Chapter 18 - VICTORIA'S LAST PERFORMANCE
Victoria never reached the front door.
Security surrounded her.
She dropped the gasoline can and raised both hands.
“Tell Ethan I need to speak to him.”
Daniel refused.
Victoria laughed.
“If I wanted to burn the house, I wouldn’t announce myself at the gate.”
Ethan watched through the camera feed.
Rosa stood beside him.
“She wants us frightened.”
“No.”
Ethan studied Victoria’s face.
“She wants us watching her.”
That meant something else was happening.
“Check the property.”
Daniel sent teams through every wing.
Nothing.
Then Rosa suddenly turned.
“Lily.”
They ran upstairs.
Lily’s room was empty.
Rosa screamed her name.
Ethan’s blood turned cold.
A window stood open.
But there were no signs anyone had climbed through it.
Then they heard music.
A single piano note.
From downstairs.
Lily stood beside the ruined piano.
Safe.
Holding Button.
Rosa nearly collapsed with relief.
“What are you doing down here?”
Lily pointed toward the floor.
“Lady said Daddy needed this.”
Rosa froze.
“What lady?”
Lily pointed toward Victoria on the security monitor.
“That lady.”
Ethan crouched.
“Victoria talked to you?”
Lily shook her head.
“No.”
“Phone lady.”
Daniel searched Lily’s tablet.
A children’s game had received a hidden voice message.
Victoria had somehow used an account linked to the family network.
The message told Lily to retrieve something under the piano bench and leave it beside the instrument.
Rosa looked furious.
“What was she trying to get?”
Lily held out Button.
Inside the stuffed rabbit’s loose seam was something hard.
Rosa stared.
“I didn’t put that there.”
Daniel carefully opened the seam.
A tiny flash drive fell out.
Ethan understood immediately.
Claire.
She had given Lily the rabbit several weeks earlier after Lily left the hospital.
Claire had hidden evidence where no conspirator would search.
Inside the drive were full recordings.
Hugh.
Edward.
Claire.
Victoria.
Payments.
Instructions.
And one video conference recorded four days before the canceled wedding.
Victoria appeared on screen.
“If the child becomes recognized before I marry Ethan, the entire arrangement changes.”
Hugh answered.
“Then postpone the paternity issue.”
Victoria leaned closer to the camera.
“No.”
“I’m tired of postponing problems.”
The recording became silent for several seconds.
Then Victoria said something that ended every question about her intentions.
“After the wedding, Rosa and the girl disappear from the Caldwell property.”
“How permanently is their decision.”
Rosa covered her mouth.
Ethan stared at the screen.
Outside, Victoria remained surrounded by security.
She had come because she knew Claire’s final evidence existed.
She had used Lily to retrieve it.
And she had almost succeeded.
Ethan walked outside.
Victoria smiled when she saw him.
“There you are.”
Ethan stopped several feet away.
“The wedding is over.”
Victoria shrugged.
“That happened weeks ago.”
“No.”
Ethan looked directly at her.
“I mean the fantasy.”
“The money.”
“The company.”
“The name.”
“The future you thought you were stealing.”
Her smile faded.
Sirens sounded beyond the gates.
Victoria looked toward them.
Then back at Ethan.
For the first time, she understood.
He was not threatening her.
May you like
He was saying goodbye.
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