Chapter 10 - Victor Vane
Victor Vane requested a meeting.
Sixty-eight.
White hair.
Heavy shoulders.
His company had been built from hotel banquet staffing and convention services.
No organized-crime history.
No guns.
No myth.
Just contracts, ego, and debt.
We met at Miriam’s office.
Neutral.
Victor came with counsel.
I brought no bodyguards inside.
Important.
He looked at me.
“Did you pour champagne on my daughter?”
“Yes.”
“Did she touch yours?”
“Yes.”
His jaw moved.
“Did she break the photograph?”
“Yes.”
Victor looked down.
He had seen video now.
Not edited.
Full ballroom surveillance.
“She told me Elowen pushed into her.”
“No.”
“I know.”
There.
Marcella lied to him too.
I asked:
“Did you know she has been destroying photographs for months?”
“No.”
“Did you know she wanted me provoked?”
Victor’s attorney touched his arm.
He ignored it.
“I knew she believed you would eventually breach the restructuring.”
“How?”
“She has been saying it for years.”
“Did you encourage her?”
“No.”
“Did you benefit from her notice after the gala?”
Victor’s lawyer answered:
“The company exercised contractual rights based on public conduct.”
Fair.
Victor added:
“I told counsel to send the notice.”
“So yes.”
“Wouldn’t you?”
If I were him?
Maybe.
That was uncomfortable.
Then Victor said:
“Alaric, my daughter hates your wife.”
“Late wife.”
He closed his eyes.
“Celine. I’m sorry.”
“Why?”
“Because Celine made Marcella feel small.”
I almost laughed.
“By discovering false invoices?”
“By being better at everything Marcella thought defined her.”
There.
Not legal.
Personal.
“Celine was smarter. More disciplined. You chose her. The boards listened to her. When Vane got into trouble, Celine was the person who dictated terms.”
“She negotiated terms.”
“To Marcella, same thing.”
Victor rubbed his face.
“I thought she grew out of it.”
“She bullied my seven-year-old.”
“I know.”
Then:
“I’m not asking you to forgive her.”
Good.
“What are you asking?”
“Don’t destroy 186 jobs because my daughter is vicious.”
May you like
That was a fair request.
I hated that too.
