Chapter 6 - THE NIGHT VICTOR CHOSE HER
The attack came at 11:47 p.m.
The estate lights went out.
Chloe woke instantly.
She heard shouting downstairs.
Then a gunshot.
She froze.
Another shot.
She ran into the hallway.
"Victor!"
No answer.
A guard appeared.
"Miss Bennett, get back inside."
"Where is Victor?"
"West corridor."
She ignored him.
She ran.
Victor was standing near the staircase.
His shirt was torn.
Blood covered his shoulder.
"Victor!"
"I'm fine."
"You are bleeding."
"Later."
He grabbed her hand.
"Stay with me."
They moved toward the secure room.
Halfway there, the emergency doors slammed shut.
Victor looked at the security panel.
"Someone has overridden the system."
"Can they get inside?"
"Eventually."
Chloe looked at him.
"What do we do?"
Victor pulled a pistol from his jacket.
"Wait."
She swallowed.
"You're calm."
"I'm terrified."
She stared.
Victor looked at her.
"Just not for myself."
The words silenced her.
Footsteps approached.
Victor positioned himself between Chloe and the door.
A bullet struck the metal.
Chloe flinched.
Victor reached backward and found her hand.
"Don't move."
The door shook.
Then stopped.
Silence.
Victor waited.
Ten seconds.
Twenty.
Finally, the security team arrived.
The attackers had escaped.
But one had left something behind.
A folder.
Inside was Michael Bennett's missing financial record.
Victor opened it.
The final page contained a handwritten note.
If anything happens to me, ask who benefits from my disappearance.
Below it was one name.
Elias Hale.
Vanessa's father.
Victor closed the folder.
The truth was finally complete.
But there was another problem.
Chloe had seen the blood on his shirt.
"Sit down."
"I'm fine."
"Sit."
He obeyed.
She cleaned his wound.
Victor watched her hands.
"You were afraid."
"So were you."
"I was afraid you'd get hurt."
She stopped.
Victor looked at her.
"I've spent years believing fear was weakness."
"And now?"
"Now I think fear is what happens when someone matters."
Chloe's eyes filled.
"Victor..."
He reached for her hand.
"I don't know how to do this."
"Do what?"
"Care about someone without trying to control everything around them."
Chloe smiled through tears.
"You can start by asking me what I want."
Victor nodded.
"What do you want?"
She looked at him.
"You."
The room became completely silent.
Victor's eyes softened.
Then he kissed her.
It wasn't rushed.
It wasn't possessive.
It was careful.
As if he were asking permission with every second.
When they separated, Chloe whispered:
"This is a terrible idea."
"Probably."
"We work together."
"Yes."
"You're terrifying."
"I've heard that."
She laughed.
Victor smiled.
For the first time, Chloe saw the man behind the reputation.
Not the ruthless businessman.
Not the feared name.
Just Victor.
A lonely man who had spent years pretending he didn't need anyone.
Then his phone rang.
Marco.
Victor answered.
"What?"
Marco's voice was grim.
"Sir, we found the person who accessed the archive."
Victor's face hardened.
"Who?"
A pause.
Then:
"Mrs. Gable."
Victor looked toward the door.
Chloe's smile disappeared.
May you like
The woman who had run his household for fifteen years had betrayed him.
Or someone wanted him to believe she had.
