The Price of Saving Vivian
Chapter 08 - The Price of Saving Vivian
The police treated Vivian's disappearance seriously.
Ethan blamed himself.
Claire blamed no one.
Not yet.
Michael insisted he knew nothing.
But police discovered that someone associated with one of his old businesses had entered Chicago two days earlier.
His name was Raymond Cole.
A former partner.
And a convicted extortionist.
Michael looked genuinely terrified when he heard the name.
"Raymond doesn't negotiate."
Claire remembered the photograph.
"Apparently he does."
Samuel advised her to let the police handle everything.
Claire agreed.
Then she received a call from an unknown number.
A man's voice said only one sentence.
"Arthur hid what belongs to us inside the building."
The call ended.
Claire told the police.
For the first time, Michael admitted the entire truth.
Years earlier, he and Raymond had hidden money through shell companies connected to Cross Development.
Arthur discovered it.
Instead of reporting everything immediately, he quietly froze several accounts while gathering evidence.
Millions disappeared.
Raymond believed Arthur had physically hidden access codes somewhere inside the Cross Building.
"Does he have Vivian?" Ethan asked.
Michael lowered his head.
"I think so."
Ethan grabbed him by the jacket.
Claire pulled her husband back.
"Stop."
Ethan turned on her.
"That's my mother."
"I know."
"After everything she did to you, you still want to help her?"
Claire looked at him.
"I'm not helping her because she deserves it."
She glanced toward the photograph.
"I'm helping because I refuse to become someone who measures human life by what people deserve."
The police created a plan.
Claire would publicly announce that she was reviewing the building's private archives.
The hope was that Raymond would make contact.
Vivian's enemies would believe Claire had found what they wanted.
The strategy worked faster than expected.
That evening, Claire received an email.
One photograph was attached.
Vivian sat in an unfamiliar room.
She was frightened but unharmed.
Claire stared at the woman who had tried to destroy her marriage.
For the first time, Vivian looked small.
Human.
The message beneath the photograph read:
MIDNIGHT TOMORROW.
BRING ARTHUR'S LEDGER.
COME ALONE.
Claire forwarded everything to the detectives.
Then Ethan noticed a detail in the photograph.
Behind Vivian was an old red brick wall.
A faded sign was partially visible.
Ethan leaned closer.
"I know that place."
"Where?"
May you like
He looked at Claire.
"My father used to own it."
