Chapter 7 — The Woman Victoria Betrayed
Chapter 7 — The Woman Victoria Betrayed
Victoria had spent five years believing she understood the rules.
She was wrong.
There had always been rules.
But they had never been designed to protect her.
They had been designed to use her.
And tonight, for the first time, she finally understood her place in Richard Cole's plan.
She was never meant to become Nathan's wife.
She was never meant to become part of the Cole family.
She was bait.
A distraction.
A shield.
And when Richard no longer needed her…
he intended to destroy her too.
The old estate was silent.
Nathan stood at the bottom of the staircase.
Lily was beside Margaret.
Grace stood several feet behind him.
And Victoria…
Victoria remained near the doorway.
She couldn't move.
She was staring at Richard.
“You lied to me.”
Richard's expression didn't change.
“I told you exactly what you needed to know.”
“No.”
Victoria shook her head.
“You told me what would make me obey.”
Richard smiled faintly.
“That is the same thing.”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
She took a step forward.
“It isn't.”
Nathan turned toward her.
“What is she talking about?”
Victoria looked at him.
“I found something.”
“What?”
“A file.”
Richard's eyes changed.
Only for a fraction of a second.
But Victoria saw it.
Fear.
Real fear.
“You shouldn't have opened that,” Richard said.
Victoria laughed bitterly.
“That's what you always say.”
Richard stepped toward her.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“Victoria.”
“No.”
Her voice cracked.
“You've been lying to me for five years.”
Richard's expression hardened.
“You knew what you were agreeing to.”
“I knew I was supposed to marry Nathan.”
“You were supposed to help me protect him.”
“You told me Grace abandoned him.”
“She did.”
“No!”
Victoria shouted.
“She was forced to leave!”
Richard's eyes narrowed.
“You don't understand what happened.”
“I understand enough.”
Victoria pulled a thick file from her handbag.
“I found the financial records.”
Richard went still.
“You've been paying people to monitor Grace.”
“Yes.”
“You paid for her medical records.”
“Yes.”
“You paid Thomas Reed.”
“Yes.”
“You paid the hospital.”
“Yes.”
Victoria's hands trembled.
“And you paid me.”
Richard didn't answer.
Victoria's voice broke.
“You paid off my family's debts.”
Silence.
Nathan looked at her.
“You thought he helped your family?”
Victoria nodded.
“He didn't.”
Nathan stared at Richard.
“Why?”
Richard smiled.
“Because Victoria was useful.”
Victoria's face crumpled.
“Useful.”
Richard nodded.
“You were intelligent.”
“You were ambitious.”
“You were desperate.”
“You were perfect.”
Victoria shook her head.
“I trusted you.”
Richard laughed.
“That was your mistake.”
“You promised me a future.”
“I gave you one.”
“No.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“You gave me a cage.”
Five years earlier.
Victoria sat across from Richard in his office.
Her father's company was collapsing.
Her family's house was being auctioned.
Her younger brother had creditors calling every morning.
She had nowhere to turn.
Richard placed a contract in front of her.
“Marry Nathan.”
Victoria stared.
“What if he doesn't love me?”
“He will.”
“How?”
“By the time Grace is gone, he will be broken.”
Victoria looked at him.
“And then?”
“You'll be there.”
She hesitated.
“What if Grace comes back?”
Richard smiled.
“She won't.”
“What if she does?”
“I'll make sure she doesn't.”
Victoria signed.
That signature changed everything.
Years later, Victoria learned the truth.
Not from Richard.
From an accountant.
She had discovered irregular payments from a Cole subsidiary.
The money had been transferred to a shell company.
The shell company had paid for Grace's surveillance.
Victoria had followed the trail.
It led to a private facility.
Inside were files.
Photographs.
Medical records.
And a document with her name on it.
VICTORIA HALE — ASSET CLASSIFICATION: TEMPORARY.
She had stared at those words for an hour.
Temporary.
Not fiancée.
Not future daughter-in-law.
Asset.
She turned the page.
Purpose: maintain emotional control over Nathan Cole until succession restructuring is complete.
Victoria had nearly collapsed.
Then she found the final line.
Termination recommended after marriage.
Termination.
She had read it again.
And again.
