Chapter 16 - THE WOMAN BETWEEN TWO MONSTERS
Camilla entered Gabriel’s vehicle believing Roman was driving.
She realized the mistake when the rear doors locked.
Gabriel sat behind the wheel.
Roman’s voice came through the car’s speaker.
“Bring her to the old shipyard.”
Camilla reached for the door handle.
It did not move.
“You are Gabriel.”
“You have been inside Victor’s company for years.”
“I helped build Victor’s company.”
“You helped destroy him.”
Gabriel glanced at her through the mirror.
“So did you.”
Camilla looked at the city passing outside.
“Roman will kill us.”
“Roman follows patterns.”
“He believes the final files can still give him control.”
“What do the files contain?”
“Proof that half his allies planned to surrender him after Victor’s death.”
Camilla understood.
The ninety million was never simply payment.
It was bait meant to gather everyone involved.
Marcel created one trap.
Victor created another.
Gabriel intended to take control of both.
“Why keep me alive?” she asked.
“You know Victor’s emotional weaknesses.”
“He has none left for me.”
“Everyone has one.”
At headquarters, Victor reconstructed the power failure.
Gabriel had used a remote trigger linked to Camilla’s phone.
She carried the device unknowingly.
Roman believed Camilla betrayed him.
Gabriel had placed her between them.
Elena accessed highway cameras.
Gabriel’s vehicle traveled toward the original Moreau shipyard near Marseille.
The property had been abandoned after a fire twenty-five years earlier.
Victor knew the history.
Roman’s mother had lived nearby.
Gabriel met her while supervising the shipyard.
Roman was conceived there.
Isabelle discovered the affair and blamed Marcel publicly.
Gabriel remained silent to protect his position.
He watched his own son grow into an enemy of the Moreaus.
Then he used Roman to destroy the family from within.
Victor contacted Roman through the contingency system.
“Gabriel is your father.”
Roman answered immediately.
“You are desperate.”
“I have your mother’s letters.”
“Isabelle admitted the truth.”
“Isabelle lied.”
Victor sent a photograph of Gabriel’s signature beneath one letter.
The letter referred to Roman as our son.
Roman remained silent for several seconds.
“Where is Gabriel?”
“Taking Camilla to the shipyard.”
“He told me to meet him there.”
“He wants us together.”
“Why?”
“To destroy the final evidence and everyone who can expose him.”
Roman ended the call.
Victor looked at Detective Fournier.
“He will go.”
“So will Gabriel’s men.”
“And Camilla is his hostage.”
Fournier studied him.
“Do you still intend to save her?”
“I intend to stop Gabriel.”
“That was not my question.”
Victor looked toward the harbor.
He remembered Camilla’s hands against his shoulders.
He remembered sinking while she protected her silk dress from the splash.
“She will face a court.”
“Not the sea.”
They traveled toward Marseille with police units following at a distance.
Victor insisted on entering through the shipyard’s old administrative tunnel.
Mateo remained beside him.
The specialist’s words about possible recovery repeated in Victor’s mind.
For the first time in months, he thought he felt pressure in his right foot.
He dismissed it as imagination.
Then his toe moved against the wheelchair support.
May you like
Only slightly.
But it moved.
