network that existed for decades.
Roman Kael acted as the network’s enforcement arm.
The fund would pay Roman after Victor’s verified death.
Camilla had been promised the money as beneficiary.
She never understood that she would receive it only long enough to transfer it.
Once Roman received payment, he planned to eliminate everyone directly connected to the murder.
Camilla.
Laurent.
Dr. Armand.
Possibly Isabelle.
Victor’s survival disrupted the process.
Marcel looked tired in the recording.
“I warned Roman that you suspected Camilla.”
“He refused to stop.”
“Why are you working with him?” Victor asked the screen.
Marcel continued.
“Because Roman is the only person preventing the network from killing Celia.”
Victor looked toward Elena.
Celia had disappeared because someone had taken her.
Marcel claimed Celia joined the conspiracy only after Roman threatened her children.
Celia had two sons living at a Swiss boarding school.
Victor had not seen them in years.
The boys were missing.
Their school reported that a family representative collected them the previous afternoon.
The representative used authorization signed by Isabelle.
Victor contacted his mother.
She answered from her attorney’s office.
“Did you allow someone to take Celia’s sons?”
“No.”
“Your signature was used.”
“My signatures have been copied for years.”
“Roman Kael has them.”
Isabelle became silent.
“You know who Roman is.”
“I know who he was.”
“Tell me.”
“He was your father’s illegitimate son.”
Victor stopped breathing for a second.
Marcel had another child before marrying Isabelle.
The boy’s mother worked near the family shipyard.
Marcel refused to acknowledge him publicly.
The child grew up watching the Moreau family from outside its gates.
His birth name was Luc Renard.
He later entered private military work.
He changed his identity to Roman Kael.
“Roman is my half brother.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Marcel paid the mother to disappear.”
“I believed the matter ended.”
“Nothing in this family ever ends.”
Isabelle closed her eyes.
“Roman hates every legitimate Moreau heir.”
“He believes the company belongs to him.”
“Then why protect Celia’s children?”
“He is not protecting them.”
“He is using them to control Marcel and Celia.”
Victor looked toward the video of his father.
Marcel had disappeared to escape the network.
Instead, he became Roman’s prisoner and adviser.
Adrian Ward worked with Roman because Jonathan had helped Marcel escape years earlier.
Every old secret had become leverage.
Victor examined the video frame.
A narrow window appeared behind Marcel.
Beyond it stood a red-and-white lighthouse.
Mateo recognized the design.
“There are only a few like that along this coast.”
Sofia checked maritime maps.
“One stands on Île Noire.”
“It is a private island owned through Meridian Recovery Group.”
Victor moved his wheelchair toward the operations table.
“We go tonight.”
Elena stepped in front of him.
“The police need to handle this.”
“Roman controls people inside ports, courts and security agencies.”
“You cannot storm an island in a wheelchair.”
Victor looked at her.
“Camilla believed the same limitation would kill me.”
May you like
He picked up the waterproof phone.
“It saved my life because she stopped imagining what I could still do.”
