Chapter 14 - THE MAN VICTOR CHOSE TO BECOME
Anna’s words hurt Victor more than Serena’s betrayal.
For years, he had believed fear was protection.
Men feared him.
Competitors feared him.
Enemies feared entering his home.
Yet none of that fear had protected Grace.
It hadn’t protected Anna.
And it almost hadn’t protected Ethan.
Victor sat beside his son’s crib the next morning.
Lily entered quietly.
“He’s asleep?”
“Finally.”
She smiled.
“He fights sleep like it personally insulted him.”
Victor almost laughed.
Then his expression changed.
“Anna wanted me out.”
Lily frowned.
“Out of what?”
“This life.”
He looked around the enormous mansion.
“She wanted Ethan raised somewhere people didn’t need armed guards at breakfast.”
“What do you want?”
Victor stared at his son.
“I don’t know who I am without the empire.”
Lily pulled a chair beside him.
“Then maybe that’s the problem.”
Victor looked at her.
She immediately worried she had gone too far.
“I’m sorry.”
“No.”
He shook his head.
“You’re right.”
Over the following weeks, Victor began dismantling the parts of Blackwood Holdings connected to illegal operations.
Some partners threatened him.
Others laughed.
A few tried to intimidate him.
Victor didn’t care.
He cooperated with investigators.
He turned over records.
He accepted consequences.
Daniel eventually recovered.
The brothers met in the hospital garden.
Daniel looked thinner.
Older.
“I don’t expect forgiveness.”
Victor sat beside him.
“Good.”
Daniel nodded.
“I’m going to testify.”
“I know.”
“I’ll probably go to prison.”
“You should.”
Daniel looked down.
“I loved Anna.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“Then you should’ve helped her.”
“I know.”
They sat in silence.
Daniel finally whispered,
“I’m sorry about Grace.”
Victor closed his eyes.
“So am I.”
It wasn’t forgiveness.
Not yet.
Maybe never.
But it was the first honest conversation they had shared in years.
Serena pleaded guilty to child abuse, conspiracy, evidence tampering, and financial crimes.
Kessler agreed to testify against Hale.
Hale refused every deal.
He went to trial.
Anna’s recordings were played in court.
So were Lily’s videos.
The jury saw Ethan’s altered security footage.
They saw payments.
Messages.
Medical records.
And photographs of Anna’s damaged car.
Then Lily took the stand.
Hale’s lawyer approached her.
“You’re very loyal to Mr. Blackwood, aren’t you?”
“I’m loyal to Ethan.”
“Mr. Blackwood pays your salary.”
“Not anymore.”
Victor looked up.
The attorney paused.
Lily continued.
“I resigned yesterday.”
Victor stared at her.
He hadn’t known.
Later, outside the courtroom, he found her alone.
“You’re leaving?”
Lily looked at him.
“I have to.”
“Why?”
Her eyes filled with sadness.
“Because somewhere between protecting Ethan and surviving Serena…”
She swallowed.
“…this stopped feeling like a job.”
Victor’s voice softened.
“What did it become?”
May you like
Lily looked at him.
“That’s exactly why I have to leave.”
