Victoria's secret

Victoria Blackwood was having breakfast when Adrian walked into the mansion.

She looked up calmly.

“You came back.”

Adrian didn't sit.

“Where were you last night?”

Victoria placed her cup down.

“That's an interesting question.”

“I found a message in Grandfather's private archive.”

Her expression changed for less than a second.

But Adrian noticed.

“What message?”

He placed the paper on the table.

Victoria picked it up and read it.

Her face slowly lost its color.

“Where did you get this?”

“That's not important.”

“It is to me.”

“Then tell me what happened.”

Victoria looked toward the doorway.

“Send the staff away.”

Adrian turned toward the servants.

“Leave us.”

One by one, they disappeared.

When the room was finally empty, Victoria stood.

“You shouldn't be investigating this.”

“Why?”

“Because there are things you don't understand.”

“I understand that you destroyed Elena's life.”

Victoria flinched.

“I was trying to protect you.”

“You threatened her family.”

“Yes.”

“You forced her to disappear.”

“I did what I believed was necessary.”

Adrian stared at her.

“You don't get to decide who I love.”

Victoria's eyes filled with tears.

“I know.”

It was the first time she had admitted it.

Adrian's anger faltered for a moment.

“What happened?”

Victoria walked toward the window.

“When you were born, your grandfather was already fighting with Charles Vale.”

“Why?”

“Because Charles wanted what your grandfather had taken from him.”

“The company?”

“Not only the company.”

Adrian waited.

Victoria turned around.

“There was an agreement.”

“I know.”

“You don't know everything.”

“Then tell me.”

Victoria shook her head.

“I can't.”

“Why?”

“Because if I tell you, you may never forgive me.”

Adrian's voice hardened.

“You've already given me enough reasons.”

Victoria looked down at the floor.

“The night the agreement disappeared, I was there.”

Adrian froze.

“What happened?”

“Your grandfather ordered the file removed.”

“Why?”

“Because someone had discovered the truth.”

“What truth?”

Victoria's eyes filled with fear.

“Your grandfather had promised something he could never give.”

Adrian stepped closer.

“What?”

Victoria opened her mouth.

Then stopped.

A faint noise came from the hallway.

Both of them turned.

“What was that?” Adrian asked.

“I don't know.”

Adrian moved toward the door.

Victoria grabbed his arm.

“Wait.”

He looked at her.

“Someone could be listening.”

“That's what I was thinking.”

Adrian slowly opened the door.

The corridor was empty.

He looked left.

Then right.

Nobody was there.

But something lay on the floor.

An envelope.

Adrian picked it up.

Victoria's face changed.

“Don't.”

He looked at her.

“Why?”

“I don't know who left it.”

“That's exactly why I'm opening it.”

He tore it open.

Inside was a photograph.

Elena's father.

Victoria.

And Alexander.

Together.

The photograph looked old.

Very old.

Adrian stared at it.

His mother was much younger in the picture.

His grandfather stood beside her.

And Daniel Bennett was standing only a few steps away.

Adrian turned the photograph over.

There were words written across the back.

SHE WAS THERE TOO.

His blood ran cold.

He looked at his mother.

“What does this mean?”

Victoria said nothing.

“Mother.”

Still nothing.

“You told me you barely knew Elena's family.”

“I never said that.”

“You allowed me to believe it.”

“I was trying to protect you.”

“Stop saying that!”

His voice echoed through the mansion.

Victoria looked away.

Adrian held up the photograph.

“You knew Daniel.”

“Yes.”

“You knew Elena's family.”

“Yes.”

“And you knew about the agreement.”

Victoria nodded.

Adrian took a step toward her.

“Did you know Elena was going to leave?”

Victoria's eyes closed.

“Yes.”

Adrian felt as though he had been struck.

“You knew?”

“I knew your grandfather wanted her gone.”

“And you helped him.”

“I thought I was protecting you.”

“You keep saying that as if it makes everything acceptable.”

“It doesn't.”

Victoria's voice cracked.

“But I was afraid.”

“Afraid of what?”

She looked at him.

“Of what would happen if Elena stayed.”

“What would happen?”

Victoria hesitated.

“Your grandfather believed Elena's family possessed information that could destroy the Blackwood name.”

Adrian frowned.

“What information?”

“I never knew everything.”

“But you knew enough.”

“Yes.”

“Then why didn't you tell me?”

“Because your grandfather warned me that if I interfered, you would be the one who paid the price.”

Adrian went silent.

For the first time, he saw genuine fear in his mother's eyes.

“Did he threaten me?”

Victoria nodded.

“He said he would remove you from the company, cut you off from the family, and make sure Elena's family disappeared completely.”

Adrian's jaw tightened.

“And you believed him?”

“I knew what he was capable of.”

Adrian looked away.

His entire childhood suddenly felt like a carefully constructed lie.

Then he remembered something.

“Where is Dad?”

Victoria froze.

“Why?”

“Because the message I found said I should ask him what happened the night Elena disappeared.”

Victoria's face went pale.

Adrian noticed immediately.

“You know something.”

“Adrian…”

“Where is my father?”

“He's at the office.”

Adrian pulled out his phone.

He called Richard.

No answer.

He called again.

Still nothing.

Then his phone vibrated.

A message.

Unknown number.

ADRIAN, STOP ASKING QUESTIONS.

He stared at it.

Another message appeared.

YOUR FATHER KNOWS WHY ELENA HAD TO DISAPPEAR.

Adrian's expression hardened.

He showed the screen to Victoria.

She looked terrified.

“Who is sending these?”

“I don't know.”

“You're lying.”

“I'm not.”

“Then tell me the truth.”

Victoria's voice dropped to a whisper.

“Your father was there that night.”

Adrian froze.

“My father?”

Victoria nodded.

“And if you want the truth…”

She looked toward the window.

“…you need to ask Richard what happened the night Elena disappeared.”

Adrian's heart began pounding.

Because suddenly, he understood something.

His mother hadn't been acting alone.

His grandfather had known.

His mother had known.

And now he had to find out whether his father had known everything from the beginning.

Adrian turned toward the door.

“I'm going to find him.”

Victoria grabbed his arm.

“Adrian, wait.”

He stopped.

“What?”

“Before you confront your father, remember this.”

“What?”

Victoria looked directly into his eyes.

“Not everyone who claims they want to help you is on your side.”

Adrian pulled his arm free.

“Then I'll find out who is.”

He walked away.

Victoria remained standing in the empty room.

She looked down at the old photograph.

Then she whispered to herself,

“God help us if Adrian finds the second file.”

Outside the mansion, Adrian stopped beside his car.

His phone vibrated again.

He looked at the screen.

One final message appeared.

THE SECOND FILE IS ALREADY IN YOUR FATHER'S HANDS.

Adrian stared at the words.

Then he looked toward the mansion.

For the first time, he wondered if the greatest threat to Elena had never been outside the Blackwood family.

Maybe it had been inside all along.