Chapter 8 - THE PLAN INSIDE THE PLAN
The abandoned building became silent.
Arthur Voss stood under the broken lights.
Still calm.
Still confident.
Dominic hated that confidence.
Because confidence came from knowing something others didn’t.
“You wanted them to think I was unstable.”
Arthur smiled.
“Not unstable.”
He paused.
“Desperate.”
Dominic said nothing.
Arthur continued.
“When a powerful man starts losing control, people stop following him.”
Clare held Ellie tightly.
Arthur looked at the child.
“And then she ruined everything.”
Dominic stepped forward.
“Don’t look at her.”
Arthur laughed softly.
“That’s the problem with you.”
“What?”
“You always underestimate emotions.”
Dominic stared.
Arthur had spent twenty years beside him.
He knew his weaknesses.
He knew his habits.
He knew exactly how Dominic thought.
“You changed my medication.”
“Yes.”
“You reversed the brace.”
“Yes.”
“You used Mercer.”
Arthur smiled.
“Yes.”
Mercer looked down.
Dominic noticed.
“You threatened him.”
Arthur shrugged.
“He made a choice.”
“No.”
Dominic looked at Mercer.
“You were afraid.”
Mercer didn’t answer.
Arthur laughed.
“You still want to save everyone.”
Dominic looked at him.
“No.”
A pause.
“I just know the difference between a victim and a criminal.”
Arthur’s smile disappeared slightly.
That was the first crack.
Vincent stepped closer.
“Arthur, you’re finished.”
Arthur laughed.
“You think this ends because you found me?”
He reached into his jacket.
Everyone reacted.
But he didn’t pull a weapon.
He pulled out a folder.
“I have something better.”
He threw it onto the table.
Dominic opened it.
Inside were financial records.
Private transfers.
Hidden accounts.
And signatures.
Dominic’s signature.
His face changed.
“These are fake.”
Arthur smiled.
“Are they?”
Dominic looked closer.
The documents were perfect.
Too perfect.
Someone had spent years preparing this.
Arthur leaned closer.
“Tomorrow morning, the board receives these.”
Vincent looked at Dominic.
“What happens?”
Arthur answered.
“They remove you.”
Dominic closed the folder.
“You’re confident.”
“I am.”
“Why?”
Arthur smiled.
“Because I already replaced you.”
Dominic froze.
“What?”
Arthur pointed toward the door.
A group of men entered.
At the front...
Was Michael Vale.
Dominic’s nephew.
The person he trusted.
Michael looked at him.
“I’m sorry, Uncle.”
For the first time that night...
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Dominic felt something worse than anger.
Disappointment.
