#Chapter 262 – An Empty Throne

“You probably don’t believe me, Amelia,” Victor says quietly when the final ashes of the passport have collected at his feet and started to blow away on the wind. “But I mean you no ill will.”

Panting a little, scared again, Amelia looks at him, her arm still held steadily in Edgar’s hand.

“I actually never meant for anything bad to happen to you,” Victor continues, sliding his hands into his pockets and looking at her steadily. “Unlike you, I never tried to kidnap any of your family members, or lock them in closets. Or burn down your property. Or incite a war against you. I was very willing to let you live your own life separately, in peace, after we ended our relationship.”

Amelia glares at him then and Victor can’t help the smirk that finds its way onto his face as he watches her. She is, if anything, feisty. He always admired that about her, and can’t help continuing to admire it today.

“But you,” he carries on, stepping closer to her and putting a finger below her chin to make her look at him. “You tried to destroy me in revenge for your embarrassment. And that was your mistake. You cost me a great deal of time, and effort, and money, and even my health, Amelia. I can’t accept that.”

He can see the fury rise in her then, but he doesn’t address it. Instead, he drops her chin and steps away, looking to the plane. He speaks casually now, as if bored by it all. “I’m giving you one last chance – partially out of respect for what we have. But mostly because Evelyn asked me to.” He looks at her then, wanting to see her reaction, enjoying the rage that turns her face red.

“Because I wanted to lock you up in my prison, Amelia,” Victor informs her. “And she told me not to. So every day, for the rest of your life, you should thank her for being more gracious than me. But I swear to god –“

His face goes stern now and the anger washes from Amelia’s face as he takes a step towards her. She has rarely seen him like this – fully determined, on the razor’s edge of violence. And she considers – suddenly – that he had never gone to this kind of effort for her. That it was all for Evelyn. And that she has well and truly lost.

“I swear it, Amelia,” Victor continues. “If you cross me one more time, I will find you, and I will lock you away. And you can spend the rest of your life one cell away from your pals John Walsh and James Willard.”

Amelia pales further as she realizes his implications – that he has them, and has since the war. That they’re at his mercy now, as she is.

wherever Victor is sending her – it’s as much of a

intention of enjoying the job. “You’re going to Italy, to live out the rest of your days doing whatever the hell you want. And because your passport has mysteriously disappeared, you’ll have

was not only a desire to destroy him but also…a way to stay in his

part of her still loves him. And that this is more of an end for her than it is for him. For him, it ended ages ago

he doesn’t let it show on his face. Instead, he merely looks at this beautiful woman and realizes that he hardly knows her at all any

reality of it, the finality…it breaks her heart, more

at him and nods, briskly, wanting this to be over, agreeing to his terms. Then she turns

Edgar says,

what you need,” Victor says, taking his hand heartily. “We’ll miss you.

Europe.” Then he turns back to Amelia and, putting an arm around her shoulder, guides her onto the plane. Victor watches them go and

his shoulders to have the Amelia threat contained. But he will miss Edgar, he realizes. He’ll miss his

knowing he has other appointments today. Still, after climbing in, he asks the driver to wait until the plane has taken off to

Done. It’s done.

move on to bigger

_______________________

opening her door to him as he climbs up her front steps. “Thank

a hand over her belly, obviously pregnant now

Victor says, meaning it as he leans down to give her a

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