Chapter 10 - The Phantom Of Zurich
"Viktor..." Arthur breathed, his grip on the crowbar tightening so hard his knuckles turned completely white as the older man stepped into the ambient glow of the security lights.
The silver-haired man smiled faintly, his cold blue eyes scanning the drained pool, the open safe, and the sparkling emeralds resting in Elena's trembling hands.
"Good evening, Arthur. It has been a very long time, old friend," Viktor Carter said smoothly, his voice carrying an eerie, unhurried calm across the empty pool basin.
"You have no business being here, Viktor. The property is currently under a federal asset freeze," Arthur shouted back, stepping forward defensively.
"Technically, my legal team acquired the mortgage rights to this entire estate three hours ago, right before your police friends arrived," Viktor replied, taking another unhurried step down the concrete stairs into the deep end.
Elena clutched the antique jewelry box tightly against her chest, her voice shaking with righteous fury. "You and your son spent decades scheming against us, stealing everything my family built!"
Viktor chuckled softly, stopping just a few feet away from them. "Stealing, my dear Elena? We merely reclaimed what was rightfully taken from my family when Arthur here pushed Marcus out of the partnership."
"Marcus embezzled company funds and ran away!" Arthur countered fiercely.
"Marcus tried to expose your fraudulent accounting practices, Arthur, so you and your board arranged to silence him permanently," Viktor said, his smile vanishing to reveal a mask of pure, unyielding malice.
Elena looked back and forth between the two old men, her mind reeling from the conflicting truths. "Dad... is that true? What did you do to Marcus thirty years ago?"
Arthur hesitated for a fraction of a second, his gaze dropping to the concrete floor where the safe had rested for decades. "I never killed him, Elena. But I let him take the fall to save Vance Industries from bankruptcy."
Viktor stepped closer, his shadow falling heavily over them both. "And now, history is repeating itself. Only this time, there is no way out for either of you."
Before Arthur could react, two armed private security guards appeared behind Viktor, leveling heavy stun batons directly at their chests.
"Pick up the jewelry box, Elena, and step out of the pool," Viktor ordered quietly, gesturing toward the upper patio with a flick of his wrist.
As they were forced up the ladder at gunpoint, Elena caught a glimpse of movement near the second-floor balcony of the villa.
May you like
A small blonde figure in a beige dress stood pressed against the glass door, watching them with wide, frightened eyes—little Lily, completely alone in the dark house.
---
