Chapter 16 - THE FALL OF VICTOR HALE
At 8:00 a.m., the archive went public.
Not all of it.
Enough.
The first names appeared online.
Then companies.
Then bank accounts.
Then hidden agreements.
Markets froze.
Governments demanded explanations.
Executives resigned.
Several billion-dollar companies suspended operations.
Victor disappeared.
Again.
But this time, there was nowhere to hide.
His own allies turned against him.
His private accounts were frozen.
His passports were flagged.
His aircraft were grounded.
His properties were seized.
And then Nathan made one final mistake.
He agreed to testify.
In exchange for protection.
He gave investigators everything.
Every conversation with Victor.
Every payment.
Every plan.
Every crime.
Celeste followed.
She admitted everything.
Her testimony connected Victor to crimes committed across three continents.
The empire that had taken thirty years to build collapsed in less than seventy-two hours.
But Victor remained missing.
Until one night.
I received a message.
A photograph.
Victor standing outside Blackthorn Manor.
The caption contained six words.
YOU STARTED THIS.
I stared at the image.
Then another message arrived.
I WILL FINISH IT.
My father entered the room.
He saw the photograph.
His expression hardened.
"He wants you."
I nodded.
"I know."
"Then we don't give him you."
I looked toward the window.
"No."
"We give him what he wants."
My father frowned.
May you like
"Me."
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