Chapter 14 - The Mother at the Door|
Vivien had imagined her mother's return a thousand different ways.
In some versions, Margaret appeared at the townhouse and embraced her. In others, she arrived at the estate with a confession that explained every missing year.
She had never imagined that her mother would return by issuing a legal demand.
The following morning, Margaret Ashcroft arrived at Castell Verde.
She looked older than the woman in Vivien's memories, but her posture remained straight, her gaze steady. A pale scar crossed the back of her left hand.
Gabriel stood beside Vivien as their mother entered the library.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Margaret looked at her daughter.
"You should not have activated the council."
Vivien felt the old anger return.
"You should not have let me believe you were dead."
Margaret lowered her eyes.
"I thought I was protecting you."
"Everyone keeps saying that."
"I know."
"No. You don't know. You were gone. Gabriel was gone. Damian became the only person I trusted, and I built my life around a marriage that you knew was tied to the same secrets that destroyed our family."
Margaret absorbed the words without defending herself.
"I deserve your anger."
"Then tell me the truth."
Margaret sat down.
She explained that the Ashcroft family had not simply inherited the Donna trust. They had taken custody of it after a dispute that divided the original Vale family. The necklace was created to represent a peace agreement, but the records had been rewritten to make the Ashcrofts appear to be its sole custodians.
Margaret discovered the deception after her father's death.
She wanted to correct the records.
Helena wanted to use the truth to reclaim control.
Thomas wanted to sell the trust's assets.
And a group of powerful families wanted the entire arrangement to remain hidden.
"Why did you disappear?" Vivien asked.
"Because I found evidence that the dispute had been settled through murder."
"Whose murder?"
Margaret looked at Gabriel.
"Your father's."
Gabriel's face went pale.
Margaret explained that their father had discovered the original trust records and intended to return authority to the founding council. Before he could do so, someone arranged a meeting that ended with his death.
She had suspected Helena, but she could not prove it.
She had also suspected Thomas.
And for years, she had believed Damian's father might have been involved.
Vivien looked at her mother.
"Why did you let me marry Damian?"
"Because I believed he could break the cycle. I thought he would listen to you."
"He did, until he decided my authority was inconvenient."
Margaret closed her eyes.
"I was wrong."
Vivien wanted to hate her.
But beneath the anger was the memory of a mother who had once sat beside her bed and promised that she would always come home.
"Why do you want the necklace back?" Vivien asked.
Margaret looked toward the window.
"Because the original council has been summoned."
"By whom?"
"Someone who claims that the Donna has never belonged to any of our families."
She reached into her coat and removed a photograph.
It showed a woman standing before a stone building, surrounded by seven people.
At the center of the photograph was a man Vivien recognized immediately.
Damian's father.
Beside him stood a younger Thomas Bell.
May you like
And behind them, barely visible, was a woman wearing a necklace identical to the Donna.
Margaret whispered, "The person who made the original agreement is still alive."
