Chapter 10 - VICTOR’S VERSION
Victor descended the stairs slowly.
“No guns,” he said.
Daniel raised his weapon.
Victor smiled.
“If I wanted you dead, you’d already be dead.”
Sebastian stepped in front of Claire.
“You threatened my daughter.”
“I frightened you.”
“You broke into my house.”
Victor looked almost disappointed.
“You think this is about a birthday party?”
“It became about Lily the second you watched her.”
Victor’s expression changed.
“For what it’s worth, I ordered everyone to stay away from the child.”
Claire laughed.
“You expect us to believe you?”
“No. I expect you to understand that someone else ignored me.”
Daniel tightened his grip on the gun.
“Reyes is dead.”
“Yes.”
“Then who?”
Victor walked toward an old table.
He placed a folder on it.
“Mara made one mistake.”
Daniel’s voice turned dangerous.
“Careful.”
“She thought I was the top of the chain.”
Victor opened the folder.
Inside were photographs.
Mara.
Reyes.
Henry.
And one face Sebastian recognized immediately.
His mother.
Evelyn Stellan.
Sebastian stared.
“My mother?”
Claire whispered, “No.”
Victor looked at her.
“You never told him?”
Sebastian turned.
“Claire?”
Her face collapsed.
Victor continued.
“Bellweather didn’t begin as fraud.”
He pointed at a contract.
“Your mother owned the development through a shell company.”
Sebastian shook his head.
“She was a teacher.”
“She was also smarter than your father.”
Victor explained.
Evelyn had invested secretly.
The project went bad.
Costs exploded.
She pressured Henry to cut expenses.
Henry pressured Victor.
Victor disabled systems.
Then the fire happened.
Sebastian’s face twisted.
“My mother died when I was sixteen.”
Victor nodded.
“Cancer.”
“So what does she have to do with Mara?”
“Everything.”
Claire whispered, “Stop.”
Victor ignored her.
“Mara discovered Evelyn’s original authorization.”
Daniel stared.
“My wife knew Sebastian’s mother started it?”
“She knew Evelyn approved the cost reductions.”
Sebastian looked sick.
Victor continued.
“But that isn’t what got Mara killed.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“Then what did?”
Victor met his eyes.
“Mara found proof the fire was not accidental.”
Silence.
Daniel lowered the gun slightly.
“What?”
Victor pointed toward Claire.
“She knows.”
Sebastian turned.
Claire shook her head violently.
“No.”
“Tell him.”
“Victor, don’t.”
“Tell your brother why Bellweather really burned.”
Sebastian stared at Claire.
She began to cry.
“I was there that night.”
“You told me you were home.”
“I lied.”
“Why?”
May you like
Claire looked at him.
“Because the fire started after I went inside.”
