CHAPTER 11 — THE WOMAN EVELYN NEVER TRUSTED
CHAPTER 11 — THE WOMAN EVELYN NEVER TRUSTED
Leah couldn't move.
Edward's words hung in the library like smoke.
Ask Margaret who your real father is.
For twenty-three years, Leah had carried one simple truth.
Thomas Carter was her father.
Her mother had loved him.
Her father had died.
That was all.
Now Edward had taken that truth and torn it apart in seconds.
Leah looked at Margaret.
“Tell me he's lying.”
Margaret's lips trembled.
“Leah…”
“Tell me.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
Edward smiled.
“Go ahead.”
Daniel stepped between them.
“Shut up.”
Edward laughed.
“You still defend her.”
“She raised me.”
“She lied to you.”
Daniel's jaw tightened.
“Everybody lied.”
Edward nodded.
“Exactly.”
Leah stepped closer to Margaret.
“Who is my father?”
Margaret looked at her.
For the first time since Leah had found her alive, she looked completely defeated.
“Thomas was your father.”
Leah's shoulders dropped.
“But?”
Margaret hesitated.
“There is a second truth.”
Edward smiled.
“There it is.”
Margaret looked at him.
“You have no right.”
“I have every right.”
“No.”
Margaret's voice became stronger.
“You lost that right when you abandoned your children.”
Edward's smile vanished.
Leah stared between them.
“Tell me.”
Margaret nodded.
“Thomas was your biological father.”
Leah exhaled.
“Then what did he mean?”
Margaret looked toward Daniel.
“Edward was your father's brother.”
Daniel frowned.
“What does that have to do with Leah?”
Margaret whispered:
“Everything.”
THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Margaret walked to the fireplace.
Above it hung an old portrait.
Evelyn.
Young.
Beautiful.
Standing beside Thomas and Edward.
Leah had seen the photograph countless times.
But she had never noticed the fourth person.
A woman stood behind them.
Dark hair.
Pale face.
A silver necklace.
Leah pointed.
“Who is she?”
Margaret looked at the portrait.
“The woman Evelyn never trusted.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“Her name?”
“Victoria Vale.”
Silence.
Richard Vale.
The man hunting them.
The name Margaret had mentioned.
Leah's heart raced.
“She's related to Richard?”
Margaret nodded.
“She was his sister.”
Daniel frowned.
“You knew her?”
Evelyn's voice came from the doorway.
“Yes.”
Everyone turned.
Evelyn was alive.
Her shoulder was wrapped in blood-soaked bandages.
Daniel stared.
“You survived.”
She nodded.
“I told you I was stubborn.”
Daniel almost smiled.
Then his expression hardened.
“You knew Victoria?”
Evelyn looked at Margaret.
“I never trusted her.”
Margaret nodded.
“Neither did I.”
Leah stared at them.
“Why?”
Evelyn walked slowly into the room.
“Because Victoria wasn't interested in money.”
“What did she want?”
Evelyn looked toward Edward.
“Power.”
Edward lowered his eyes.
Evelyn continued.
“She believed the Blackwood family had stolen everything from her brother.”
Richard.
“She spent years convincing him that the Blackwoods were responsible for his father's death.”
Daniel frowned.
“His father?”
“Richard's father worked for Thomas.”
Margaret interrupted.
“And he died because of a financial scheme.”
Leah looked confused.
“Whose scheme?”
Evelyn didn't answer.
Edward did.
“Mine.”
Everyone stared at him.
THE FIRST BETRAYAL
Edward sat down.
For the first time, he looked old.
“I was twenty-eight.”
He stared at the floor.
“Thomas trusted me with a company account.”
Daniel said nothing.
Edward continued.
“I stole from it.”
Margaret closed her eyes.
“Edward…”
“I was drowning in debt.”
He looked at Daniel.
“I thought I could replace the money.”
“Did you?”
“No.”
“Then what happened?”
“Thomas found out.”
Edward's voice cracked.
“He confronted me.”
Leah whispered:
“And Richard?”
“Richard was already involved.”
Edward nodded.
“His father helped me move the money.”
“Why?”
“Because he wanted a share.”
Daniel stared.
“So the entire Blackwood scandal began with you.”
Edward nodded.
“Yes.”
Margaret added:
“And Thomas spent the rest of his life trying to clean it up.”
Edward looked at her.
“Until he created the trust.”
“Yes.”
Leah finally understood.
