CHAPTER 10 – The Cover-Up Unravels
Every eye in the mansion locked onto Victor Lang.
The veteran attorney stood motionless.
For the first time in nearly thirty years of courtroom victories, he had no prepared response.
Captain Elena Brooks slowly folded Dr. Greene's handwritten note.
"Mr. Lang..."
Her voice was calm.
"Did you visit St. Matthew's Medical Center three years ago?"
Victor remained silent.
She asked again.
"Yes or no?"
His shoulders sank.
"...Yes."
Lila's heart stopped.
Marcus stared at him with disbelief.
"You went to the hospital after my daughter lost her baby?"
Victor nodded once.
"I did."
Richard Carter looked as though someone had punched him.
"You told me you were in Boston that week."
Victor closed his eyes.
"I lied."
Richard took another slow step toward him.
"You lied to me..."
"...for three years."
Victor's voice cracked.
"I thought I was protecting the company."
Marcus' patience finally snapped.
"No."
His voice echoed through the room.
"You were protecting a criminal."
Captain Brooks motioned toward an officer.
"Record everything."
Victor nodded weakly.
"I'll cooperate."
She looked directly at him.
"Then start at the beginning."
Victor took a long breath.
"The hospital called Carter International."
"They were trying to reach Derek."
"He wasn't answering."
"I was still the company's general counsel."
"I received the emergency notification."
Marcus frowned.
"So you went instead."
"Yes."
"What happened?"
Victor looked toward Lila.
"When I arrived..."
"...she was unconscious."
Dr. Greene nodded.
"She had already been taken into surgery."
Victor continued.
"I waited outside."
"Derek arrived about twenty minutes later."
Lila looked away.
She remembered none of it.
"Derek wasn't crying."
Victor admitted quietly.
"He wasn't asking about his wife."
"He asked only one question."
Marcus narrowed his eyes.
"What?"
"'Did anyone hear her say I pushed her?'"
The room fell silent.
Dr. Greene slowly nodded.
"That's exactly what happened."
Victor continued.
"I asked what he meant."
"He said..."
"...that Lila had become confused after falling."
Captain Brooks folded her arms.
"And you believed him?"
Victor shook his head.
"No."
"I knew he was lying."
Marcus stared at him.
"Then why didn't you call the police?"
Victor looked down.
"Because Derek threatened me."
Richard laughed bitterly.
"My son threatened you?"
Victor nodded.
"He knew something about me."
Captain Brooks frowned.
"What?"
Victor swallowed.
"Years earlier..."
"...I had hidden one illegal merger for Carter International."
Richard looked stunned.
"What?"
Victor nodded.
"I corrected it later."
"But technically..."
"...I broke the law."
"Derek found the files."
"He said if I didn't protect him..."
"...he'd destroy my career."
Marcus looked at him without sympathy.
"So you sacrificed my daughter instead."
Victor couldn't answer.
Because it was true.
Lila slowly stood.
Despite the pain in her ribs.
Despite the exhaustion.
She walked toward Victor.
He couldn't meet her eyes.
"I trusted you."
She whispered.
"You danced with me at my wedding."
Victor's eyes filled with shame.
"I know."
"You told me..."
"...if Derek ever hurt me..."
"...I should call you."
His lips trembled.
"I remember."
"I did call."
Lila's voice broke.
"You never answered."
Victor finally looked at her.
"I couldn't."
She shook her head.
"No."
"You chose not to."
The words hit harder than any accusation.
Captain Brooks placed another recovered document on the table.
"This came from Derek's office safe."
Victor looked at it.
Then closed his eyes.
He recognized it immediately.
It was a confidentiality agreement.
Prepared three years ago.
Never signed.
Marcus picked it up and read aloud.
Recipient agrees not to disclose any information regarding the circumstances of the pregnancy loss...
His expression hardened.
"This wasn't damage control."
Captain Brooks nodded.
"It was a cover-up."
Just then...
One of the digital forensic analysts rushed into the room carrying another laptop.
"Captain."
"We've recovered the deleted audio recordings."
Derek's head snapped upward.
"No."
Captain Brooks looked at him.
"You seem nervous."
"There aren't any recordings."
He answered too quickly.
The analyst plugged the laptop into the television.
"There are now."
The first recording began.
Static.
Footsteps.
A car door closing.
Then voices.
The timestamp showed...
Three years ago.
It was recorded inside Derek's car.
His voice came through clearly.
"I pushed her harder than I meant to."
Lila gasped.
Marcus clenched his fists.
Another voice answered.
Victor Lang.
"We don't have time for guilt."
Derek continued.
"If she remembers..."
Victor interrupted.
"Then convince everyone she imagined it."
Silence filled the mansion.
No one moved.
The recording continued.
Derek asked quietly,
"What if the baby doesn't survive?"
Victor answered after several long seconds.
"...Then the problem solves itself."
The audio stopped.
No one breathed.
Richard Carter slowly removed his wedding ring.
He stared at it for several seconds.
Then he slipped it into his pocket.
Marcus frowned.
"What are you doing?"
Richard's voice was hollow.
"I built my company on one rule."
He looked toward Victor.
"Loyalty."
Then toward Derek.
"And I gave it to the wrong people."
Captain Brooks looked at Victor.
"You're under arrest."
Victor nodded.
"I understand."
Two officers stepped forward.
He didn't resist.
As they placed him in handcuffs...
He turned toward Lila one final time.
"I don't expect forgiveness."
Lila answered quietly.
"You won't have it."
He lowered his head.
"I know."
As Victor was escorted toward the front door...
His phone suddenly vibrated.
Captain Brooks immediately stopped.
"Wait."
She took the phone.
A new message had just arrived.
No name.
Only an unknown encrypted number.
The message contained just six words.
Destroy the cabin before they arrive.
The room fell silent.
Captain Brooks frowned.
"What cabin?"
Victor's face lost every trace of color.
Marcus noticed immediately.
"You know."
Victor hesitated.
Richard looked at him.
"Tell them."
Victor whispered,
"...There's another property."
Marcus stepped closer.
"What property?"
Victor slowly answered.
"A hunting cabin in the mountains."
Captain Brooks narrowed her eyes.
"Who owns it?"
Victor looked directly at Derek.
"He does."
Lila frowned.
"We've never had a cabin."
Derek laughed quietly.
"No..."
"...you never did."
Marcus immediately understood.
"There are more secrets there."
Victor closed his eyes.
"There are boxes."
"Files."
"Computers."
"And..."
He stopped speaking.
Captain Brooks' voice became sharp.
"And what?"
Victor looked at Lila with visible horror.
"...Something Derek promised me had already been destroyed."
Marcus felt a chill run down his spine.
"What is it?"
Victor whispered four words that froze everyone in place.
May you like
"...The first baby's records."
End of Chapter 10
