“Just checking in, Alexander,” Martel replied smoothly. “Heard you’ve taken a shine to young Benjamin. A remarkable boy, I’m sure. His mother…was a bit of a dreamer, though, wouldn’t you say? Always tilting at windmills.”
“Don’t play coy, Victor,” Alexander retorted. “You knew Sarah Jenkins. You actively campaigned against her work.”
“Business is business, Alexander. Sometimes, difficult decisions have to be made. Sarah’s ideas were…impractical. And let’s be honest, she was becoming a liability.” Martel’s tone was laced with a veiled threat. “I simply hope you’re not letting sentimentality cloud your judgment. This boy…he could cause trouble. He might start asking questions.”
Alexander hung up, his blood boiling. He knew Martel was involved in Sarah’s disappearance, and he suspected the truth was far more horrifying than he imagined. He decided to launch his own investigation, discreetly hiring a private detective to look into Sarah’s case and Martel’s activities. Meanwhile, he enrolled Benjamin in the same private academy as Lily, determined to provide him with the education he deserved. But he knew he was walking a dangerous path, one that could jeopardize his empire and put Benjamin in harm’s way. He confided in his long-time assistant, Eleanor, a woman he trusted implicitly. “Eleanor, I need you to find everything you can on Victor Martel’s dealings in the past five years. Everything.”