The trust wasn't merely an inheritance.
It was Thomas's attempt to prevent anyone like Edward from controlling the empire again.
EVELYN'S SUSPICION
Leah turned toward Evelyn.
“You said you never trusted Victoria.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Why?”
“Because she knew too much.”
“How much?”
“Everything.”
Evelyn sat down.
“Victoria knew about Edward's theft.”
“She knew about Thomas's trust.”
“She knew about Jonathan.”
“She knew about Emma.”
“And she knew about you.”
Leah frowned.
“Me?”
Evelyn nodded.
“She knew you were Thomas's daughter.”
Leah felt cold.
“Then why didn't she kill me?”
“Because she needed you.”
“For what?”
“The trust.”
Daniel looked at the documents.
“Only Thomas's biological children can activate it.”
“Yes.”
“And Leah is one of them.”
“Yes.”
“So Victoria needed Leah alive.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Until the transfer was complete.”
Leah understood.
“Then she planned to kill me afterward.”
Evelyn didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
THE WOMAN WHO DISAPPEARED
Margaret returned to the portrait.
“Victoria disappeared twenty-three years ago.”
Daniel frowned.
“She died?”
“No.”
“Then where is she?”
Margaret looked at Richard's name on the document.
“She became someone else.”
Leah whispered:
“Who?”
Margaret looked at her.
“Richard Vale.”
Daniel stared.
“What?”
“Richard Vale is not Richard Vale.”
Silence.
Margaret continued.
“His real name is Victor Vale.”
Leah's heart raced.
“Then who is Richard?”
Margaret shook her head.
“No one.”
Daniel stepped forward.
“You're saying the man we've been fighting doesn't even exist?”
“Not legally.”
“Then who is he?”
Margaret looked at Edward.
“Victoria's brother.”
Edward whispered:
“Richard Vale died years ago.”
Leah stared.
“So the man calling himself Richard…”
Margaret nodded.
“Is Victor.”
THE FALSE IDENTITY
Victor had stolen his brother's identity after Richard died.
He used the name because it gave him access to old accounts.
Old companies.
Old Blackwood connections.
And most importantly—
The trust.
But Victoria knew.
She had helped him.
Together, they created a network.
They infiltrated Blackwood businesses.
Bought controlling shares.
Manipulated Edward.
Used Cassandra.
And eventually targeted Margaret.
Leah's voice trembled.
“Where is Victoria now?”
Margaret looked at Edward.
He shook his head.
“I don't know.”
Evelyn spoke quietly.
“I do.”
Everyone turned.
Evelyn reached into her coat.
She removed an old photograph.
On the back was an address.
Leah recognized the place.
“That's the Blackwood charity hospital.”
Evelyn nodded.
“Victoria worked there.”
Daniel frowned.
“When?”
“Before the fire.”
Leah looked at her.
“What fire?”
Evelyn's face darkened.
“The fire that officially killed her.”
Silence.
Leah understood.
“Another fake death.”
“Yes.”
THE WOMAN BEHIND THE FIRE
Twenty-three years earlier, Victoria had staged her death.
A warehouse burned.
A body was recovered.
Dental records were altered.
The authorities declared her dead.
But she survived.
And she disappeared.
Margaret had suspected the truth.
She had searched for her.
But every lead ended nowhere.
Until now.
Leah looked at the photograph.
“Why would she come back?”
Margaret answered:
“Because you found the trust.”
THE HIDDEN LETTER
Daniel searched the library.
He found another envelope inside an old book.
The handwriting was Evelyn's.
He opened it.
Inside was a single page.
Margaret,
If you're reading this, Victoria has returned.
Do not trust anyone carrying the silver bird.
Leah frowned.
“The bracelet.”
Emma's bracelet.
The black bird.
Daniel nodded.
“It's a symbol.”
Evelyn's face went pale.
“No.”
“What?”
“That symbol belonged to Victoria.”
Margaret stared.
“Then Emma…”
“Was never wearing it by accident.”
Leah's heart sank.
“Emma is working for her.”
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
“She could be.”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
Margaret looked at Leah.
“Because Emma was terrified.”
She paused.
“And because Victoria has never trusted anyone.”
THE MISSING WITNESS RETURNS
The library door opened.
Everyone turned.
Emma stood there.
Her clothes were torn.
Her face was bruised.
She looked exhausted.
Leah ran toward her.
“Emma!”
Emma collapsed into her arms.
