“Tell them the truth.” Ethan's voice arrived in the dark place like something from overhead, vast and completely without mercy. “All of it.”Daniel was crying. Real tears, the ugly kind, his whole face broken up by it. “Yes,” he said. “Yes, I did it. I hired them. Six men, I paid for all six of them, and I told them to make sure he didn't walk out of that building.” A gasp, another sob. “And the fire. The fire was my idea. I told them to make sure the restaurant went with him.”Not one person in the room made a sound.“And you did it,” Ethan's voice came again, “because someone asked you to.”“Oliver.” Daniel was shaking. “It was David Oliver. He's been trying to get Victoria away from you for years and he came to me and said if I helped him get rid of you he'd back our family's next development deal. Forty million.” Another cough, more blood on his lips. “Forty million dollars and all I had to do was make sure you died.”“Daniel.” Victoria's voice was very quiet.He couldn't look

Immediately Victoria's voice came out fast, trembling at the edges. “I'll talk to Grandfather. I'll explain everything to him. You don't have to worry about anything. I'll handle it.”She took another step toward him, her eyes searching his face. “You know Grandfather has a soft spot for you. He's always had one. He'll listen. He'll understand. Just—please, Ethan. Let this go.”Ethan's jaw tightened.“It was because of Grandfather,” he said, his voice low and deliberate, “that I kept quiet all this time. It was out of respect for him that I swallowed every insult. Every word. Every look.”His eyes moved to Daniel, still slumped and barely conscious against the far wall. “But Daniel tried to kill me. He sent six men to break my body and burn down the one thing I have left of my family. And you expect me to just fold my hands and do nothing?”His gaze returned to Victoria.“Never.”Richard's voice tore through the room like a whip. “Why are you even begging this bastard?”Victoria f