Chapter 18 - Serena’s Last Bargain
Police surrounded the cemetery.
Serena stood beside Amelia’s grave wearing a black coat.
No weapon visible.
Victor approached with Monroe several steps behind.
Lily stayed near the gate with Ethan.
Serena looked exhausted.
For the first time, she did not resemble the perfect woman who once controlled Hale Mansion.
“You found the server.”
Victor said nothing.
“You found Eleanor.”
His jaw tightened.
“You used my mother.”
Serena laughed.
“Your mother used herself.”
“She cared more about the Hale name than Amelia.”
Victor stopped ten feet away.
“Why are you here?”
Serena looked at Amelia’s headstone.
“Because she won.”
“No.”
“She died.”
“But she still won.”
Serena’s eyes filled with something close to hatred.
“She hid enough pieces that every road led back to me.”
Victor stared.
“You could have walked away at any point.”
“From what?”
“The money?”
“The company?”
“The family?”
She looked at him.
“You have no idea what it is like to stand beside people who own everything and be reminded every day that you own nothing.”
Victor did not flinch.
“So you decided children should pay for that?”
Serena’s face changed.
For the first time, shame appeared.
Only briefly.
Then she hardened again.
“You think I started Aster?”
“No.”
“Your family did.”
“My grandfather funded the first trial.”
“Your father hid it.”
“Your mother protected it.”
“Julian expanded it.”
“All I did was learn the rules they gave me.”
Victor looked at her.
“And Amelia?”
“She wanted to destroy all of us.”
“She wanted to stop children from being hurt.”
Serena laughed bitterly.
“Same thing to a Hale.”
Victor let that sit.
Because once, perhaps, she would have been right.
Not anymore.
He looked toward Lily.
Toward Ethan.
Then back at Serena.
“The company goes to federal review tomorrow.”
Serena froze.
“What?”
“Full disclosure.”
“All Aster records.”
“All payments.”
“All names.”
“Everything.”
“You’ll lose Hale Biomedical.”
“Maybe.”
“The board will remove you.”
“Maybe.”
“The stock will collapse.”
“Maybe.”
Serena stared at him.
Victor’s voice remained steady.
“My son matters more.”
Something inside Serena finally broke.
She dropped to her knees.
Not in apology.
In defeat.
Police moved forward.
As Monroe cuffed her, Serena whispered.
“There is one thing you still don’t know.”
Victor looked down.
May you like
“What?”
“Julian’s death wasn’t an accident.”
