Chapter 4 - The Brother's Ledger
The kitchen seemed to tilt on its axis as Arthur’s words hung heavily in the stale air. Clara recoiled as if she had been physically struck, her hands flying to cover her mouth to stifle a sudden, desperate sob. Viktor didn't immediately turn his anger toward her; instead, his gaze narrowed, shifting between the cowering butler and the pale, trembling maid standing beside the sink. The tension in the room grew so dense it felt impossible to draw a clean breath.
"Is that true, Clara?" Viktor asked, his voice frighteningly calm, devoid of the explosive rage Arthur had clearly expected to provoke.
"No! He's lying!" Clara cried out, fresh tears spilling over her dark bruises. "My brother hasn't set foot in this city in two years. Sterling is framing him because my father’s old business ledger has names in it that could send half of Viktor’s board members to federal prison!"
Arthur sneered, his fear temporarily masked by malicious vindication. "You think you can play the innocent victim, girl? I saw the text messages on your phone yesterday. You agreed to meet him at the gatehouse tonight to hand over the missing pages of that ledger in exchange for protection. Except your brother didn't protect you—he beat you because you didn't steal enough cash from the safe!"
Viktor slowly turned his head to look at Clara. The silence that followed was absolute, heavier than any shout or physical blow could ever be. He didn't demand she hand over her phone, nor did he raise his voice. He simply walked over to the kitchen island, picked up Clara’s phone lying facedown near the coffee maker, and pressed the unlock button with his thumb using stored biometric data she hadn't realized he possessed.
Clara closed her eyes, the fight instantly draining out of her slender frame. The screen lit up, displaying a string of menacing text messages detailing a drop-off time, a demand for cash, and a threat of violence if she failed to deliver.
"You lied to me," Viktor said softly, looking down at the illuminated screen before turning his dark, unreadable eyes back to her.
"I had to," Clara sobbed, sliding down the side of the industrial sink until she sat in a defeated heap on the cold floor, pulling Viktor’s black suit jacket tight around her. "If I didn't meet him, he would have hurt the people I actually care about. But I didn't steal from you, Viktor. I swear I never touched a dime of your money."
Viktor stared down at her for a long, agonizing moment. Then, without a word, he holstered his weapon, walked past Arthur without a glance, and punched a code into the wall-mounted security panel by the back door, instantly locking every exit in the entire estate.
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"Nobody leaves this kitchen," Viktor commanded coldly, his fingers hovering over the alarm master switch. "Because someone in this room just triggered a silent distress beacon to an outside syndicate."
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