CHAPTER 4 — The Traitor at the Table
Victor Kane did not panic.
Not immediately.
He looked around the conference room, noticed the guards pointing their weapons toward him, and slowly smiled.
"So this is how it ends?"
Cole Hargrove remained seated at the head of the table.
"No."
"This is how the truth begins."
Victor glanced at the yellowed letter lying before him.
"I burned every copy."
Cole's eyes narrowed.
"So you admit it."
Victor let out a quiet laugh.
"I admit nothing."
Cole nodded toward Danny.
Without a word, Danny switched on the projector mounted above the conference table.
Security footage filled the wall.
Warehouse cameras.
Shipping manifests.
Bank transfers.
Phone records.
Every screen told the same story.
For fifteen years, Victor had quietly built a second empire beneath Cole's own.
He had bribed port officials.
Created shell companies.
Redirected shipments.
Paid corrupt accountants.
And whenever someone became suspicious...
They disappeared.
Victor watched every piece of evidence without blinking.
Finally he sighed.
"I underestimated Nora."
Cole shook his head.
"No."
"You underestimated Michael."
The room fell silent.
Victor slowly leaned back.
"He was always too honest."
"He found the ledgers."
"He threatened to expose everything."
"So I arranged the explosion."
Cole's jaw tightened.
"You murdered your own brother."
Victor smiled coldly.
"I protected my future."
Cole rose from his chair.
For the first time in years, every man in the room instinctively stepped backward.
Even Victor stopped smiling.
Cole walked until only inches separated them.
"I spent fifteen years blaming myself."
"I thought I had failed him."
Victor shrugged.
"You did."
Cole closed his eyes for one brief second.
When he opened them again, every trace of emotion had disappeared.
"Take him."
The guards moved forward.
But Victor suddenly laughed.
"You think this ends with me?"
Cole frowned.
Victor leaned closer.
"There are children still missing."
"And only I know where they were sent."
Every heartbeat in the room seemed to stop.
May you like
Cole realized the nightmare wasn't over.
It had only just begun.
