Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN VICTORIA FEAREDThey returned to the mansion before sunrise.
Nobody spoke during the drive.
Mark kept the ledger beside him.
Victoria sat across from him.
Elena stared out the window.
The truth had become too large to process.
When they arrived, the police secured the property.
Mark went directly to his office.
Victoria followed.
“Mark.”
He didn't turn.
“Leave me alone.”
“I know you're angry.”
“You have no idea.”
“You're right.”
Mark turned.
“You knew my father was involved.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Richard was stealing.”
“Yes.”
“You knew someone was watching Elena.”
“Yes.”
“And you still expected me to trust you.”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“I didn't expect anything.”
“You expected me to stay ignorant.”
“I expected you to survive.”
Mark stared at her.
Then he asked:
“What happened to Daniel?”
Victoria looked away.
“He discovered the network.”
“Where is he?”
“I don't know.”
“You told me he was dead.”
“I believed he was.”
“Why?”
“Because Richard showed me photographs.”
“What photographs?”
Victoria hesitated.
“Daniel tied to a chair.”
Mark's face went pale.
“You saw them?”
“Yes.”
“And you didn't call the police?”
“I was warned that if I did, you would be next.”
Mark sat down.
The anger in his face was replaced by exhaustion.
“Who is running this?”
Victoria whispered:
“Someone called Blackwood.”
Mark frowned.
“Blackwood?”
“Yes.”
“Is that a person?”
“I don't know.”
Elena suddenly spoke from the doorway.
“It isn't.”
Victoria turned.
“What?”
“My father used that word.”
Everyone looked at Elena.
“He said Blackwood wasn't a man.”
“What was it?” Mark asked.
“A network.”
Victoria slowly sat down.
“That explains everything.”
Mark looked at her.
“You know what Blackwood is?”
“I know what it does.”
“What?”
“It finds powerful families.”
“And?”
“It gets inside them.”
Mark's blood ran cold.
“How?”
“Money. Blackmail. Fear.”
Elena stepped closer.
“My father was investigating them.”
Victoria nodded.
“And your father wasn't the only one.”
Mark looked at the ledger.
“Who else?”
Victoria didn't answer.
Then the office door opened.
The security manager entered.
“Mr. Hayes, we found someone outside.”
“Who?”
“A man.”
“Where?”
“In the driveway.”
They rushed outside.
A tall man stood between two police officers.
He was wearing a dark suit.
His hands were raised.
“I'm not here to fight.”
Mark stared.
“Who are you?”
The man looked at Victoria.
Her face went completely white.
“Ethan Blackwood.”
Mark looked at Victoria.
“You know him?”
Victoria whispered:
“Yes.”
Ethan smiled sadly.
“She knows me very well.”
The police searched him.
Nothing.
No weapon.
No phone.
Ethan looked at Mark.
“Your wife isn't your enemy.”
Mark's jaw tightened.
“Then why did she lie to me?”
“Because she was afraid of me.”
Victoria stepped forward.
“I was afraid of what you represented.”
Ethan nodded.
“That is fair.”
Mark demanded:
“Who killed my father?”
Ethan's expression changed.
“Your father wasn't killed by Richard.”
Mark froze.
“Then who?”
Ethan looked toward the mansion.
“The woman who is about to walk through your front door.”
Everyone turned.
A black car had stopped at the driveway.
An elegant woman stepped out.
She was in her sixties.
Silver hair.
Perfect posture.
A calm smile.
Victoria whispered:
“Margaret.”
Mark frowned.
“Who is Margaret?”
Ethan answered:
“Your father's former attorney.”
Margaret walked toward them.
“Mark.”
He stared at her.
“How do you know my name?”
She smiled.
“I knew your father.”
“You worked for him.”
“For many years.”
“Did you kill him?”
Her smile disappeared.
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Margaret looked at Victoria.
“Ask your wife.”
Victoria stepped backward.
“Don't.”
Mark turned.
“What does she mean?”
Victoria's voice broke.
“I was there.”
Mark froze.
“When my father died?” he asked.
Victoria nodded.
“Yes.”
“You were there?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victoria whispered:
“Because he called me that night.”
“What did he tell you?”
Victoria looked at Mark.
“He told me someone inside the family was going to betray you.”
Mark waited.
“Who?”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“He never said.”
Then Margaret smiled.
May you like
“But I know.”
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