Chapter 3: The Hidden Motive
I didn’t confront Victoria immediately.
That was the hardest thing I had ever done.
Every part of me wanted to demand answers. I wanted to know why she had touched my daughter, why she had stood at the edge of that pool with such coldness in her eyes, and why she had been searching through documents connected to a child she claimed to love.
But Amara was still in my arms.
And for the first time that day, I understood something clearly.
My anger could wait.
My daughter couldn’t.
I carried her inside the mansion while guests slowly followed behind. The bright, cheerful atmosphere was gone. The same rooms that had been filled with laughter minutes earlier now felt heavy and unfamiliar.
Daniel, the estate manager, closed the doors behind us.
“My security team is reviewing every camera,” he said quietly.
I looked at him.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner that the system was disabled?””
His face tightened.
“Because I wasn’t sure what I saw.””
“What did you see?””
Daniel glanced toward Victoria.
She was standing near the entrance, arms crossed, pretending she wasn’t listening.
“I saw someone near the control panel.””
“Who?””
Daniel hesitated.
Then he answered.
“Victoria.””
The room went silent.
Victoria immediately laughed.
“That’s unbelievable.””
Daniel didn’t respond.
She walked closer.
“You’re accusing me because my husband is upset?””
“No,” Daniel said calmly.
“I’m telling Mr. Carter what I witnessed.””
Victoria looked at me.
“Marcus, you’re really going to believe him over me?””
I stared at her.
The woman who used to hold my hand during late nights when Amara couldn’t sleep.
The woman who promised she would protect my family.
I wanted to find a reason.
Anything.
But then I remembered her whisper.
You always choose her.
My daughter.
Her stepdaughter.
The person she should have protected.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” I said.
Her expression changed.
Not sadness.
Anger.
“You’re serious?””
I nodded.
“Yes.””
She looked around the room, searching for someone to defend her.
Nobody did.
Then my lawyer, Andrew, arrived at the mansion twenty minutes later.
He walked in carrying a thin black folder.
I had known Andrew for almost ten years.
He was not the kind of person who showed emotion easily.
But when he saw Victoria, his expression turned serious.
“Marcus,” he said, “we need to talk privately.””
Victoria stepped forward.
“No.””
Everyone looked at her.
She forced a smile.
“I mean, whatever you need to say, you can say it here.””
Andrew looked at me.
Then opened the folder.
Inside were copies of legal documents.
“Three months ago, Victoria attempted to change the beneficiary information on Amara’s trust account.””
My stomach dropped.
I looked at Victoria.
“What?””
She shook her head quickly.
“That’s not what happened.””
Andrew continued.
“She claimed there was a mistake in the paperwork and requested access as Amara’s legal guardian.””
“She’s not her legal guardian,” I said.
“I know.””
Victoria’s face turned pale.
“I was only trying to help.””
I stepped closer.
“Help?””
She raised her voice.
“Yes, help. Do you know how difficult it is being married to someone who only cares about a child who isn’t even mine?””
Nobody spoke.
The cruelty of the words seemed to surprise even her.
She covered quickly.
“I didn’t mean it like that.””
But it was too late.
I had heard enough.
Andrew closed the folder.
“There’s more.””
My eyes moved toward him.
“What else?””
He pulled out another document.
“This morning, someone attempted to transfer a portion of Amara’s inheritance into a private account.””
My hands tightened.
“Whose account?””
Andrew looked directly at Victoria.
“An account registered under a company connected to her.””
Victoria’s face lost all color.
“That’s impossible.””
Andrew shook his head.
“It happened.””
She looked at me.
“Marcus, listen to me.””
I didn’t answer.
“Please.””
For the first time, she sounded afraid.
Not angry.
Not confident.
Afraid.
But before I could say anything, my phone buzzed.
A message appeared from an unknown number.
I opened it.
There was only one sentence.
*You think Victoria is the only person hiding something?*
Below the message was a photograph.
A photograph of Elena.
My late wife.
Standing beside someone I never expected to see.
My hands started shaking.
May you like
Because the person standing next to her was someone who had been at the mansion that afternoon.
Someone who was still inside the house.
