Chapter 137: The truth of Victor Kane.
At Noah’s office...
The assistant hurried into the office, his expression tense.
"Sir, I’ve uncovered something about Victor Kane." He quickly placed a file on the desk.
After a brief hesitation, he spoke in a grave voice. "Victor Kane is actually a member of the Rowan family."
"What?"
Noah immediately pulled the file toward him and flipped it open, scanning the documents.
"The investigation confirmed it," the assistant continued. "His father and Arthur Rowan were half-brothers. Victor’s father was born to Arthur Rowan’s father’s mistress, but the Rowan family never acknowledged him."
Noah’s brows furrowed as he read the report.
It was true.
The former head of the Rowan family had fathered an illegitimate son who had never been recognized. Everything suddenly began to make sense.
"So that’s why he hates the Rowans..." Noah murmured in a daze.
The assistant nodded. "Years ago, after Arthur Rowan’s son passed away, Victor tried to seize control of the Rowan empire. He spread rumors that Novacrest Global was on the verge of collapse. He targeted their supply chains, poached their clients, and did everything possible to destroy Arthur Rowan while the family was grieving."
Noah listened quietly. He could almost picture the chaos Victor had created.
"The company did suffer for a time," the assistant continued, "but Arthur Rowan handled the crisis brilliantly. He restored the clients’ confidence, rebuilt the supply chain, and crushed every rumor Victor spread."
Noah slowly closed the file. He knew better than anyone how devastating a business crisis could be.
Winning back investors and clients after losing their trust was never easy.
He himself was still struggling to stabilize Sinclair Group. Yet Arthur Rowan had managed to protect an entire business empire while mourning the loss of his own son.
Noah couldn’t help but admire the old man. It inspired him. He thought he could also fight the current business crisis and stabilize the situation.
"And when Elias Rowan took over Novacrest Global," the assistant continued, "he systematically eliminated everyone who had tried to take advantage of the company. He cut off Victor’s major clients and pushed Orion Holdings out of several markets. Victor has spent the last five years trying to recover."
Noah slowly nodded. "So that’s why Elias is so ruthless."
"He had no choice," the assistant replied. "People like Victor only understand strength."
He looked at Noah seriously. "Which is exactly why we should stay away from him. Getting involved with Victor Kane would be suicidal."
Noah silently agreed. If Victor was willing to destroy his own relatives for power...
There was no telling what he might do next.
"There is something else." The assistant’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Arthur Rowan has long suspected Victor of orchestrating the murder of his son and daughter-in-law."
Noah looked up sharply. "What?"
"The police never found enough evidence to charge him," the assistant explained. He pointed at the documents.
"The official investigation concluded that armed burglars broke into the family’s residence and massacred everyone inside."
Noah quickly turned to the relevant pages.
The reports described the tragedy in detail.
At the time, the Rowans had been living in France. One bloody night had nearly wiped out the entire family.
Shortly afterwards, Arthur Rowan had moved the family back home.
A chill ran through Noah.
Victor wasn’t merely ambitious. He was dangerous. To achieve his goal, he could do anything.
If he had truly been involved in that murder back then, he could do the same again. The thought sent an uneasy feeling through Noah’s chest.
Without realizing it, Noah tightened his grip on the file.
He was afraid Elena would get hurt.
The assistant broke the silence. "Five years ago, Elias moved Novacrest Global’s headquarters to this city. The France branch is still operating, but most of the company’s core business has been transferred here."
Noah’s thoughts remained elsewhere. He suddenly remembered something.
"What about Victor’s partner? The one he mentioned during the meeting. Have you found anything?"
The assistant shook his head. "Not yet. But I’ve already assigned people to keep Victor under surveillance. The moment we discover anything, I’ll report it."
Noah gave a slight nod. "Good."
With a slight wave, he signaled him to leave.
The assistant bowed before quietly leaving the office.
Left alone, Noah leaned back in his chair. His eyes drifted toward the ceiling.
’Who is Victor’s mysterious partner? And what exactly are they planning?’
Before he could think further, his phone rang. The caller ID displayed Richard Sinclair.
Noah answered immediately.
"Hello?"
Richard’s cold voice came through the receiver.
"My office."
The call ended.
Noah frowned. Judging by his father’s tone. Richard was furious.
’What happened this time?’
Without wasting another second, he headed for the chairman’s office.
The moment Noah entered, Richard’s icy glare met him.
"You met Victor Kane," Richard said without preamble. "But you still haven’t finalized the partnership."
His voice was filled with irritation. "What exactly is going on?"
Noah had expected this conversation. He calmly took a seat.
"I don’t think working with Victor Kane is a good idea."
Richard’s expression darkened. "No."
Noah’s tone was firm. "Sinclair Group will not be partnering with Orion Holdings."
Richard slammed his palm onto the desk. "They approached us with a partnership offer, and you are rejecting it?"
His voice rose with every word. "The company is already in crisis. Clients are walking away. Projects are being cancelled."
He glared at Noah.
"We should be grateful someone is still willing to work with us. And yet you are turning them down."
Noah remained composed. "We can’t accept every offer simply because we are under pressure."
He met Richard’s eyes. "A bad partnership could cause even greater damage in the future. I need more time."
Richard frowned. For the first time, he wondered whether Victor had attached unreasonable conditions to the deal.
Still, Sinclair Group desperately needed a powerful ally. "We are in no position to negotiate," Richard said sternly. "If we keep Victor waiting, he may withdraw his offer altogether."
Noah thought for a moment. His father was already overwhelmed by the company’s troubles.
There was no point telling him that Victor wanted to use Sinclair Group in his private war against the Rowans. It would only add to his burden.
"I only need a few more days." His voice remained calm. "If Victor chooses to walk away, that’s his decision."
He paused before continuing. "Sinclair Group existed long before Novacrest Global or Orion Holdings entered the picture."
His confidence steadily grew. "For years, we’ve built this company with our own strength. We are fully capable of standing on our own."
He looked directly at his father. "Give me time. I’ll restore this company."
Richard studied his son in silence. For the first time in a long while, he saw confidence instead of recklessness. After a moment of consideration, he finally nodded.
"Fine. I’ll give you one month. If you recover our losses and bring new clients to Sinclair Group, I won’t interfere with your decisions again."
His expression turned stern. "But if you fail, you’ll do exactly as I say."
Noah rose from his chair. "One month is enough. I won’t disappoint you."