“I thought you were dead.”
Leah held her.
“I escaped.”
Daniel looked behind her.
“Where's Edward?”
Emma froze.
“He let me go.”
“Why?”
“Because he wanted me to lead him here.”
Daniel's face hardened.
“Where is he?”
Emma shook her head.
“He isn't coming.”
“Why?”
“Because he's afraid.”
“Of who?”
Emma looked at Margaret.
Then at Evelyn.
Then Leah.
“Victoria.”
Silence.
Margaret whispered:
“She found you.”
Emma nodded.
“She told me everything.”
Leah stared.
“What?”
Emma reached into her coat.
She removed a small recording device.
“I have the truth.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“About what?”
Emma looked at Margaret.
“About the night she died.”
THE RECORDING
Emma pressed play.
The room filled with static.
Then Margaret's younger voice.
“You promised you wouldn't hurt Thomas.”
Victoria answered.
“I promised nothing.”
Margaret gasped.
“You said the trust was all you wanted.”
“It was.”
“Then why kill him?”
“Because he wouldn't give it to me.”
A man's voice entered.
Edward.
“I told you we should wait.”
Victoria laughed.
“You've always been weak.”
Edward sounded frightened.
“Don't do this.”
Victoria's voice became cold.
“Move.”
A gunshot.
Leah screamed.
The recording continued.
Margaret cried.
“Thomas!”
Then another voice.
Richard.
“It's done.”
Margaret whispered:
“You killed him.”
Richard answered:
“And now you know too much.”
The recording ended.
Daniel stared at the device.
“Richard was there.”
Jonathan stepped closer.
“And Edward.”
Emma nodded.
“And Victoria.”
Leah whispered:
“So three people were responsible.”
Margaret shook her head.
“No.”
Everyone looked at her.
“There was a fourth.”
Daniel frowned.
“Who?”
Margaret looked at Evelyn.
Evelyn went pale.
“No.”
Margaret whispered:
“Your aunt.”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
“I didn't kill Thomas.”
“No.”
“But you were there.”
“Yes.”
“You knew.”
“Yes.”
“You watched.”
Evelyn nodded.
“And I did nothing.”
Daniel stepped backward.
“You all stood there.”
His voice broke.
“And my father died.”
THE WOMAN EVELYN NEVER TRUSTED
Leah turned toward Evelyn.
“Why didn't you stop them?”
Evelyn looked at her.
“Because I was afraid of Victoria.”
“Why?”
“She had something over me.”
“What?”
Evelyn hesitated.
Then whispered:
“She knew Daniel wasn't Edward's biological son.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
Evelyn continued.
“Edward couldn't have children.”
Silence.
Leah stared at Daniel.
Daniel's face went white.
“What are you saying?”
Evelyn looked at him.
“Edward was sterile.”
Daniel whispered:
“Then who is my father?”
Margaret closed her eyes.
Edward looked away.
Victoria's voice suddenly came from the doorway.
“Me.”
Everyone turned.
A woman stood there.
Older.
Elegant.
Silver hair.
The same silver necklace from the photograph.
Victoria.
She smiled.
“Hello, Margaret.”
Margaret stepped in front of Leah.
“You won't touch her.”
Victoria laughed softly.
“Still protecting your children.”
Daniel stared at her.
“Are you my father?”
Victoria looked at him.
“No.”
She smiled.
“But I know who is.”
Daniel's breathing stopped.
Victoria pointed toward Margaret.
“She does.”
Leah stared at her mother.
Victoria continued:
“And when you learn the truth…”
She smiled.
“…you'll finally understand why Margaret disappeared.”
A gunshot exploded.
The lights went out.
Someone screamed.
When the emergency lights came on—
Victoria was gone.
And so was Margaret.
Leah stared at the empty doorway.
“Mom?”
No answer.
Daniel ran toward the exit.
Outside, tires screamed against the wet pavement.
Leah looked down.
On the floor lay a small envelope.
Her name was written on it.
She opened it.
Inside was a photograph.
A young Margaret.
A young Thomas.
And a baby.
On the back, six words:
YOUR FATHER IS STILL ALIVE, LEAH.
Leah's hands began to shake.
She looked at Daniel.
Then toward the road where her mother had disappeared.
The truth about the Blackwood inheritance was no longer the greatest secret.
The real secret was blood.
And somewhere in the darkness—
May you like
Leah's real father was waiting.
TO BE CONTINUED…
