Chapter 187 CHAPTER 187

Chapter 187 CHAPTER 187
Victor remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the floor as though he couldn't bear to look at either man standing before him.

"When I realized the truck had been used in the accident..." His voice trembled. He squeezed his eyes shut, shame washing across his face. "...I panicked."

The confession hung heavily in the room.

"I knew no one would believe me."

Daniel's brow furrowed, but he remained silent, allowing Victor to continue.

"Every piece of evidence pointed to me. The truck had been leased in my name. I was the one who found Prince Lucien, and I was the one who kept his location a secret." A bitter laugh escaped him, devoid of humor. "How was I supposed to convince anyone I wasn't involved?"

He rubbed both hands over his face before letting them fall limply into his lap.

"So I did the worst thing I could have done."

For the first time since he began speaking, he lifted his head and looked directly at the two men.

"I started covering my tracks."

Silence swallowed the room.

The crackling fire suddenly seemed far too loud, yet none of them moved. Daniel studied Victor for a long moment, his expression unreadable, before finally asking the question that had been lingering since the confession began.

"Who gave you the order?"

Victor's gaze slowly drifted toward Leonard.

"You already know who commanded the Grey Order back then."

Daniel immediately turned to Leonard.

"Who was it?"

Leonard didn't answer.

The color drained from his face until he looked almost ghostly. His eyes lost focus as memories surfaced one after another, pieces of the past slowly fitting together in ways he had never imagined.

He slowly shook his head.

"No..."

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"It can't be."

Daniel took a cautious step toward him.

"Leonard."

Leonard finally looked at him, disbelief written all over his face.

"He is loyal," he murmured. "He devoted his entire life to protecting this kingdom."

He shook his head again, more firmly this time, as though refusing to accept the thought forming in his mind.

"He would never kill a member of the royal family."

Victor's expression hardened with painful certainty.

"He did."

Leonard's eyes snapped toward him.

"I confronted him after Prince Lucien died," Victor continued quietly. "I demanded to know why, I had the proof that I had reported everything to him and that I was acting on his orders. I wanted to come forward and confess everything to you."

The room fell deathly silent. Victor clenched his jaw before forcing the next words out.

"But then he told me… He told me that you already knew everything. That we were doing it by your orders.” 

Leonard stared at him in stunned silence.

Victor continued.

"He said it was for the best interest of the kingdom, that it would be safer in your hands."

Daniel frowned deeply.

"Who?"

Victor nodded.

"He told me everything that had happened to King Roland proved that Ashwood needed a stronger leader."

His voice grew quieter with every sentence.

“He said that Roland was a coward for taking his own life, and Lucien was too gentle. They were both not fit to rule.” There was a pause before he continued, "You were the only one capable of leading the kingdom."

Leonard looked physically ill.

"I never said that, I would never give such orders."

Victor gave a slow, regretful nod.

"I know that now. When you came asking about it this morning, I could sense you weren’t lying."

He lowered his eyes again.

"But back then..."

"I believed you did."

He sighed heavily.

"You have to understand what I knew at the time. The commander wasn't acting like a man making decisions on his own. He spoke with absolute certainty. He believed every word he was saying."

Victor looked back at Leonard.

"He told me he had your approval."

Daniel looked back and forth between the two men, struggling to make sense of everything he was hearing.

"Who are we talking about?"

Leonard closed his eyes.

When he finally spoke, his voice was filled with disbelief.

"...Alaric."

Daniel's eyes widened.

"The Gamma?"

Leonard nodded numbly.

"The reigning Gamma has always been the commander of the Grey Order."

The realization settled over the room like a dark storm cloud.

"But none of this makes sense," Leonard whispered, almost to himself. "I never wanted the throne."

Emotion tightened his voice.

"I never wanted Lucien dead."

"He was like my little brother."

His eyes glistened as he swallowed hard.

"I made a promise to their father that I would protect both of them."

He looked helplessly at Victor.

"So why would Alaric ever believe I wanted this? Why would he think I'd order something so monstrous?"

Victor hesitated before answering.

"I don't think he believed he was acting on his own."

Leonard frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Victor leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees.

"He always talked about a contact."

"A contact?" Leonard echoed.

Victor nodded.

"He said he wasn't receiving instructions directly from you. According to him, someone close to you was passing along your orders."

Daniel's expression darkened.

"Who?"

Victor looked from Daniel to Leonard. For the first time since beginning his confession, uncertainty crossed his face.

"You won't believe me."

Leonard held his gaze without blinking.

"Try me."

Victor drew in a long, unsteady breath.

"It was Evelyn. He was receiving orders from Evelyn."

The words exploded through the room like a clap of thunder.

Leonard froze.

Every trace of color disappeared from his face as his lips parted in stunned disbelief.

"My..." His voice cracked.

"My wife?"