Chapter 8: The Deal I Forgot
The photograph stayed in my hand.
Fifteen years.
That was how long Arthur Voss had been beside me.
Long enough that I stopped seeing him as a person outside my life.
He wasn’t just an executive.
He was part of the foundation of everything I built.
And now someone was telling me that I was the one who brought him into my world.
Vincent watched me carefully.
“Dominic?””
I looked at him.
“I don’t remember.””
Nobody spoke.
Because that was the one thing I hated admitting.
I didn’t remember.
The accident had taken more than my ability to walk.
It had taken pieces of time.
Small things.
Conversations.
Details.
My doctors said trauma could do that.
But now I wondered.
What if someone wanted me to forget?
Clare stepped closer.
“Mr. Vale?””
I folded the photograph.
“Find Arthur.””
Vincent nodded.
“And Samuel?””
I looked toward the screen.
“Find him too.””
Within minutes, the estate became a controlled operation.
Every employee was questioned.
Every entrance was monitored.
But Arthur was gone.
His car had left twenty minutes earlier.
Exactly when he knew the situation was turning against him.
A coward would run.
A strategist would prepare.
Arthur had done both.
I went upstairs to my office.
The painting where the envelope had been hidden was still hanging crookedly.
Behind it was a small compartment.
Inside was another folder.
This one was older.
The paper had yellowed.
I opened it.
The first page was a contract.
My company logo.
My signature.
Arthur’s signature.
Date:
Fifteen years ago.
I read the agreement.
Arthur wasn’t just an employee.
He was given authority over acquisitions, legal negotiations, and internal restructuring.
A level of trust I rarely gave anyone.
Why?
I turned the page.
A handwritten note was attached.
Not mine.
*You believed he saved your company. He actually saved himself.*
I kept reading.
A name appeared.
A company I remembered.
Vale Industries had almost collapsed fifteen years ago.
A major investment failure.
A lawsuit.
Thousands of jobs at risk.
Arthur had appeared during that crisis.
He brought investors.
He found solutions.
He became the hero.
But according to these documents…
He wasn’t helping me.
He was buying access.
The door opened.
I reached for my cane.
Vincent entered.
“Sorry.””
“What did you find?””
He looked uncomfortable.
“We found Samuel.””
“Where?””
“He turned himself in.””
I stared at him.
“Why?””
“He said he wants to speak to you.””
I laughed once.
“Now?””
Vincent nodded.
“He said there’s something you need to know before Arthur finds it.””
That caught my attention.
“Bring him.””
A few minutes later, Samuel entered my office.
He looked older.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Like a man carrying something too heavy for too long.
He stopped several feet away.
“I know what you saw.””
I didn’t answer.
“I know what it looked like.””
“You mean the video where you admitted my accident wasn’t an accident?””
His face tightened.
“Yes.””
“Explain.””
Samuel looked down.
“Fifteen years ago, Arthur came to me.””
“For what?””
“To save your company.””
I almost laughed.
“The same story everyone tells.””
“No.””
He shook his head.
“That part was true.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“Your company was collapsing. Arthur had access to investors. He helped stabilize everything.””
“Then why betray me?””
Samuel swallowed.
“Because Arthur didn’t want your company.””
“What did he want?””
Samuel looked at me.
“He wanted ownership of your future.””
The words sounded impossible.
“What does that mean?””
“He knew you were loyal. He knew you trusted people who helped you.””
Samuel’s voice lowered.
“He built himself into your life.””
I thought about the years.
The meetings.
The celebrations.
The private conversations.
The advice.
“He manipulated me.””
“Yes.””
“Why help him?””
Samuel looked ashamed.
“Because my daughter needed surgery.””
The room went quiet.
I thought of Ellie.
Samuel continued.
“Years ago, Arthur paid for my daughter’s treatment.””
My expression changed.
“He bought your loyalty.””
“Yes.””
“But you still helped him hurt me.””
Samuel closed his eyes.
“I told myself I was only making you uncomfortable. Weakening your position.””
He looked at me.
“I thought he wanted you to step down.””
“And when did you realize?””
“After the crash.””
The answer came immediately.
“I realized Arthur didn’t want control.””
Samuel’s voice cracked.
“He wanted revenge.””
“Revenge for what?””
Samuel reached into his pocket.
He pulled out an old document.
A newspaper clipping.
The headline was faded.
But the name was clear.
*VALE FAMILY LEGACY DISPUTE ENDS IN TRAGEDY.*
I looked at him.
“What is this?””
Samuel whispered:
“The reason Arthur Voss hates you.””
Before I could respond, Vincent’s phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
Then his expression changed.
“Dominic…”
“What?””
“We found Arthur.””
“Where?””
Vincent looked at the document in my hand.
“Your father’s old property.””
My blood went cold.
Because that property had been abandoned for fifteen years.
May you like
And according to everyone…
Nobody had been there since the day my father died.
