Chapter 10 - MRS. HARGROVE’S REAL NAME
“Move away from her.”
Mrs. Hargrove’s voice carried across the roof.
Dominic released Marcus.
Evelyn stood slowly.
“You.”
Mrs. Hargrove smiled.
“You remember me.”
Dominic looked between them.
“What is this?”
Evelyn’s eyes filled with hatred.
“Her name isn’t Margaret Hargrove.”
Mrs. Hargrove’s expression tightened.
Evelyn continued.
“Her name is Margaret Vale.”
Dominic stared.
“No.”
“She’s your father’s daughter.”
Silence.
Dominic’s father had lived two separate lives before Dominic was born.
One legitimate family.
One hidden relationship.
Margaret was the child he never publicly acknowledged.
“She believed the Vale empire belonged to her,” Evelyn said.
Mrs. Hargrove laughed.
“Believed?”
Her eyes flashed.
“It did belong to me.”
Dominic stared at her.
“You raised me.”
“I watched your father give you everything.”
“You were family.”
“I was staff.”
The bitterness in her voice was decades old.
“When he died, you inherited billions.”
She pointed at herself.
“I inherited a monthly salary.”
Dominic shook his head.
“So you tried to kill Evelyn?”
“She found the financial transfers.”
Marcus interrupted.
“She forced us to move early.”
Mrs. Hargrove shot him a cold look.
“You talk too much.”
Marcus realized too late.
She fired.
The bullet hit him in the chest.
He collapsed.
Dominic moved.
Mrs. Hargrove pointed the gun at Noah.
“Another step and the boy dies.”
Everything stopped.
Clara slowly shifted closer.
Mrs. Hargrove noticed.
“You.”
She smiled.
“The little maid Evelyn chose years ago.”
Clara stared.
“You knew she remembered me?”
“Of course.”
“Then why hire me?”
Mrs. Hargrove’s smile widened.
“Because your mother had the missing evidence.”
Helen.
The documents.
The old property.
Clara understood.
“You wanted me inside the house so you could use me to find it.”
“Exactly.”
Mrs. Hargrove looked at Evelyn.
“But then Noah recognized her.”
Noah clung to his mother.
Mrs. Hargrove raised the gun.
Dominic said, “Margaret.”
She looked at him.
“You want the Vale companies?”
“Yes.”
“Take them.”
He lowered his weapon.
“Every dollar.”
Mrs. Hargrove stared.
“You expect me to believe you?”
Dominic looked at Noah.
“I finally understand what matters.”
For a moment, something uncertain crossed Margaret’s face.
Clara used it.
She kicked the gun.
It fired.
Evelyn screamed.
The bullet struck Dominic.
He dropped.
“Dad!”
May you like
Noah ran toward him.
And Margaret grabbed Noah first.
