Chapter 11 - Why Victoria Was Afraid
Victoria agreed to meet Nathan at Rebecca’s office with her lawyer present.
She looked nothing like the woman who had stood in his kitchen in a white designer dress.
No perfect makeup. No confident smile.
Nathan did not care.
“Did you know Lily existed?”
Victoria looked at her lawyer.
Then answered.
“Yes.”
Grace’s hand tightened under the table.
“How long?” Nathan asked.
“Two years.”
Nathan stared at her.
Victoria continued. “I found a report in my father’s private files. It mentioned Grace, a pregnancy, and a child believed to be yours.”
“And you said nothing.”
“My father told me the claim had been disproved.”
“You believed him?”
“At first.”
“At first.” Nathan leaned forward. “What changed?”
“I saw a photograph of Lily.”
Grace’s face went cold.
Victoria looked away.
“She looked like you.”
“So you knew.”
“Yes.”
“And you still planned to marry me.”
Tears filled Victoria’s eyes. “My entire life was built around that merger. My father said if it failed, Whitmore Holdings would collapse.”
Nathan did not soften.
“What happened in the kitchen?”
Victoria swallowed.
“I saw the photograph. I panicked. I tried to take it. Grace stopped me. I grabbed the hockey stick to scare her.”
“You raised it toward my daughter.”
“I know.”
Nathan’s voice turned flat. “There is no sentence after that one that helps you.”
Victoria nodded.
Then she slid a flash drive across the table.
“My father keeps copies of everything.”
Rebecca took it.
“What’s on here?”
“Payments. Security orders. Messages to Owen. And one recording.”
Nathan frowned.
May you like
Victoria looked directly at him.
“My father talking about your crash.”
