Chapter 19 - The Roof
Vale Tower rose sixty stories above downtown.
Roman built it.
Arthur financed it.
Victor chose it for the ending because he understood symbolism.
Roman stepped onto the roof alone.
Wind tore at his coat.
Nora stood near the edge.
Victor held a gun against her side.
“You came.”
Roman kept his hands visible.
“You knew I would.”
“Where’s Sophie?”
“Not here.”
Victor smiled.
“Then Nora dies.”
Roman looked at her.
Nora shook her head.
“Don’t.”
Victor pressed the gun harder.
Roman remained calm.
“You don’t actually want Sophie.”
Victor laughed.
“After everything, you still don’t understand.”
“I understand perfectly.”
“You wanted Arthur’s trust.”
“Then the ledger.”
“Then page forty-one.”
“You wanted control.”
Victor’s expression hardened.
Roman continued.
“But all of it disappeared this morning.”
“Federal custody.”
“Accounts frozen.”
“Trust suspended.”
“You have nothing left to gain from Sophie.”
Victor stared.
“That isn’t true.”
“What do you want?”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“My name back.”
Roman frowned.
“Arthur erased me.”
“He used me.”
“He built the Circle and blamed me when it became ugly.”
“You made it ugly.”
“So did he.”
“Yes.”
Victor seemed surprised by Roman’s agreement.
Roman continued.
“Arthur was guilty.”
“Helena was guilty.”
“Claire made terrible choices.”
“Daniel failed.”
“So did I.”
Victor laughed.
“You?”
“I trusted comfort more than questions.”
“I let other people tell me what happened to my own daughter because the truth was too painful to examine.”
Roman looked at Nora.
“But none of that makes what you did someone else’s fault.”
Victor’s smile disappeared.
“You sound like Arthur.”
“No.”
Roman stepped closer.
“I’m saying something Arthur never could.”
“I don’t need to win.”
Victor stared.
“I only need Sophie to grow up free of you.”
Wind moved across the roof.
Nora’s eyes shifted toward the stairwell.
Victor noticed.
He turned.
That was enough.
Nora drove her elbow into his ribs.
Roman rushed.
Victor fired.
The bullet missed Roman by inches.
They collided.
The gun slid across the roof.
Victor punched Roman.
Roman hit him back.
Years of grief exploded into violence.
Victor was stronger than Roman expected.
Roman was angrier than Victor expected.
They crashed against the safety rail.
Victor grabbed Roman’s throat.
“You think Sophie will love you when she learns what your family did?”
Roman forced his arm free.
“She gets to decide.”
He struck Victor.
Victor stumbled.
Nora grabbed the gun.
“Stop!”
Victor turned toward her.
Roman saw movement at the stairwell.
Federal agents.
Victor saw them too.
He ran toward the edge.
Roman caught him.
For one second Victor hung beyond the railing.
Roman held his wrist.
Victor looked up.
“You should let go.”
Roman’s grip tightened.
“You would.”
Victor smiled.
“Yes.”
“That’s why I won’t.”
Agents reached them.
They pulled Victor back onto the roof.
Handcuffs closed around his wrists.
Victor looked at Roman with hatred.
“You think this ends anything?”
Roman stood.
“For Sophie, it does.”
Victor was taken away.
Nora sat against the wall.
Roman knelt beside her.
“You okay?”
She nodded.
“You came.”
Roman smiled faintly.
“You sound surprised.”
“I’m learning.”
Roman helped her stand.
Then his phone rang.
Claire.
He answered.
Her voice trembled.
“Roman.”
“What?”
“Arthur woke up.”
Roman stared across the city.
“And?”
“He asked for Sophie.”
Roman closed his eyes.
May you like
One final conversation remained.
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