Chapter 20 - Victor at Fifty Eight
Victor was fifty eight when Lucas decided to visit in person.
I was not asked to approve because Lucas adult.
He told me anyway.
“Are you okay?”
“No.”
“Do you want me not?”
“No.”
Both.
He went with prison visitor procedures.
No camera.
No therapist, though he had prepared.
He returned quiet.
“What happened?”
“We talked.”
I waited.
Then:
“He apologized to me.”
“For?”
“Everything.”
Then:
“He said something about you.”
“What?”
Lucas hesitated.
“He said he loved you and hated you at same time near end because you reminded him he was failing.”
I looked away.
Victor’s business identity mattered.
I had successful operations job, separate trust, stable.
He was drowning.
He turned my existence into accusation.
Then Lucas:
“He said Serena made him feel admired.”
Classic, but no need cliché.
Then:
“Did you ask why murder?”
“Yes.”
“What did he say?”
“He said once policy fraud happened, he started treating death like financial event, not person.”
That was chilling and insightful.
Then:
“He said every step made next easier.”
Forged document.
Impersonation.
Bribe.
Lure.
Push.
Then:
“Do you believe remorse?”
“I believe he knows now.”
“Same as remorse?”
“I don’t know.”
Then:
“Do you forgive?”
“Some.”
I nodded.
Then Lucas asked:
“Do you?”
Victor.
I thought.
“I don’t want him suffering beyond sentence.”
“That’s not answer.”
“Maybe that’s my version.”
No relationship.
No letters from me.
I had no need.
Then Victor’s parole eligibility still far? Effective 32.5 years from age 30s, at 58 ~20-25 served. Maybe parole window soon depending credits. Need timeline. At start Victor 30s maybe 35. 23 years later 58. Sentence 32 years, still ~9 years. Fine.
He might eventually be eligible around 60s. Not yet.
Then Lucas married.
At thirty? We earlier maybe 19-23. We can have later. He met Claire? Different character names. Let's call Rachel Bennett.
He told Victor through letter before wedding.
Victor asked to watch livestream.
Lucas said no.
Why?
“I don't want wedding framed around prison.”
Fair.
Victor accepted.
Adrian attended at eighty-something.
Walked? Lucas didn't need someone walk. Elena maybe.
No family roles drama.
Then Rachel pregnant later.
Victor became biological grandfather from prison.
Lucas told.
Victor wrote:
I hope you teach your child that fear is not respect.
Good.
No manipulation.
Then Adrian held great-grandchild? Could.
But maybe Adrian dies before. Let's pace.
Adrian at 83 sees Lucas marry. Could live to 86.
Then my own life.
I retired at 62 from operations leadership.
Consulted.
No Cross job.
Public still called heiress after Adrian estate eventually.
Annoying.
Then Martin after release wrote me apology request.
I declined.
No need every villain reconciles.
He completed supervised release and vanished from public life.
No new fraud.
Serena likewise.
Then regulator monitor ended successfully.
Cross Atlantic stable.
All corporate threads closed.
Then one unexpected call from Victor’s old business partner Colin Hayes, whose memorial video helped.
He said:
“I always wondered if I should have seen.”
“You couldn't know murder.”
“He joked about money.”
“People joke.”
Then:
“Thank you for video.”
He said:
“I wish I'd stopped memorial.”
“It gave evidence.”
No more.
People carrying guilt unnecessarily.
Then I realized I had done same.
I had blamed myself for getting in SUV.
For not reading forms.
For trusting Serena.
Therapy eventually:
Trust is not authorization for murder.
May you like
Obvious.
Still needed.
