Chapter 11 - THE PARTNERS TURN ON EACH OTHER
Victoria backed away from Samuel.
"You're supposed to be gone."
Samuel closed the office door.
"I am gone."
"Police are searching for you."
"Which is why nobody expects me to walk through the private entrance of your attorney's building."
Victoria reached for her phone.
Samuel took it.
"Don't."
Her confidence disappeared.
"What do you want?"
"The covenant."
"I don't have it."
"Mark does."
"No."
"The police have the original."
Samuel smiled.
"Then bring me Harold's memorandum."
Victoria stared.
"How do you know about that?"
Samuel's smile widened.
"I know almost everything happening inside this family."
Victoria suddenly understood.
Someone was still feeding him information.
"Who?"
Samuel ignored the question.
"You wanted control of Bennett Holdings."
"I can still get it."
"No."
He stepped closer.
"You were useful because Harold underestimated how desperate you were."
Victoria slapped him.
Samuel barely reacted.
She looked surprised by her own action.
"You told me nobody would get hurt."
Samuel's expression became almost amused.
"You broke into your brother's house."
"You forged your father's signature."
"You tried to destroy trust documents."
"Don't pretend morality suddenly matters."
Victoria's voice shook.
"I never agreed to kill Mark."
"I never said you did."
"Gerald could have died in that fire."
Samuel shrugged.
"Gerald became inconvenient."
Victoria looked toward the door.
Samuel followed her gaze.
"If you scream, you explain why a wanted man is meeting you privately."
"You think that scares me?"
"I think prison scares you."
He placed her phone on the desk.
"Get the memorandum."
"Then what?"
"Then our arrangement ends."
Victoria stared at him.
"No."
Samuel's eyes narrowed.
"I want my money."
"You already received more than you earned."
"I want what you promised."
"Bennett Holdings was never going to belong to you."
That sentence destroyed the last illusion.
Victoria's face changed.
"You were using me."
Samuel almost laughed.
"You thought I was helping you because I believed you deserved your father's company?"
Victoria lunged toward him.
Samuel caught her wrist.
"You were the door."
"Nothing more."
He released her.
"Tomorrow morning."
"Bring the memorandum to the old rail warehouse."
"If you don't, I send prosecutors every recording I have of you."
He left through the private corridor.
Victoria remained still for nearly a minute.
Then she picked up her phone.
Her first instinct was to call her attorney.
Her second was to run.
Instead, she opened Mark's contact.
She stared at his name.
Her thumb hovered.
Then she remembered the look on his face in the great hall.
Not hatred.
Disappointment.
For reasons she could not explain, that hurt more.
She called.
Mark answered cautiously.
"What?"
Victoria swallowed.
"Samuel is alive."
Mark stood immediately.
"Where?"
"He was just here."
"Call Detective Chen."
"I can't."
"You can."
"No."
Victoria closed her eyes.
"He has recordings."
"Of what?"
"Everything."
"Then tell the truth."
"You think that's easy?"
Mark's voice became hard.
"No."
"I think it's overdue."
Victoria leaned against the desk.
"He wants Father's memorandum."
"Why?"
"Because it proves the covenant is active."
Mark looked at Daniel.
"Where does he want it?"
Victoria hesitated.
"If I tell you, I need something."
Mark almost hung up.
Then Victoria said quietly.
"Protect me."
Mark did not answer.
She laughed bitterly.
"That's funny, isn't it?"
"I spent months trying to take everything from you, and now I'm asking you to protect me."
Mark's response was simple.
"I'll call the police."
"I said protect me."
"The police are how I protect you."
Victoria's voice cracked.
"Mark, you don't understand Samuel."
"I understand enough."
"No."
"You don't."
She looked toward the dark private corridor.
"He didn't just steal money."
Mark went silent.
Victoria lowered her voice.
May you like
"I think Samuel killed Dad."
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