Chapter 7 - The Settlement
he minister concluded the short, theatrical service, and Adrian Cross stepped forward,
placing the leather folder onto the polished wood of the empty coffin. The reporters
scrambled to the front, their cameras flashing rapidly as Victor and Serena approached the altar.
Victor took a deep, shaky breath, wiping his eyes one last time before looking at Adrian with a look of
pure, artificial gratitude.
“Mr. Cross,” Victor said, his voice loud enough for the microphone to pick up. “I know this is a
difficult day for your company as well. Elena was a wonderful woman. I appreciate your promptness
in settling this policy so we can establish a foundation in her honor.”
“We believe in paying our debts, Victor,” Adrian said, his voice incredibly calm, carrying a low,
dangerous vibration that made Victor’s smile falter for a fraction of a second. Adrian opened the
folder, revealing the pristine, certified check made out to Victor Hale for the exact sum of $50,000,000.
“This check represents the final value of Elena’s life in your eyes. Are you absolutely certain you want
to sign this release form and claim these funds?”
“Yes,” Victor said without a second of hesitation, snatching the expensive fountain pen Adrian
offered. “It is what Elena would have wanted.”
Serena leaned closer, her eyes shining with greed as she watched the pen hover over the
signature line. The cameras flashed continuously, capturing the historic moment of the massive
settlement. Victor’s pen touched the paper, the ink starting to flow. He was smiling now, a genuine,
arrogant smirk that he could no longer contain. He believed he had won. He believed he was
untouchable.
Suddenly, the heavy, double-paned gothic doors of the cathedral were violently burst open. The
booming crash echoed off the high vaulted ceilings like a clap of thunder, sending a shockwave of
surprise through the entire sanctuary. The organ music screeched to a sudden, grinding halt. Victor
froze, his pen still hovering over the paper, his smirk turning into a look of sheer, confused annoyance
May you like
as he turned his head toward the entrance.
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