Chapter 43
The hospital room was quiet except for the rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor. Gregory lay on the bed, his gaunt face pale and hollow, his once robust frame now reduced to skin and bones. His wrists were bandaged where the ropes had chafed them raw, and an IV line dripped nutrients into his system, trying to revive his starved body.
Victoria sat in a chair beside him, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Seeing Gregory like this sent a pang of guilt and anger coursing through her. She had known the company was in turmoil, but this… this was beyond anything she could have imagined.
Gregory’s eyes fluttered open, dull and glassy at first, but when he saw Victoria, a flicker of recognition passed over his face. “Ms. Cross…” he rasped, his voice hoarse from disuse.
Victoria leaned closer, her expression softening. “Gregory, you’re safe now. You’re in the hospital, and no one is going to hurt you again.”
His lips trembled as he tried to speak, but no sound came out. He swallowed hard, grimacing from the effort. “Water…”
Victoria quickly poured a glass of water and held it to his lips, helping him take small sips. “Take it slow,” she urged gently.
After a moment, Gregory settled back against the pillow, his breathing shallow but steadier. “They… they left me there,” he whispered.
“Left you where?” Victoria asked, her voice steady but laced with urgency.
“In… in a warehouse,” he said, his voice cracking. “Tied up… no food… I thought I was going to die.”
Victoria’s jaw clenched, her hands tightening into fists. “Who did this to you?”
Gregory’s gaze flickered with fear, but he forced himself to answer. “Selena,” he murmured, his voice barely audible.
Victoria’s heart sank. She had suspected Selena’s involvement in Gregory’s disappearance, but hearing it confirmed was another blow entirely. “Selena put you there?” she asked, leaning closer to make sure she hadn’t misheard.
He nodded weakly. “She said… I knew too much. That I was a liability. Damian didn’t care enough to stop her… but it was Selena who… who ordered it.”
Victoria’s breath hitched. “What did she think you knew?”
Gregory’s lips trembled. “About the money. The fraud. The offshore accounts. I found… everything. She panicked… told me I had to disappear.”
Victoria sat back, her mind racing. Selena had always been ruthless, but to go so far as to imprison and starve someone just to keep her secrets safe—it was monstrous.
“Gregory,” she said gently, trying to keep her voice calm, “why didn’t you come to me sooner? I could’ve helped you.”
He let out a bitter, wheezing laugh. “I tried. But Selena always knew… she always had people watching. I didn’t know who to trust.”
Victoria’s chest tightened, anger simmering beneath her calm exterior. Selena had already been arrested for her role in the company’s corruption, but this—this was a new level of cruelty that ensured she would never see the light of day again.
As Gregory drifted off into an exhausted sleep, Victoria stood and walked out of the room, her fists clenched at her sides. Tobias was waiting in the hallway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. When he saw her, he straightened.
“Well?” he asked, his voice low.
“It was Selena,” Victoria said, her tone hard. “She put him in that warehouse. She left him to die.”
Tobias let out a low whistle, shaking his head. “Of course, it was Selena. She’s always been the mastermind behind the worst of it.”
Victoria nodded, her gaze distant. “She was afraid he’d expose her. He knew too much—about the embezzlement, the offshore accounts, everything.”
Tobias ran a hand through his hair, his brow furrowed. “That’s all the more reason to make sure she stays locked up. She’s dangerous, Victoria. More dangerous than even Damian.”
“I know,” Victoria said, her voice firm. “And I won’t let her get away with this.”
Tobias studied her for a moment, then nodded. “What’s the next move?”
Victoria took a deep breath, her mind already racing with possibilities. “We need Gregory’s testimony. He’s the key to tying everything together. If he’s willing to go on record about what he knows, we can bury Selena and Damian once and for all.”
“And if he’s too scared to testify?” Tobias asked.
Victoria’s jaw tightened. “Then we’ll protect him. Whatever it takes.”
Tobias nodded, his expression grim. “You’re doing the right thing, Victoria. But you need to be careful. Selena’s already shown how far she’s willing to go to keep her secrets.”
Victoria met his gaze, her eyes blazing with determination. “I’m not afraid of Selena. She’s finished.”
Tobias smirked faintly, though his concern was still evident. “I wouldn’t bet against you. Just don’t underestimate her.”
“I won’t,” Victoria said firmly. “But I’ll make sure she never hurts anyone again.”
Tobias placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Let’s get to work, then. We’ve got a lot to do.”
As they walked down the hallway, Victoria’s thoughts returned to Gregory, lying fragile and broken in the hospital bed. He had been through hell because of Selena, but now he had a chance to help bring her reign of terror to an end.
And Victoria wouldn’t rest until Selena paid for every single crime.
