He Tried to Kill Me for the Insurance Money - Chapter 5: Chapter 5

Victor's voice dripped with venom, sending an icy shiver down my spine.
The second I hung up, I dialed my lawyer, my fingers trembling as I demanded answers.
And that's when the truth hit me.
While I'd been fighting for my life, Victor had been busy playing the grieving widower online—posting tearful tributes to his "beloved late wife." The performance had earned him a flood of sympathy… and the attention of Richard Cross, a notorious figure who'd just slithered back into the country after years overseas.
Turns out, while in custody, Victor had somehow gotten a message to Richard, spinning some sob story about being framed. And shockingly, Richard had bitten.
Now, with a powerful ally backing him, Victor wasted no time gloating.
When my lawyer forwarded Richard's photo, I actually laughed.
Before marrying Victor, I'd handled corporate affairs for my family's business—so I knew exactly who Richard Cross was. The man wasn't some philanthropist; his name was synonymous with backroom deals and bodies buried in shallow graves.
Victor and Ruby? They were nothing but disposable pawns to him.
One night in Richard's world, and they'd be crawling back to the police, begging for the safety of a jail cell.
Shaking my head, I refocused on prepping for work the next day.
Later that evening, my boss, Samuel, pulled me aside.
"Heard you're back in the game. A few of our old clients are itching to reconnect. How about we celebrate over dinner?"
I didn't hesitate. After being sidelined for so long, I wasn't about to pass up a chance to rebuild my network.
But the moment I stepped into the private dining room, my blood ran cold.
Victor and Ruby were there.
Victor's lips curled into a sneer the second he spotted me.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he spat. "We've got Mr. Cross on our side now. You're finished—you can't touch us!"
I ignored him, turning instead to Samuel, who motioned me forward.
"Lillian, come here. Mr. Cross specifically requested to meet you."
Under Victor and Ruby's stunned silence, I walked over and shook Richard's hand.
"Years ago, one of your projects left quite an impression on me," Richard said, his tone almost… admiring. "When I heard you were back, I cleared my schedule just for this. I'd love to collaborate in the future."
I kept my response polished before taking my seat.
The entire dinner, Victor and Ruby were relegated to the corner like glorified servants—fetching drinks, refilling plates, enduring every humiliating order without protest. Their forced smiles never slipped, even as they choked down glass after glass of alcohol.
By the end of the night, Richard suggested moving the party elsewhere, his grin sleazy. I pleaded a sudden headache and made my exit.
As I waited for my car outside, Victor lunged at me from the shadows, his grip bruising.
"I don't know how you pulled this off," he hissed, "but stay the hell away from Mr. Cross. Don't ruin this for me."
I stared at him, struck by how little I recognized the man in front of me.
This wasn't the man who'd once knelt at my feet, swearing undying love.
A cold smile touched my lips.
"I don't play in the dirt like you do."
That night, a frantic pounding at my door jolted me awake.
There was a time when Victor's late-night disappearances had shattered me—when I'd still foolishly hoped he'd choose me over Ruby.
Now, the irony wasn't lost on me.
Peering through the peephole, I found Victor on his knees, his face battered, his body covered in bruises.
Tears streaked his face as he sobbed, "Please—you have to help us! Richard Cross is a monster! He forced Ruby and me to… to entertain those vile men. Ruby's still trapped there! You know him—can't you make him stop?"