Chapter 14 - THE NANNY’S SECRET
Victor found Nora packing.
Not running.
Packing.
Sophie’s clothes were neatly folded into a suitcase.
Nora looked up when he entered.
“You know.”
Victor closed the door.
“Were you ever going to tell me?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I came here for Serena.”
Victor stared.
“You knew who she was.”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“The day you announced your engagement.”
Victor’s jaw tightened.
“You deliberately became Sophie’s nanny.”
“Yes.”
“To spy on Serena.”
“Yes.”
Victor stepped closer.
“My daughter was part of your revenge plan?”
Nora’s eyes flashed.
“No.”
“Never.”
“I came here because I thought Serena had helped my family destroy me.”
“And then?”
“I realized she was a prisoner too.”
Victor laughed bitterly.
“A prisoner who hit my son.”
“I didn’t say she was innocent.”
“Then why protect her?”
“I didn’t.”
Victor pointed toward the suitcase.
“Then why are you leaving?”
Nora’s voice softened.
“Because Sophie is safe.”
“And Serena is exposed.”
“My job is done.”
Victor stared.
“What happened when you were a child?”
Nora sat.
“My father was a federal prosecutor.”
“He was building a financial case involving Robert Blackwood.”
Victor’s expression changed.
“My father.”
“Yes.”
“Evelyn wanted his evidence.”
“She used Serena to get inside our home.”
“Serena was seventeen.”
“She was scared.”
“Evelyn threatened her.”
“One night, Evelyn came herself.”
“I saw her searching my father’s office.”
“I screamed.”
“She chased me onto the balcony.”
Victor listened.
“She grabbed me.”
“I fell.”
“How far?”
“Two stories.”
Victor looked horrified.
“I survived.”
“Broken pelvis.”
“Broken ribs.”
“Months in a hospital.”
“My father dropped the case afterward.”
“Why?”
“Evelyn threatened my younger brother.”
Victor sat opposite her.
“Why didn’t you go to police now?”
“I did.”
“What?”
Nora reached into her bag.
She placed a federal identification card on the table.
Victor stared.
“Nora Hayes isn’t my full name.”
“Nora Hayes Bennett.”
“I’m a financial crimes investigator.”
Victor’s mouth opened slightly.
“You’ve been investigating my family.”
“Yes.”
“All this time.”
“Yes.”
“Marcus knows?”
“No.”
“Damian?”
“No.”
Victor stood.
“Then who do you report to?”
Nora’s eyes hardened.
“That’s the problem.”
“My supervisor was feeding information to Evelyn.”
Victor felt the final puzzle piece slide into place.
“That’s how they found the lake house.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
Nora hesitated.
“Special Agent Richard Cole.”
Victor recognized the name.
Cole had led parts of the investigation into Serena’s disappearance.
“You’re sure?”
“I found wire transfers.”
Victor immediately called Marcus.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
Victor’s stomach tightened.
He ran toward the security office.
Empty.
A monitor displayed live feeds from the mansion.
One screen showed Ethan in the library.
Another showed Martha carrying Sophie.
A third showed Damian walking toward the west hall.
Then every screen went black.
Victor whispered, “No.”
His phone rang.
Marcus.
Victor answered.
“Where are you?”
Marcus’s voice was strained.
“Victor, listen.”
A gunshot cracked through the line.
“Marcus!”
A different voice came on.
Calm.
Professional.
Richard Cole.
“Mr. Blackwood.”
Victor’s blood froze.
“Where are my children?”
“Exactly where I need them.”
Victor looked toward Nora.
Cole continued.
“Bring Serena’s bank key to the old Blackwood mansion office.”
“Come alone.”
Victor clenched the phone.
“If you touch them—”
Cole laughed.
“You billionaires always say that.”
Then Ethan’s voice came faintly in the background.
“Dad!”
Victor shut his eyes.
Cole said:
“Ten minutes.”
The call ended.
Nora grabbed her weapon.
Victor looked at her.
“He said alone.”
“And you’ve seen how well that worked last time.”
Victor looked toward the black security screens.
Then one monitor flickered back to life.
A single camera feed appeared.
The old office.
Ethan sat tied to a chair.
Martha held Sophie.
A gun pressed against her head.
Damian was on his knees.
And standing behind them was someone Victor never expected to see again.
His father’s closest business partner.
Senator William Cross.
Victor stared.
Nora whispered:
“This was never Evelyn’s operation.”
Victor looked at her.
May you like
She shook her head.
“She was working for him.”
