Chapter 12 - THE WOMAN WHO ALMOST WON
The Blackwood mansion had never felt so quiet.
Not during funerals.
Not during storms.
Not even after Charles died.
Because everyone finally understood.
The enemy had been living inside the house.
Ethan stood in the library reading Victoria’s journal again and again.
Each page destroyed another memory.
Their first dinner.
Fake.
Their vacation.
Fake.
The proposal.
Fake.
Every moment he thought was real…
Was part of a plan.
“How could I not see it?”
Margaret stood behind him.
“Because you wanted to believe she loved you.”
Ethan closed the journal.
“I trusted her.”
“No,” Margaret said softly.
“You loved her.”
That hurt more.
The police arrived that evening.
Victoria was escorted downstairs.
But even then, she didn’t look defeated.
She looked calm.
Because Victoria Sinclair still had one final card.
As she passed Ethan, she whispered:
“You think you know everything.”
He looked at her.
“I know enough.”
She smiled.
“No, Ethan.”
She leaned closer.
“You know what I wanted you to find.”
Ethan froze.
“What does that mean?”
Victoria said nothing.
The guards moved her away.
But her words stayed.
Later that night, Daniel arrived with another discovery.
He had recovered deleted files from Charles’ computer.
“There’s something you need to see.”
They gathered around the screen.
A video appeared.
Charles looked terrified.
Not weak.
Terrified.
“If something happens to me…”
He looked behind him.
“Victoria is not working alone.”
Everyone froze.
Ethan stepped closer.
“What?”
Charles continued.
“She has someone inside my company.”
Daniel whispered:
“No…”
The video continued.
“The person helping her has access to everything.”
A file name appeared.
BLACKWOOD INSIDER.
Then Charles said the words that changed everything.
“Ethan…”
A pause.
“Trust no one.”
The screen went black.
Everyone looked at each other.
Because the truth was worse than they imagined.
Victoria had never been alone.
Someone else had been helping her.
Someone inside the Blackwood empire.
Someone who still had power.
Then Ethan’s phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A voice spoke.
“Congratulations.”
Ethan’s face changed.
“Who is this?”
The person laughed softly.
“You found Victoria.”
A pause.
“But you haven’t found me.”
The call ended.
And on Ethan’s phone appeared a photo.
A picture taken inside the Blackwood mansion.
Only minutes earlier.
Everyone standing in the room was visible.
Including Elena.
Including Margaret.
Including Ethan.
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The person who sent it was watching them.
Right now.
