CHAPTER 20: The Confession
Cole agreed to testify against everyone still operating in Julian’s network—former officials, smugglers, enforcers who’d gone into hiding. In exchange, Victor arranged legal representation and a chance at a fresh start somewhere quiet.
On the day of his statement, he sat across from us at the safe house, voice steady. “Julian told me you’d stolen everything from him. That you’d ruined his life. I didn’t know he was lying until I saw how you treated people like me.”
“He knew exactly what to say to get people on his side,” Victor said. “Grief and anger are easy weapons to pick up. Harder to put down.”
By the end of the week, twelve more arrests were made. The papers called it the final blow to the old criminal order. But we knew better—there would always be someone else who thought they could take what they wanted.
That night, Elias sent a letter from the detention center: Thank you for letting me help fix what I broke. Lena would have been proud.
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