Chapter 10 - THE CHOICE THAT BROKE THE FAMILY
Elena stared at Ethan.
For a moment, she saw the same man she had known for years.
The man who thanked the staff by name.
The man who stopped to ask about Sofia’s school.
The man who once helped an elderly gardener carry heavy boxes during a storm.
But now…
He was standing beside Victoria.
Asking for the flash drive.
Her fingers tightened around it.
“Mr. Blackwood…”
Ethan’s expression was unreadable.
“Please.”
The word surprised her.
He wasn’t angry.
He sounded desperate.
Victoria immediately stepped closer.
“Ethan, you don’t need to explain anything to her.”
Elena looked at him.
“She is lying to you.”
Victoria laughed softly.
“Of course I am.”
She looked at Ethan.
“According to her.”
Then she turned back to Elena.
“That’s what desperate people do when they want attention.”
Margaret stepped forward.
“Stop pretending.”
Victoria’s eyes narrowed.
“Excuse me?”
“You know exactly what you did.”
The room became silent.
Ethan looked between them.
“What is she talking about?”
Victoria sighed.
A perfect performance.
“I think my concerns were correct.”
“What concerns?”
She looked at Elena.
“Ethan, I think she has been planning this for months.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
“What?”
Victoria continued.
“She gained your trust. She learned about the family. She found private information.”
“That’s not true.”
“Then why does she have confidential documents?”
Ethan looked at Elena.
She could see the doubt.
That hurt more than anger.
Because she had hoped he would know her.
“I found evidence,” Elena said.
“Evidence of what?”
She looked at Victoria.
“Your plan.”
Victoria shook her head sadly.
“Ethan…”
That one word carried years of manipulation.
Elena knew what she was doing.
Making herself look hurt.
Making Elena look dangerous.
Then Ethan said quietly:
“Give me the drive.”
Elena froze.
“Why?”
“Because I need to see it.”
Victoria immediately objected.
“No.”
Ethan looked at her.
“No?”
A small crack appeared in Victoria’s confidence.
“I mean…”
She recovered quickly.
“We shouldn’t reward this behavior.”
But Ethan didn’t look away.
“Give it to me, Elena.”
Slowly, Elena placed the flash drive in his hand.
Their fingers touched.
For one second, she saw something.
A question.
A doubt.
He wasn’t fully convinced.
That meant there was still hope.
Ethan took the drive to his private office.
Victoria followed.
“You’re really going to believe a maid over me?”
Ethan didn’t answer.
“You know me.”
He stared at the computer screen.
“Do I?”
The question cut deeper than any accusation.
Victoria went silent.
Ethan inserted the drive.
Files appeared.
Hundreds.
Documents.
Audio recordings.
Videos.
His face changed.
Victoria noticed.
“What is it?”
He clicked the first video.
His father appeared.
Charles Blackwood.
Ethan stopped breathing.
“Dad…”
The recording played.
“Ethan, if you are watching this, then I failed.”
Ethan’s hands trembled.
Victoria’s face turned pale.
Charles continued.
“Victoria Sinclair is not who she claims to be.”
Ethan looked at Victoria.
For the first time…
Fear appeared in her eyes.
The video continued.
“She will try to convince you I was sick.”
A pause.
“She will try to convince you I was confused.”
Charles looked directly into the camera.
“Do not believe her.”
Then the video stopped.
Ethan stared at Victoria.
“Explain.”
Victoria opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
May you like
For the first time…
She had no perfect answer.
