Chapter 9 - Uncle Richard
Victor drove to Richard Vale’s estate before sunrise.
Daniel went with him.
Lily remained at the mansion with Oliver and three security officers.
Richard answered the door wearing a robe.
He appeared annoyed.
Then Victor showed him Serena’s photograph.
Richard’s expression changed.
“Where did you get that?”
“So you know her.”
“Of course I know your fiancée.”
Victor stepped inside.
“Not like this.”
Richard closed the door.
Daniel remained near the entrance.
Victor placed Claire’s USB drive on the table.
“I found Claire’s files.”
Richard stared at it.
Victor saw fear.
Not surprise.
Fear.
“You knew what she was investigating.”
Richard poured himself a drink.
“It was complicated.”
“My wife died.”
“I know.”
“My son was drugged.”
Richard stopped moving.
“What?”
Victor watched him closely.
That reaction appeared genuine.
“You didn’t know?”
Richard slowly sat.
Victor explained what they found.
Mercer.
The sedatives.
Serena.
The forged trust.
Richard looked horrified.
“Victor, I swear I never authorized anyone to touch Oliver.”
“That is an interesting choice of words.”
Richard looked up.
Victor continued.
“You didn’t say you were innocent.”
Richard’s shoulders dropped.
“I paid Mercer.”
Victor clenched his jaw.
“Why?”
“To hide the trial results.”
Victor stepped forward.
“People were hurt.”
“I was trying to save the company.”
“You were trying to save yourself.”
Richard did not deny it.
Victor asked the question he had been afraid to ask.
“Did you kill Claire?”
Richard’s eyes widened.
“No.”
“Did you know she was in danger?”
Silence.
Victor grabbed his uncle by the collar.
“Did you know?”
Richard’s voice cracked.
“I knew Serena threatened her.”
Victor released him.
“What?”
“Serena wanted Claire to stop.”
“Why would Serena care about company research?”
Richard looked toward the window.
“Because Serena wasn’t working for me.”
Victor stared at him.
“She was working for Mercer?”
“No.”
Richard swallowed.
“Mercer was working for her.”
That changed everything.
Richard opened a locked drawer.
He removed an old photograph.
Serena stood beside Mercer.
But there was someone else.
A younger woman.
Victor recognized her.
“Elena Mercer.”
Richard nodded.
Adrian Mercer’s daughter.
She had died during the failed clinical trial.
Victor felt the room tilt.
Richard explained.
Elena had volunteered for the medication study.
Her reaction was catastrophic.
Mercer blamed Blackwood Pharmaceuticals.
Serena had been Elena’s closest friend.
Victor stared at the photograph.
“So this started as revenge.”
Richard shook his head.
“At first.”
“What happened?”
“Money happened.”
Richard looked ashamed.
“Serena discovered how much control she could gain by getting close to you.”
Victor understood.
Revenge had opened the door.
Greed had kept Serena inside.
Then Richard said something that made Victor’s blood run cold.
“Victor, Claire didn’t die at home.”
Victor stared at him.
“I know.”
“No.”
Richard leaned forward.
“You don’t understand.”
“She collapsed in her car.”
“Yes.”
“But someone was sitting beside her five minutes earlier.”
“Who?”
May you like
Richard looked him directly in the eyes.
“Serena.”
