Chapter 6 - VICTORIA’S CHOICE
Arthur returned home late the following night.
Victoria was waiting outside.
Alone.
No driver.
No father.
No brother.
Arthur stopped several feet from her.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
“I need to talk to you.”
“Call my attorney.”
“Arthur, please.”
He studied her.
The arrogance was gone.
She looked exhausted.
“Five minutes.”
They entered the study.
Victoria saw the papers on his desk.
Evelyn’s ledger sat on top.
Her face changed instantly.
“Where did you get that?”
“So you recognize it.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“My father said it was destroyed.”
Arthur felt the last piece fall into place.
“You knew.”
“Some of it.”
“How much?”
Victoria sat down.
“When I was nineteen, Dad asked me to sign documents.”
Arthur remained standing.
“I trusted him.”
“When did you learn what they were?”
“Years later.”
“And then?”
Victoria looked away.
Arthur’s voice sharpened.
“And then, Victoria?”
“I helped him.”
Silence.
There it was.
No excuse.
No misunderstanding.
She had chosen.
“Why?”
“Because by then my name was everywhere.”
“You could have gone to the police.”
“And said what?”
She laughed bitterly.
“That my father had used my identity for years and I had signed dozens of documents?”
“You could have told me.”
“I was afraid you’d leave.”
Arthur stared at her.
“You were more afraid of losing this life than of destroying other people’s lives.”
Victoria didn’t answer.
Arthur thought of Maya.
Elena.
Lucas.
Rosa.
Evelyn.
All people who had far less power than Victoria.
Yet Victoria had used what little power she possessed to hurt them too.
“You became him.”
Victoria flinched.
“No.”
“Yes.”
Arthur stepped closer.
“You knew what it felt like to be controlled by Charles.”
His voice remained quiet.
“And instead of protecting people beneath you, you controlled them.”
Tears appeared in Victoria’s eyes.
“I was angry.”
“At Maya?”
“No.”
“At yourself?”
Victoria finally looked at him.
“At everyone.”
Arthur shook his head.
“That explains it.”
Victoria seemed hopeful for half a second.
Then Arthur finished.
“It doesn’t excuse it.”
Her hope disappeared.
She reached into her purse.
“I brought something.”
A flash drive.
Arthur didn’t touch it.
“What’s on it?”
“Everything I could copy.”
“From where?”
“My father’s private server.”
Arthur stared at her.
Victoria continued.
“Bank records.”
“Contracts.”
“Names.”
“Payments.”
“And Harbor Street?”
Victoria nodded.
Arthur finally took the drive.
“Why give me this?”
“Because Dad knows Marcus talked to you.”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
“Where is Marcus?”
“I don’t know.”
“What do you mean?”
“He disappeared yesterday.”
Arthur immediately grabbed his phone.
Victoria stopped him.
“Wait.”
“What?”
“My father thinks Marcus stole something.”
“What?”
Victoria whispered.
“The master ledger.”
Arthur looked toward Evelyn’s documents.
“Another ledger?”
Victoria nodded.
“The real one.”
“What’s in it?”
“Everything.”
Her voice dropped.
“Every politician.”
“Every executive.”
“Every judge.”
“Every person Dad paid or threatened.”
Arthur stared at her.
“And if Marcus has it?”
“My father will do anything to get it back.”
Arthur called Rachel.
No answer.
He called Daniel.
No answer.
Then his phone rang.
Rachel.
Arthur answered.
Her voice was urgent.
“Arthur, somebody broke into the guest property.”
His blood went cold.
“Maya?”
“They’re safe.”
Arthur exhaled.
“But whoever came wasn’t looking for Maya.”
“What were they looking for?”
Rachel paused.
“Marcus.”
Arthur stared at Victoria.
May you like
Rachel continued.
“Because Marcus Ashford is here.”
