Chapter 5 - What Victoria Never Said
Victoria did not deny Adrian used Mara.
She denied knowing why.
We sat in the same library where she had apologized to me.
This time I did not care about apologies.
“Where is she?”
“I don’t know.”
“When did she leave?”
“Two days after Rafael died.”
“That does not bother you?”
“It bothered me.”
“Enough to ask questions?”
Victoria looked away.
“No.”
I laughed.
“Of course.”
She slapped the arm of the chair.
“Do you think fear is simple?”
“No.”
“I have spent forty years cleaning up after men in this family.”
“And you trained Claudia to do the same.”
Her face tightened.
I continued.
“You saw the pendant. You suspected who I was. You kept quiet.”
“Yes.”
“Adrian asked about Isabel’s granddaughter after Rafael died.”
“Yes.”
“And you still did nothing.”
“Yes.”
The honesty landed harder than an excuse.
I leaned forward.
“What happened the night Isabel disappeared?”
Victoria’s eyes closed.
“She came to my room.”
“She was pregnant?”
“Eight months.”
“With Elena?”
“Yes.”
“She asked you for help.”
Victoria nodded.
“Our father had arranged a private clinic. He planned to take the baby.”
My fingers went cold.
“What?”
“He said the child would be adopted and Isabel sent to Europe.”
“Did she agree?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I gave her cash.”
Victoria’s voice cracked.
“I gave her my coat. I drove her to the bus station.”
“You helped her escape.”
“Yes.”
“Why lie about it?”
“Because our father threatened Rafael.”
I stared.
“What did Rafael have to do with it?”
“He was fourteen.”
Too young.
Too vulnerable.
“Our father said if I ever told anyone Isabel left alive, Rafael would lose everything too.”
“And later?”
“I got older.”
“Yes.”
“You could have told.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t.”
“No.”
The word sat between us.
Then she said:
“When Rafael found out the baby survived, he never forgave me.”
I looked at her.
“He knew you helped Isabel.”
“He knew I stayed silent afterward.”
“Why did he keep you in the will?”
Victoria smiled sadly.
“Rafael believed punishment and family could occupy the same room.”
A knock.
Bell entered carrying toxicology.
“Victoria.”
She stood.
“What?”
“The sedative.”
He placed the report down.
“Same medication used in one of Montenegro’s private rehabilitation clinics.”
Victoria frowned.
“So?”
“The ordering physician was Adrian.”
Her face emptied.
Bell continued.
“Rafael received unexplained doses on three dates.”
He showed us.
Each date matched meetings with Bell about estate amendments.
My skin tightened.
Then Claudia burst into the room.
Her breathing came fast.
“Dad knows.”
Victoria stood.
“Knows what?”
“That you opened Box 317.”
I stared at her.
“How?”
Claudia held out her phone.
Message from Adrian.
BRING ME THE NECKLACE.
NOW.
Then another.
IF LUCIA HAS THE LEDGER, DO NOT LET HER LEAVE.
May you like
CUT.
