Chapter 9 - The Woman Who Was Supposed To Replace Me
Victoria Whitmore placed the folder on the table.
Nobody touched it.
Nobody spoke.
But everyone knew.
That folder mattered.
Callan looked at her.
“Why are you here?”
Victoria smiled.
“You know why.”
Melissa looked relieved.
Almost happy.
And that scared me more than anything.
Because Victoria’s arrival didn’t surprise her.
She expected this.
“You called her.”
I looked at Melissa.
She didn’t deny it.
“She needs to know the truth.”
I laughed.
“The truth?”
“Funny.”
“Your family has spent days lying to me.”
Victoria looked at me.
“You have no idea what you married into.”
I stared at her.
“Then explain.”
She opened the folder.
Inside were documents.
Photos.
Records.
My name appeared on several pages.
My hands went cold.
“What is this?”
Victoria looked at Callan.
“You didn’t tell her?”
He didn’t answer.
That was enough.
Victoria smiled.
“I knew it.”
“You married her without telling her.”
I looked at Callan.
“What is she talking about?”
He looked broken.
“Anastasia…”
“No.”
I stepped back.
“Tell me.”
Victoria placed a document in front of me.
A financial agreement.
My name.
Callan’s name.
And a date.
Before our wedding.
“What is this?”
Victoria answered.
“A contract.”
I looked at Callan.
“You signed this?”
He stayed silent.
My heart sank.
“What contract?”
Victoria smiled.
“The one that made your marriage valuable.”
I felt sick.
“What does that mean?”
She leaned closer.
“It means your family’s properties were the only thing keeping Harrington Holdings alive.”
Everything went quiet.
I looked at Callan.
“Is that true?”
His silence answered me.
I felt betrayed all over again.
Not because of money.
Because I finally understood.
My marriage had been surrounded by secrets from the beginning.
I had thought I was chosen because I was loved.
Maybe I was chosen because I was useful.
Victoria continued.
“Your father discovered what the Harringtons were doing.”
“What were they doing?”
She looked at Melissa.
Then back at me.
“Your father found proof that money was being stolen from the company.”
My eyes widened.
“And he was killed because of it?”
Nobody answered.
But I saw the fear.
That was enough.
Then Victoria said the sentence that changed everything.
“Your father was not the only person who knew.”
I looked at her.
“Who else?”
Victoria looked at Callan.
“Your husband.”
I froze.
“No.”
Callan immediately stepped forward.
“That’s not true.”
Victoria laughed.
“Then tell her.”
“Tell her what you saw that night.”
The room became silent.
I looked at Callan.
“Callan?”
His face was pale.
Because he knew.
The truth was finally coming out.
“What did you see?”
He opened his mouth.
But no words came.
Then Victoria whispered,
“Tell your wife how your father begged you to hide the evidence…”
“And how you chose your family over the truth.”
I felt my entire world collapse.
I looked at the man I married.
The man who promised forever.
The man who slapped me.
The man who claimed he loved me.
And I asked the only question that mattered.
“Callan…”
“Did you help them cover up my father’s death?”
He looked at me.
His eyes filled with tears.
Then he whispered,
“I was sixteen.”
“But yes.”
May you like
“I did.”
TO BE CONTINUED...
