Chapter 10 - The Truth Beneath the Lies
Emma did not open Victoria’s office door.
Not immediately.
She stood outside for almost five minutes.
Her hand rested on the handle.
Her heart told her to walk away.
Her mind told her to enter.
Because for years, Emma had ignored her instincts.
She ignored the late-night calls.
She ignored the hidden messages.
She ignored the feeling that something about Andrew was wrong.
She would not make that mistake again.
Finally, she opened the door.
Victoria looked up from her desk.
She already knew.
“You read the message.”
Emma closed the door behind her.
“Yes.”
Victoria slowly stood.
“You want answers.”
Emma looked directly at her.
“I want the truth.”
The room became silent.
No excuses.
No legal language.
No carefully chosen words.
Just truth.
Emma placed her father’s letter on the desk.
“My father mentioned Evelyn.”
Victoria’s expression changed.
“She told you about Evelyn?”
“No.”
Emma stepped closer.
“My father did.”
Victoria looked down.
“And he warned me not to trust you.”
The words hurt.
Emma saw it.
A small crack in Victoria’s expression.
Pain.
Not anger.
Pain.
“You should have told me.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you?”
Victoria took a deep breath.
“Because I was afraid.”
Emma stared.
“Of what?”
“Of losing you.”
The answer surprised her.
Victoria continued.
“Your parents trusted me.”
Emma froze.
“My parents?”
“Yes.”
“I thought you only worked for my grandfather.”
Victoria shook her head.
“I was their attorney before I became his.”
Emma sat down slowly.
“Then tell me what happened.”
Victoria looked toward the window.
“The night your parents died…”
She paused.
“It was not an accident.”
Emma felt her chest tighten.
“Who did it?”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“Charles Weston.”
The name felt like a weapon.
Andrew’s father.
The man who built the Weston empire.
The man whose family Emma married into.
“Why?”
Victoria turned back.
“Because your parents discovered he had been moving money from Carter investments.”
Emma whispered:
“He stole from us.”
“Yes.”
“And my grandfather knew?”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t he expose him?”
Victoria’s expression became painful.
“Because Charles threatened you.”
Emma froze.
“Me?”
“You were eighteen.”
Victoria continued.
“He knew you were the last person who could inherit everything.”
Emma looked away.
Suddenly, everything made sense.
The trust.
The secrecy.
The protection.
Her grandfather had not hidden the truth because he did not trust her.
He hid it because he loved her.
But one question remained.
“Why did you let me marry Andrew?”
Victoria looked down.
“Because I thought Andrew was different from his father.”
Emma laughed softly.
“And you were wrong.”
“Yes.”
The answer was immediate.
No defense.
No excuses.
Just regret.
---
Meanwhile…
Andrew Weston sat in a dark office.
The old woman’s words repeated in his head.
Your family did it.
For the first time in his life, Andrew questioned everything.
His father’s success.
His family’s fortune.
His own marriage.
He always believed he was the smartest person in every room.
But now he realized something terrifying.
He had never been in control.
He had only been following a plan created before he was born.
His phone rang.
Lila.
He ignored it.
It rang again.
He answered.
“What?”
Her voice was shaking.
“Andrew, we have a problem.”
“I’m done with your problems.”
“No.”
A pause.
“This is about Emma.”
He became silent.
“What happened?”
“Someone is trying to kill her.”
Andrew stood.
“What?”
Lila whispered:
“I received a message.”
She sent him a screenshot.
Andrew read it.
Unknown number.
The Carter girl cannot survive long enough to expose the truth.
His face changed.
Because this was no longer about money.
May you like
Someone wanted Emma gone.
---
