Chapter 18 - Victoria's Last Truth
The boardroom went silent.
Nathan stared at Victoria. "Why are you here?"
"Because my lawyer negotiated a proffer agreement, and because if I don't say this now, someone will bury it again."
One officer remained beside the door.
Victoria placed a flash drive on the table.
"My father kept recordings. Insurance against everyone."
Maya took the drive.
Victoria looked at Grace.
"There's a recording of the day I threatened you."
Grace's expression hardened.
"I already have your message."
"Not that one. The meeting before it. With Charles and Margaret."
Margaret gripped the edge of the table.
Victoria continued. "Charles wanted to bring Grace back. He wanted to acknowledge Lily and turn Richard in. Margaret refused."
Nathan looked at his mother.
Margaret whispered, "Nathan—"
"Let it play."
Maya connected the drive.
Charles's voice filled the room.
We have already lost Ethan. I will not erase his child.
Then Margaret:
If Grace comes back now, Richard will release everything. Nathan will lose the company.
Charles:
Then he loses the company.
Victoria's younger voice followed.
I can make Grace leave.
Margaret answered after a long pause.
Do not hurt her.
Victoria:
I won't have to.
The recording ended.
Grace looked at Margaret.
"You knew she was going to threaten me."
Margaret cried silently.
"Yes."
That single word ended whatever argument remained.
Nathan asked security to escort his mother out.
She did not fight him.
At the door, Lily appeared with a nanny.
"Grandma?"
Margaret stopped.
She looked at the child she had helped erase.
"I'm sorry, sweetheart."
Lily did not understand the history.
She only understood sadness.
She reached into her pocket and held out a piece of pink chalk.
"You can have this."
Margaret took it with both hands and broke down.
After she left, Victoria turned to Grace.
"I know saving Lily doesn't erase what I did."
"It doesn't."
"I know."
"And I will testify about the assault."
Victoria nodded. "You should."
For the first time, Grace believed she meant it.
Then Maya opened the final file on the drive.
It was a video recorded by Richard two months before Ethan died.
On screen, Richard spoke to someone whose face was outside the frame.
"Once Ethan is gone," he said, "Nathan will marry Victoria eventually. Then we own the Coles from inside."
A man's voice answered.
"And if Victoria refuses?"
May you like
Richard smiled.
"She won't. She still doesn't know who her real father is."
