Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN BEHIND THE FAMILY
Helena Moretti arrived at Ashford Manor the next morning dressed in black.
She acted offended when security searched her purse.
“This is my family’s home.”
Adrian waited in the library.
Emily sat across the room with Noah asleep beside her on a leather couch.
He had been discharged after several hours of observation.
Adrian insisted they stay at the manor until the threat was over.
Helena entered.
She looked at Emily first.
Then Noah.
Then Adrian.
“What is she doing here?”
Adrian’s voice was calm.
“She has a name.”
Helena removed her gloves.
“I heard about Victor.”
“He’s in surgery.”
“You shot him.”
“No.”
“My men did.”
Helena sighed.
“This family has become a circus.”
Adrian held up Victor’s phone.
Her expression changed almost imperceptibly.
Marcus saw it.
So did Adrian.
“What does H stand for?”
Helena stared at him.
“Half the alphabet?”
Adrian placed the phone on the table.
“Victor was working with someone.”
Helena’s eyes hardened.
“Be careful.”
“Is that advice?”
“A warning.”
Emily shifted.
Helena noticed.
“You.”
Emily stood.
“Mrs. Moretti.”
“You’re the maid who interrupted the wedding.”
“Housekeeper.”
“I don’t care.”
Adrian’s voice sharpened.
“I do.”
Helena turned toward him.
Adrian continued.
“You will speak to her respectfully.”
Helena smiled faintly.
“Oh.”
“I see.”
“What do you see?”
“A wounded man grabbing onto the first woman who showed him kindness.”
Emily’s face flushed.
Adrian didn’t react.
“You ordered the shooting.”
Helena stopped smiling.
“No.”
“Victor said you were involved.”
“He said many things.”
“He has your messages.”
“Messages can be faked.”
Adrian leaned back.
“Then you won’t mind Marcus giving your phone to federal investigators.”
Helena’s eyes flashed.
“No.”
There it was.
One word.
Too quick.
Too frightened.
Marcus stepped forward.
“Phone.”
Helena backed away.
“You have no authority.”
“In this house?”
Adrian said.
“I have all of it.”
Helena reached inside her coat.
Security drew weapons.
Emily grabbed Noah.
But Helena didn’t pull a gun.
She pulled a second phone.
Then smashed it against the fireplace.
Marcus lunged.
Too late.
The device shattered.
Helena smiled.
“Oops.”
Adrian stared at the broken pieces.
“You just confirmed everything.”
“No.”
“I confirmed you’ve become paranoid.”
Adrian rolled closer.
“Why?”
Helena looked at him for a long moment.
Then her face changed.
The polished society woman disappeared.
Something colder emerged.
“Your father promised everything would pass to Victor.”
Adrian frowned.
“My father hated Victor.”
“He hated weakness more.”
Her voice rose.
“Then you came along.”
“The golden son.”
“The smart one.”
“The disciplined one.”
“You got everything.”
“Victor got scraps.”
Adrian’s expression stayed flat.
“So you tried to murder me.”
“I tried to correct a mistake.”
Emily stared in horror.
Helena looked at Adrian’s chair.
“The bullet was supposed to kill you.”
“It failed.”
“And when you survived…”
She smiled.
“…I realized leaving you alive might be better.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“Why?”
“You became cautious.”
“Predictable.”
“Public.”
“Easy to control.”
She looked toward the windows.
“Then you started planning to marry.”
“That changed things.”
Adrian understood.
“The trust.”
“Yes.”
“Once you had a legal spouse and potential heirs, Victor’s path disappeared.”
“So Vanessa was supposed to stop the wedding.”
Helena said nothing.
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“Where is Vanessa?”
Helena smiled.
“You think she ran away with Damien.”
“She didn’t?”
“She did.”
Helena paused.
“But Damien won’t keep her for long.”
Emily felt a chill.
“What does that mean?”
Helena looked toward her.
“It means Damien finally learned who Vanessa really works for.”
Adrian’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
Damien Cross spoke.
No laughter this time.
No arrogance.
Only panic.
“Moretti.”
Adrian went still.
Damien continued.
“Vanessa just tried to kill me.”
May you like
A gunshot sounded through the phone.
Then the line went dead.
