Chapter 15 - THE SWITCH
Victoria turned around sharply to face her father.
Arthur was standing in the doorway of the vault, his face completely emotionless.
"Dad... what is this?" Victoria asked, holding up the note.
"Who scratched out the man’s face in this picture?"
Arthur didn't answer right away.
He slowly pulled a small remote device from his coat pocket.
"I spent twenty years making sure you never found out the truth, Victoria," Arthur said softly.
"What truth?!" Victoria demanded, stepping forward.
"I am not your father," Arthur confessed quietly.
Victoria froze in her tracks, her breath catching in her chest.
"What... what are you talking about?" she whispered in absolute disbelief.
"Your real father was my business partner, Richard Vance," Arthur explained, his tone hauntingly calm.
"Twenty years ago, he realized our company was built on blood and illegal trade."
"He wanted to expose everything to the world."
"So I eliminated him."
Victoria felt as if the entire world was crumbling beneath her feet.
The man she had called father, the man who had just saved her tonight, was the murderer of her real parents.
"You... you raised me?" Victoria gasped, tears welling up in her eyes.
"I raised you to be the ultimate weapon against my enemies," Arthur said coldly.
"You destroyed Julian for me."
"You destroyed Marcus Vane for me."
"And now, you have consolidated all their wealth directly into my private accounts."
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Arthur pressed the button on the remote device.
The heavy steel vault door began to slide shut violently.
