Chapter 7 - THE WOMAN WHO OWNED EVERYONE
Victoria had disappeared from the estate.
So had three company vehicles.
Two suitcases.
Several hard drives.
And twenty-eight million euros from an offshore account.
But she had left something behind.
A message.
It arrived on Isabella’s phone.
A video.
Victoria sat in an unknown room.
Perfectly composed.
“If you are watching this, Isabella, then you have chosen strangers over your family.”
Isabella stared at the screen.
“I gave you everything.”
“I protected you from scandal.”
“I protected you from Thomas.”
“I protected you from your own weakness.”
“And this is how you repay me.”
Victoria leaned closer.
“Gabriel will never inherit the Laurent estate.”
“Because by sunrise, there will be no Laurent estate left to inherit.”
The video ended.
Adrian called the company’s CFO.
No answer.
He called again.
Nothing.
Rosa whispered.
“She’s liquidating everything.”
Isabella shook her head.
“She can’t.”
“She controls the holding company.”
“Not entirely.”
Everyone looked at Rosa.
“Your grandfather anticipated this.”
“What do you mean?”
Rosa smiled faintly.
“He left a second will.”
Victoria had spent seven years believing she had destroyed every copy.
She had not.
Rosa had hidden the original.
Under its terms, if Gabriel was alive, control of the family trust transferred immediately to him.
Until his eighteenth birthday, the trustee would control the assets.
Adrian asked the obvious question.
“Who is the trustee?”
Rosa looked at Isabella.
“Not her.”
Isabella closed her eyes.
“Who?”
“Elena Ruiz.”
Across the hospital corridor, Elena stared at Rosa in disbelief.
“Me?”
“Isabella’s grandfather trusted you.”
Victoria had tried to murder Gabriel.
But if Gabriel survived, the woman she treated like a servant would control the Laurent fortune.
Adrian almost admired the old man’s foresight.
Almost.
Elena shook her head.
“I don’t want their money.”
“You may not have a choice.”
Mateo appeared behind her.
“I don’t want it either.”
Adrian crouched beside him.
“It isn’t about wanting money.”
“It belongs to you.”
Mateo looked toward Isabella.
“Because she’s my mother?”
Adrian shook his head.
“Because your great-grandfather wanted you protected.”
Mateo thought for a moment.
“Can money make people stop lying?”
Nobody answered.
Then Adrian’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A man spoke.
“Adrian Whitmore?”
“Yes.”
“My name is Daniel Mercer.”
“I represented Thomas before his death.”
Adrian froze.
“What do you want?”
“To finish what your brother started.”
“Where are you?”
“Madrid.”
“And Adrian?”
“Yes?”
May you like
“Do not trust Rosa.”
The call ended.