Richard had planned to eliminate her once she was no longer useful.
Back in the estate, Victoria opened the file.
“I know what you planned.”
Richard's face became expressionless.
“What did I plan?”
“To destroy me.”
“No.”
Victoria threw the paper onto the table.
“This.”
Nathan picked it up.
His eyes moved across the page.
His expression changed.
“Termination?”
Victoria nodded.
Nathan looked at Richard.
“You planned to kill her?”
Richard's voice remained calm.
“Not necessarily.”
Victoria laughed.
“That's what you told yourself?”
Nathan looked at her.
“What does it mean?”
“It means I was supposed to disappear.”
“After the wedding.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victoria's voice dropped.
“Because once you married me, your father would have had control over your trust.”
Nathan froze.
“What?”
Victoria nodded.
“The prenuptial agreement.”
Nathan remembered.
The contract.
The one he had never read carefully.
Richard had arranged everything.
“If I became your wife, your father gained access to the family trust.”
Nathan's face hardened.
“And you?”
“I would receive a settlement.”
“Then disappear.”
Victoria nodded.
“Or die.”
Silence filled the room.
Grace stared at Victoria.
“You knew?”
“No.”
“When did you find out?”
“Two weeks ago.”
Grace's expression softened slightly.
“And you still came here.”
Victoria looked at Lily.
“I came because I couldn't let him hurt her.”
Nathan stared at her.
“You helped hide her.”
“I know.”
“You helped my father.”
“I know.”
“You lied to me.”
“I know.”
“You let me believe Grace abandoned me.”
Victoria began crying.
“I know.”
Nathan turned away.
Victoria whispered:
“But I'm done.”
Richard suddenly laughed.
“You think this changes anything?”
Victoria looked at him.
“Yes.”
“You have no power.”
“No.”
She lifted her chin.
“But I have evidence.”
Richard's smile disappeared.
“What evidence?”
Victoria removed a small flash drive from her pocket.
“Everything.”
Richard's eyes hardened.
“Give it to me.”
“No.”
“Victoria.”
“No.”
She took one step backward.
“I copied everything.”
“Bank transfers.”
“Medical records.”
“Surveillance reports.”
“Messages.”
“Contracts.”
“Everything.”
Nathan stared at her.
“Where is the original?”
“Safe.”
Richard's voice became dangerous.
“You don't know what you're doing.”
Victoria looked directly at him.
“For the first time…”
She wiped her tears.
“I do.”
A noise came from upstairs.
Lily cried out.
“Mommy!”
Grace ran toward the staircase.
Nathan followed.
Margaret stepped in front of Richard.
“You've gone too far.”
Richard looked at his wife.
“You're the one who betrayed me.”
Margaret shook her head.
“I betrayed you when I realized what you were doing.”
Richard's face twisted.
“You helped Grace.”
“Yes.”
“You stole my granddaughter.”
“I saved her.”
“You destroyed this family.”
Margaret's eyes filled with tears.
“No.”
She looked toward Lily.
“You did.”
Richard raised his voice.
“Everyone in this family owes me everything!”
Nathan turned.
“You owe me nothing.”
Richard stared at him.
“I built your life.”
“You built a prison.”
“I gave you an empire.”
“You stole my future.”
Richard's face hardened.
“I gave you everything!”
Nathan stepped closer.
“You gave me a life I never chose.”
Richard raised his hand.
“You ungrateful—”
Nathan caught his wrist.
“Don't.”
The room went silent.
For the first time in Nathan's life…
Richard looked afraid of him.
Victoria stepped forward.
“I have one more thing.”
Richard turned.
“What?”
“The account.”
“What account?”
“The one you thought nobody knew about.”
Richard's expression changed.
Nathan noticed.
“Which account?”
Victoria looked at him.
“The offshore account.”
Nathan frowned.
“Where?”
“Switzerland.”
Richard went pale.
Victoria continued.
“There are twenty-seven million dollars in it.”
Nathan stared.
“What?”
“Money taken from Cole Holdings.”
Richard said nothing.
Victoria smiled bitterly.
“You didn't build the empire.”
“You stole pieces of it.”
Nathan looked at Richard.
“How much?”
Victoria answered.
