Chapter 12 - The Truth Eleanor Left Behind
Richard could not understand what he was seeing.
Eleanor investigating him?
Impossible.
She trusted him.
She loved him.
She was the one person who always believed in him.
Adrian watched his confusion.
“She discovered money was disappearing.”
Richard looked up.
“No.”
“She found accounts you didn’t know existed.”
“That’s impossible.”
Adrian leaned closer.
“You built the company.”
A pause.
“But you weren’t the only one running it.”
Richard felt cold.
Years earlier, Richard had hired Adrian Vance as a financial consultant.
A mistake.
A decision made when his company was growing too quickly.
Adrian had access.
Information.
Power.
And when Richard discovered suspicious activity, Adrian disappeared.
But Eleanor had kept investigating.
Quietly.
Carefully.
Until she found the truth.
“She was going to expose you?”
Richard looked at Adrian.
“No.”
Adrian smiled.
“She was going to expose me.”
The room went silent.
Richard looked at Victoria.
She looked away.
“You knew.”
Victoria whispered:
“I found out later.”
Richard’s anger returned.
“Later?”
She swallowed.
“My father told me after Eleanor died.”
Richard stepped back.
“And you married me anyway.”
Victoria’s eyes filled.
“I thought I could make things right.”
Richard laughed bitterly.
“You tried to become my wife to fix your father’s crime?”
“I thought if I stayed close…”
She stopped.
Because the rest sounded as terrible as it was.
“If I stayed close, I could control him.”
Richard looked at her.
“You used Maya.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“I know.”
That answer hurt more.
Because there was no excuse.
No denial.
Just guilt.
Adrian suddenly grabbed the folder.
“Enough emotional speeches.”
He looked at Richard.
“You want Maya back?”
Richard nodded.
“Then sign.”
He pushed a contract across the table.
Richard looked down.
A transfer agreement.
All Sterling assets.
Everything.
Adrian wanted the company.
“You kidnapped my daughter for money?”
Adrian smiled.
“No.”
He looked toward the upstairs room.
“I kidnapped your daughter because you only listen when something valuable is taken away.”
Richard stared.
And then he understood.
This was never about money.
It was punishment.
A small sound came from upstairs.
A child crying.
Richard turned.
“Maya.”
Adrian blocked him.
“One more thing.”
“What?”
Adrian smiled.
“Ask yourself why Eleanor never told you the truth.”
Richard froze.
Because he had asked himself that.
Every night.
Why did she keep secrets?
Why did she suffer alone?
And the answer terrified him.
May you like
Maybe he was not the husband who saved her.
Maybe he was the husband who failed to notice.
