Chapter 8 - The Woman Who Knew Too Much
Emma did not sleep.
Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the photograph.
Her grandfather.
Charles Weston.
The warning message.
The unknown caller.
Too many pieces.
Not enough answers.
Early the next morning, Victoria entered the room.
“We need to leave.”
Emma looked up.
“Why?”
“Because someone broke into the house.”
Emma immediately stood.
“What?”
Daniel walked in behind Victoria.
“No one took anything.”
“Then why are we leaving?”
Daniel looked serious.
“Because they weren’t searching for valuables.”
Emma felt cold.
“What were they searching for?”
Daniel looked at her.
“You.”
---
An hour later, they arrived at a different location.
A hidden property outside the city.
Emma looked at Victoria.
“How many safe houses do you have?”
“Enough.”
“That means this happened before.”
Victoria did not answer.
Emma noticed.
“You expected this.”
Victoria looked tired.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I knew the Westons would react.”
Emma’s eyes narrowed.
“You knew Andrew would attack me?”
“I knew someone would.”
Emma stepped closer.
“Victoria.”
The attorney looked at her.
“You owe me the truth.”
A long silence followed.
Then Victoria finally said:
“I was the one who helped your grandfather hide the trust.”
Emma froze.
“What?”
“I knew about your family’s fortune before you did.”
“Why?”
“Because I helped protect it.”
Emma stared.
“Then why did you let me marry Andrew?”
Victoria looked down.
The silence was devastating.
Emma whispered:
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You knew who he was.”
“Yes.”
“You knew he approached me because of my inheritance.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Emma felt betrayed.
Not by Andrew.
Not this time.
By the person standing in front of her.
“You watched me marry him.”
Victoria’s voice cracked.
“I thought I could protect you.”
“But you didn’t.”
“No.”
Emma stepped back.
“You let me walk into a trap.”
Victoria had no defense.
Because Emma was right.
---
Across the city…
Andrew met someone he had not seen in fifteen years.
His uncle.
Marcus Weston.
The man everyone believed had disappeared.
Andrew entered an abandoned office building.
Marcus sat in the darkness.
“You look desperate.”
Andrew ignored the comment.
“You know about Emma Carter.”
Marcus smiled.
“So you finally discovered who your wife really is.”
Andrew’s expression changed.
“You knew?”
“Everyone in the old circles knew.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Marcus laughed.
“Because Charles wanted you to find out yourself.”
Andrew froze.
“My father knew?”
Marcus nodded.
“He wanted the Carter fortune.”
Andrew stared.
“And my marriage?”
Marcus looked at him.
“Your father believed marrying Emma was the easiest way to control it.”
Andrew felt sick.
Because he had spent years thinking he created his own destiny.
But maybe he was just continuing someone else’s plan.
“Did you know about the accident?”
Marcus looked away.
Andrew noticed.
“Tell me.”
“No.”
“Tell me!”
Marcus finally looked at him.
“The night Emma’s parents died…”
He paused.
“They were not supposed to survive.”
Andrew stopped breathing.
---
That evening…
Emma received another package.
This time, it contained a handwritten letter.
The handwriting was familiar.
Her father’s.
She opened it with shaking hands.
The first sentence destroyed everything she believed.
Emma, if you are reading this, then your husband already knows who you are.
Her face went pale.
The letter continued.
Do not trust Andrew Weston.
But do not trust Victoria Hale either.
Emma dropped the letter.
May you like
Because her father had written those words before she ever met either of them.
---