“Enough to bankrupt the company if the authorities discover it.”
Richard's silence confirmed everything.
Nathan took out his phone.
He called his attorney.
“I need an emergency injunction.”
Richard's eyes widened.
“Nathan.”
Nathan ignored him.
“Freeze all accounts connected to Richard Cole.”
Richard stepped forward.
“You wouldn't.”
Nathan looked at him.
“I would.”
“You'll destroy your family.”
Nathan's voice was cold.
“No.”
He looked at Grace.
“My father already did.”
Richard suddenly smiled.
“You still don't understand.”
Nathan frowned.
“What?”
“Your daughter.”
Richard pointed upstairs.
“You think she is safe because she's with you.”
Grace froze.
“What did you do?”
Richard laughed.
“Nothing.”
Then he looked at Victoria.
“Ask her.”
Victoria's face drained of color.
“What?”
Richard smiled.
“Tell them what you discovered about Lily.”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
“Tell them.”
Nathan stepped forward.
“What?”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“I found a genetic report.”
Nathan's stomach tightened.
“About Lily?”
“Yes.”
“What does it say?”
Victoria looked at Grace.
Then Nathan.
“The report says Lily's bloodline is connected to another Cole heir.”
Nathan stared.
“What does that mean?”
Victoria whispered:
“Your father wasn't preparing Lily to replace you.”
Grace's face went pale.
“Then what?”
Victoria looked at Richard.
Richard smiled.
“She was supposed to expose you.”
Nathan frowned.
“Expose me for what?”
Richard said nothing.
Victoria answered.
“For something you don't remember.”
Nathan froze.
“What don't I remember?”
Victoria's voice trembled.
“Five years ago, before you met Grace…”
She swallowed.
“You were involved in an accident.”
Nathan's face changed.
“What accident?”
“A car accident.”
“I remember.”
“No.”
Victoria shook her head.
“You remember what your father told you.”
Nathan stared.
“What really happened?”
Victoria looked at Grace.
“You were unconscious for three days.”
Nathan's blood ran cold.
“And?”
Victoria whispered:
“Someone else was in the car.”
Grace stepped forward.
“Who?”
Victoria looked toward Richard.
Richard's smile disappeared.
“A woman.”
Nathan's heart stopped.
“Who?”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“Your father's first wife.”
The room went silent.
Nathan stared at Richard.
“My father had another wife?”
Richard said nothing.
Victoria continued:
“And she didn't die in that accident.”
Nathan's face went white.
“She survived.”
Richard finally spoke.
“Enough.”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
She stepped backward.
“Not anymore.”
Then the front doors burst open.
Several police officers entered.
Nathan's attorney followed.
Richard looked around.
For the first time, he realized the room was no longer his.
Nathan stood between him and Grace.
Victoria stood beside them.
Margaret held Lily.
And every secret Richard had spent five years protecting was beginning to collapse.
An officer approached Richard.
“Richard Cole?”
Richard said nothing.
“You are being investigated for financial fraud, unlawful surveillance, coercion, and obstruction.”
Richard smiled.
“You have no idea what you're doing.”
The officer reached for his wrist.
Richard looked at Nathan.
“You think this is over?”
Nathan stared back.
“No.”
Richard smiled.
“It's just beginning.”
As the officers led him away, Victoria finally exhaled.
Grace looked at her.
“You turned against him.”
Victoria nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victoria looked at Lily.
“Because I finally understood something.”
“What?”
“I spent five years trying to become the woman Richard wanted.”
She looked at Nathan.
“And lost myself.”
Then she turned toward the door.
Nathan stopped her.
“Victoria.”
She turned.
He said nothing for several seconds.
Finally:
“Thank you.”
Victoria's eyes filled with tears.
“For what?”
“For telling the truth.”
She smiled sadly.
“I should have done it five years ago.”
Then she walked away.
But before she reached the door, her phone vibrated.
One message.
From an unknown number.
You think Richard was the villain?
Victoria stopped.
Another message arrived.
You haven't met the person who gave him his orders.
Her face went pale.
She looked back at Nathan.
But she said nothing.
Because the next message contained one photograph.
A photograph of Lily.
Taken that very morning.
May you like
And beneath it were six words:
Richard was only following orders.
