Chapter 3 – Secrets Behind the Smile
Chapter 3 – Secrets Behind the Smile
Serena Montigue had built her entire life on one simple belief.
People only saw what she allowed them to see.
A beautiful smile.
A perfect dress.
A flawless reputation.
That was how the world worked.
The kind survived.
The weak disappeared.
And Serena had spent her entire life making sure she was never the weak one.
But there was one thing she had never considered.
Victor Blackwood was not the kind of man who looked at appearances.
He looked underneath.
And now…
He was searching for the truth.
The Montigue family name had once been respected throughout Chicago.
Not feared.
Not powerful.
Just respected.
Her father had been a businessman with expensive cars and a large house, but he had never been able to compete with families like the Blackwoods.
Serena grew up watching people treat powerful men differently.
Doors opened for them.
People forgave their mistakes.
Their children were protected.
While ordinary people fought for scraps.
She hated that.
She hated being ordinary.
So she decided early in life:
She would never depend on kindness.
She would never beg.
She would take what she wanted.
And what she wanted was Victor Blackwood.
Three years earlier, Serena first saw Victor at a charity event.
Everyone in the room changed when he entered.
Conversations became quieter.
People moved aside.
Even wealthy businessmen who pretended they were equals suddenly remembered their manners.
Victor wore a black suit.
No unnecessary jewelry.
No arrogant display.
Just confidence.
Power.
Control.
Serena had watched him from across the room.
Most women looked at him because he was handsome.
Serena looked at him because he was untouchable.
And she wanted something untouchable.
She spent months getting closer.
She learned his habits.
His favorite restaurants.
The people he trusted.
The things that made him vulnerable.
Then she discovered Ethan.
Victor’s son.
A child born from his first marriage.
A child whose mother had died shortly after childbirth.
At first, Serena saw Ethan as an opportunity.
The way to Victor’s heart.
But slowly, something changed.
Because Victor loved that child more than anything.
More than business.
More than power.
More than himself.
And Serena realized something.
She could never be first.
Not while Ethan existed.
The Blackwood mansion was silent when Serena returned to her room.
She closed the door.
Then her smile disappeared.
The elegant woman from the charity magazines vanished.
The real Serena appeared.
Angry.
Frustrated.
Afraid.
She walked toward the mirror.
Her reflection stared back.
Beautiful.
Perfect.
But broken underneath.
“How did you find out?”
She whispered.
She was not speaking to herself.
Because someone else was in the room.
A man sitting in the shadows near the window.
“You made mistakes.”
Serena turned sharply.
“You were supposed to make sure there were no mistakes.”
The man smiled.
“Relax.”
He stood.
“We are still in control.”
Serena looked furious.
“No. Victor knows.”
“He suspects.”
“He has evidence.”
The man shrugged.
“Evidence can disappear.”
Serena looked at him.
“You don’t understand Victor.”
The man laughed.
“And you do?”
Her silence answered.
That annoyed her.
Because she knew the truth.
Nobody understood Victor Blackwood completely.
Not even her.
The next morning, Victor sat in his office.
The folder containing Serena’s secrets remained open on the desk.
Bank transfers.
Hidden accounts.
Private conversations.
Everything pointed toward one conclusion.
Serena had been planning something.
But Victor needed more.
A confession.
Proof.
Something that could not be destroyed.
His phone rang.
Marcus.
“Sir.”
“What did you find?”
“There’s something strange.”
“Explain.”
“The payments from Serena’s account were not directly connected to Ethan.”
Victor leaned back.
“Then what were they for?”
Marcus paused.
“Research.”
Victor’s eyes narrowed.
“What kind of research?”
“Your first wife.”
The room became colder.
Victor said nothing.
His first wife, Isabella.
The mother of Ethan.
She had died two years ago.
An accident.
At least, that was what everyone believed.
“What did Serena want to know?”
Marcus answered:
“Everything.”
Victor remembered Isabella.
She had been different from Serena.
Quiet.
Warm.
She never cared about power.
She cared about people.
That was why Victor loved her.
And that was why losing her destroyed him.
After her death, Victor became someone else.
Harder.
More distant.
Until Ethan was born.
The child became his reason to continue.
Now someone wanted to erase the last piece of Isabella left in this world.
Victor’s hands tightened.
“Find everything about Isabella’s death.”
Marcus hesitated.
“Sir?”
“Everything.”
A pause.
“Start from the beginning.”
Meanwhile, Lily sat beside Ethan.
The little boy was awake.
His arm was wrapped carefully.
He looked smaller than usual.
More fragile.
But when he saw Lily, his eyes brightened.
“Lily.”
Her heart broke.
She smiled.
“I’m here.”
Ethan reached for her.
She carefully picked him up.
“I’m sorry.”
She whispered.
“I should have protected you.”
The child touched her face.
As if trying to comfort her.
Lily laughed softly through tears.
“You’re the one who got hurt, and you’re comforting me?”
From the doorway, Victor watched.
Again.
He didn’t know why he kept doing it.
Maybe because he was trying to understand her.
Maybe because he had spent years surrounded by people who wanted something from him.
Money.
Power.
Protection.
But Lily wanted nothing.
She had never asked for anything.
Except Ethan’s safety.
And that confused him.
Later that afternoon, Victor called Lily into his office.
She stood nervously.
“Did I do something wrong?”
Victor looked surprised.
“No.”
She relaxed slightly.
“Then why did you call me?”
Victor looked at the documents on his desk.
“Because I owe you an apology.”
Lily stared.
An apology?
From Victor Blackwood?
“I should have protected you.”
She didn’t know how to respond.
“I should have seen what Serena was capable of.”
Lily looked down.
“You trusted someone you loved.”
Victor’s expression changed.
“Did you know?”
“Know what?”
“That Serena hated you.”
Lily was quiet.
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Almost from the beginning.”
Victor looked at her.
“And you stayed?”
Lily smiled sadly.
“Ethan needed me.”
That answer hit harder than expected.
Not because it was dramatic.
Because it was simple.
She stayed because a child needed her.
No other reason.
Victor looked away.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Lily hesitated.
“Because I thought you wouldn’t believe me.”
The truth hurt.
Because she was right.
If this had happened a week ago, would Victor have believed Serena or Lily?
He didn’t know.
And that bothered him.
That evening, Serena made her move.
She knew Victor was investigating.
She knew she was losing control.
So she chose the one weapon she had always trusted.
Public opinion.
Within hours, rumors began spreading.
A nanny attacked a child.
A jealous employee became violent.
A poor girl tried to destroy a powerful family.
The story spread quickly.
Because people loved watching powerful families fall.
And Serena knew something.
Victor could control enemies.
He could control criminals.
But reputation was different.
The next morning, reporters surrounded the Blackwood gates.
Cameras flashed.
Questions shouted.
“Victor Blackwood!”
“Did your nanny hurt your son?”
“Is Lily Carter dangerous?”
Inside the mansion, Lily watched the chaos through the window.
Her face turned pale.
“They believe her.”
Victor stood beside her.
“No.”
Lily looked at him.
“They believe the story.”
Victor looked outside.
Then back at her.
“But I believe you.”
For the first time since the nightmare began…
Lily felt hope.
But neither of them noticed the small camera hidden across the street.
Watching.
Recording.
Waiting.
Because Serena Montigue was not finished.
Not even close.
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And her next move would reveal a secret that would change everything.
End of Chapter 3
