Chapter 9 - The ChairmanRichard Kane had spent twenty years pretending he was the monster. He wasn't.
The man's name was Victor Shaw.
He was seventy-one.
Immaculately dressed.
Silver hair.
No visible security.
No weapon.
He did not need either.
Everyone around him looked afraid.
Victor walked closer.
“You look like your father.”
I said nothing.
He smiled.
“That must hurt.”
“You're The Chairman.”
Richard glanced at him.
Victor nodded.
“That's what they call me.”
Derek stepped forward.
“My father told me you were dead.”
Victor looked amused.
“Richard tells many stories.”
Richard's jaw tightened.
It was the first time I'd seen fear in him.
Real fear.
Not concern.
Not caution.
Fear.
Victor looked at the ledger.
“You found it.”
I held it against my chest.
“What do you want?”
“The ledger.”
“Why?”
“Because information has value.”
“You've killed people for it.”
“People die for many reasons.”
Derek laughed bitterly.
“You killed Edward.”
Victor's expression did not change.
“No.”
Derek stared.
Victor continued.
“Richard did.”
Richard turned sharply.
“You told me to handle it.”
“I told you to solve the problem.”
“You gave the order.”
“I gave you discretion.”
The argument lasted seconds.
But it told me everything.
Richard wasn't the top.
Victor was.
Yet Victor had another weakness.
He was speaking too much.
I remembered Thomas's warning.
The flash drive had recordings.
I quietly activated my phone.
Victor continued.
“Your father thought the Black Ledger would destroy me.”
“You're afraid of it.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“I'm afraid of what happens when people discover who has been protecting me.”
I understood.
The ledger wasn't simply evidence.
It was leverage.
Victor had blackmailed dozens of people.
And those people had protected him because exposing him would expose themselves.
He pointed at Derek.
“Your son was supposed to be useful.”
Richard looked away.
Victor continued.
“Unfortunately, he inherited his mother's conscience.”
Derek stepped toward him.
“You destroyed my life.”
Victor smiled.
“No.”
Then he looked at Richard.
“Your father did.”
Richard moved.
For one second, I thought he was going to attack Victor.
Instead, Victor's security guards raised their weapons.
Richard stopped.
Victor looked at me.
“Give me the ledger.”
I said:
“No.”
Victor sighed.
“Then I will explain what happens next.”
He pointed toward the cemetery.
“Tonight, the police will find your blood beside Derek's body.”
I looked at Derek.
His expression hardened.
Victor smiled.
“Your fingerprints will be on the weapon.”
“Your car will be burned.”
“The ledger will disappear.”
“And the world will hear that you murdered Derek after stealing from Kane Automotive.”
Derek whispered:
“Why me?”
Victor looked at him.
“Because your father loves you.”
Richard closed his eyes.
Victor turned back to me.
“He will kill you to save his company.”
Richard opened his eyes.
“No.”
Victor smiled.
“Yes.”
Then something unexpected happened.
Richard drew a gun.
Not at me.
At Victor.
Everything froze.
Richard fired.
Victor's bodyguard shoved him aside.
The bullet struck the vehicle.
Chaos exploded.
I grabbed Derek.
We ran.
Gunfire ripped through the cemetery.
We crashed through the gate.
Thomas's SUV appeared.
Melissa was driving.
She opened the door.
“Get in!”
We jumped inside.
Thomas was in the back.
I handed him the ledger.
He stared.
Then his face collapsed.
“You found it.”
“Yes.”
He flipped through the pages.
Then stopped.
“What's wrong?”
He pointed to the final page.
“This isn't the original.”
I felt my stomach drop.
“What?”
“This is a copy.”
Derek stared.
“Where's the original?”
Thomas looked at me.
“You have it.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
Thomas pointed toward the Black Ledger.
“The original isn't the book.”
He touched the first page.
“It's what's written between the pages.”
I didn't understand.
He explained.
Invisible ink.
The paper had been treated.
The visible numbers were decoys.
The real information was hidden underneath.
“You need heat.”
I stared at him.
“How much heat?”
Thomas looked out the window.
“Enough to destroy everything.”
Before I could respond, my phone rang.
Richard.
I answered.
His voice was broken.
“Evan…”
“What?”
“You need to listen.”
May you like
A pause.
“Victor just took your father.”
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