Veil of Deception

The Dark Deal

The tension in the room seemed to thicken, as if the very air had turned viscous with unspoken threats. Victor's cold eyes flickered between Dominic and Isabella, savoring the moment. He loved being the puppet master, pulling the strings of the desperate. His smirk remained fixed in place, though his gaze turned sharp when Isabella spoke up.

"How do you know about Clara?" Isabella's voice cut through the silence, filled with restrained fury and curiosity. She stepped out from behind Dominic, holding Victor's gaze with an intensity that made even Dominic glance at her in surprise.

Victor raised an eyebrow, seemingly impressed by her defiance. He took his time, swirling the wine in his glass before taking a slow, deliberate sip. The seconds dragged out, heavy and taunting, before he finally responded.

"I have my ways," Victor said, his voice dripping with smug amusement. "Information flows through this city like blood through veins. Clara isn't hard to track, especially when she's connected to people who have caused me quite a bit of trouble."

Isabella's fists clenched, but Dominic placed a steadying hand on her arm, subtly warning her to keep calm. She took a breath, steadying herself as Victor leaned forward slightly, his demeanor shifting from smug to dangerous.

"You see," he continued, his eyes narrowing, "Clara's involvement in this whole mess is not just your problem. Redmond and Dr. Latimer, they've been a thorn in my side for years. They were once my...business partners."

Victor's lips curled into a sneer, his hatred for them suddenly bubbling to the surface. His voice grew more venomous as he spoke, as though the memories alone were enough to reignite the rage he'd buried deep.

"Back when things were good, Redmond and Latimer supplied me with...necessities. Drugs, supplements, experimental concoctions—the kind of things that made my business thrive. You can't rule an empire without a little help, after all," Victor said, his smirk returning briefly. "I had everything under control. My underground network was impenetrable, my clientele was exclusive, and business was booming."

Dominic and Isabella exchanged a glance, the pieces starting to fall into place. They both knew the lengths Victor would go to protect his empire, and now they were beginning to understand just how deeply intertwined Redmond and Dr. Latimer were in the criminal underworld.

"Then one day," Victor continued, his voice darkening, "they decided to pull the rug out from under me. Without warning, they cut off my supply. No more drugs, no more enhancements. Nothing. And you can imagine what happens to a business like mine when the lifeline is severed."

Victor's eyes glinted with barely concealed fury. He leaned forward, the wine forgotten on the table as his tone grew more venomous. "My business crumbled. Clients turned on me. Rivals saw weakness and pounced. All because Redmond and Latimer decided I was no longer...useful."

Isabella watched him closely, trying to gauge how much of this was personal and how much was pure business. It was clear that Victor's downfall had struck a nerve, and his need for revenge ran deep.

"You think they did this to sabotage you?" Dominic asked, his voice steady but with an edge of suspicion.

Victor chuckled darkly, shaking his head. "Oh, they didn't sabotage me. They were simply moving on to bigger, better things. You see, Redmond isn't just a drug supplier anymore. They've gone deeper, into realms of experimentation that make the drugs I dealt with look like children's toys. They've developed technologies, biological enhancements, things you wouldn't even believe if you saw them with your own eyes."

Isabella felt a chill crawl up her spine. She thought back to the experiments they had started on her—the chair, the brain scans, the whispers of "Project 27." It was starting to make sense now. Redmond wasn't just running a lab; they were trying to push the boundaries of science itself, with no regard for the destruction they left in their wake.