Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO CONTROLLED THE STORY
Victoria arrived at a private apartment across the city.
She slammed the door behind her.
The calm, elegant woman everyone admired was gone.
Now there was only panic.
“You said everything was handled,” she said.
The man sitting on the couch didn’t look surprised.
“It was.”
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“Then why is Caroline’s daughter standing in August’s house?”
The man stayed silent.
That silence made Victoria angry.
“You promised me.”
“We both made choices.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“Don’t talk to me like this.”
The man looked at her.
“You’re forgetting something, Victoria.”
“What?”
“You weren’t the only one protecting a secret.”
Victoria froze.
Because she knew he was right.
Eight years ago, Caroline discovered the truth.
She discovered money was being stolen from Caldwell Holdings.
But that wasn’t the worst part.
She discovered someone inside the company was using her father’s name to hide illegal deals.
And when Caroline threatened to expose everything...
Victoria made a decision.
A decision she could never take back.
Meanwhile, August watched the flash drive Caroline left behind.
The files opened.
Videos.
Documents.
Recorded conversations.
Then one video appeared.
The date was eight years ago.
Caroline appeared on screen.
Older.
Tired.
But alive.
August stopped breathing.
“Dad…”
Her voice broke.
“If you’re seeing this, I don’t know if I made it.”
August covered his mouth.
Elsie moved closer to the screen.
“Mom…”
Caroline continued.
“I tried to come home. I tried so many times.”
She looked away from the camera.
“But Victoria knows about Elsie.”
August felt anger rise inside him.
“She knows I had a daughter.”
Caroline nodded.
“She knows because she found the hospital records.”
The room became silent.
“She told me if I went to you, she would destroy everything. She said no one would believe me because everyone already thought I was unstable.”
August clenched his fists.
“She lied.”
Caroline looked directly into the camera.
“Dad, I need you to understand something.”
She took a breath.
“The accident wasn’t an accident.”
August froze.
Thomas stepped back.
Elsie covered her mouth.
Caroline whispered:
“Someone tried to make sure I disappeared.”
The video suddenly ended.
The screen went black.
And then another file opened automatically.
A recording.
Victoria’s voice.
Eight years younger.
May you like
Saying one sentence:
“Caroline will never come back.”
