Chapter 10 - THE WOMAN TAKEN FROM HIM
The first thing Victor Russo noticed was the silence.
Not the gunshot.
Not the darkness.
The silence after.
The kind of silence that only came when something important had been taken away.
“Chloe!”
His voice exploded through the office.
No answer.
Victor moved instantly.
The man who had spent fifteen years controlling every emotion no longer cared about control.
His guards rushed inside.
“Find her.”
Everyone froze.
Victor’s eyes turned cold.
“Now.”
They moved.
Because everyone in that room understood one thing.
Someone had made the biggest mistake of their life.
They had taken Chloe Bennett.
And they had just turned Victor Russo into something far more dangerous than before.
Thirty minutes earlier…
Chloe had been standing behind Victor when the lights went out.
She heard the gunshot.
Then a hand grabbed her.
A cloth covered her mouth.
She fought.
Hard.
But the person behind her knew exactly what they were doing.
The last thing she heard before losing consciousness was a familiar voice.
“Don’t worry, Chloe.”
Richard Hale whispered.
“I’m not here to hurt you.”
A lie.
She knew it was a lie.
Because good people didn’t kidnap others in the dark.
When Chloe woke up, she was tied to a chair inside an abandoned warehouse.
The air smelled like dust and old metal.
Her head hurt.
Her wrists were trapped.
And standing in front of her was the man Victor trusted more than anyone.
Richard Hale.
“You’re awake.”
Chloe stared at him.
“Where is Victor?”
Richard smiled.
“Your first question is about him?”
“Yes.”
That answer surprised him.
“You really care about him.”
Chloe said nothing.
Richard walked closer.
“You have no idea who Victor Russo really is.”
“I know enough.”
“Do you?”
He placed a folder on the table.
Inside were old photographs.
Documents.
Newspaper articles.
Evidence from years ago.
“Victor’s father built his empire through blood.”
Chloe looked away.
“Everyone has a past.”
Richard laughed.
“You sound like him.”
That made her angry.
“Then maybe you should stop pretending you’re better.”
Richard’s smile disappeared.
For the first time, Chloe saw the real man beneath the calm expression.
Hatred.
Pure hatred.
“You know what Victor took from me?”
“No.”
“Everything.”
He leaned closer.
“Your father found out the truth. Your mother tried to expose it. Marco Russo discovered what I was doing.”
“And you killed them?”
Richard smiled faintly.
“I removed obstacles.”
Chloe felt sick.
“So you destroyed innocent people because you wanted power?”
Richard shrugged.
“Power doesn’t belong to the innocent.”
Back at the Russo estate, Victor stared at the security footage.
Again and again.
The same moment played.
Chloe disappearing.
His hands tightened.
One of his men approached.
“We found the vehicle.”
Victor turned.
“Where?”
“An abandoned warehouse near the river.”
Victor grabbed his coat.
“Call the team.”
“Boss…”
Victor stopped.
“What?”
The man hesitated.
“Are you sure you want to go yourself?”
Victor looked at him.
A terrifying calm appeared on his face.
“Yes.”
Because this was no longer business.
This was personal.
Inside the warehouse, Richard received a call.
He listened.
Then smiled.
“Victor is coming.”
Chloe’s heart dropped.
Richard looked at her.
“Good.”
“You want him here?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Richard walked toward the window.
“Because I want him to lose the only thing he ever cared about.”
Chloe stared at him.
And realized the truth.
Richard didn’t just want Victor’s empire.
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He wanted to destroy his heart.
TO BE CONTINUED…
