Chapter 5 - Victoria’s Secret Was Bigger Than the Engagement

Sofia was not inside the warehouse.

Her pendant was.

It lay on a wooden chair beneath a single light.

No blood.

No message.

Just the necklace.

Alexander stared at it.

“They wanted us here.”

Victoria stepped backward.

Mrs. Bell whispered:

“A distraction.”

Alexander turned.

“From what?”

Elena answered first.

“The trust.”

The old Russo family office was downtown.

Twenty-two minutes away.

Leo did not need Elena dead.

Not yet.

He needed the transfer completed before midnight.

Alexander called the family attorney.

No answer.

He called again.

Nothing.

Victoria finally spoke.

“My father has the original trust documents.”

Alexander turned toward her.

“What?”

“He took them from the family attorney three months ago.”

“You knew that too?”

“Yes.”

Alexander laughed quietly.

“Is there anything about my family you did not know?”

Victoria flinched.

“I did not know your father would die for trying to undo this.”

Silence.

Alexander stepped closer.

“What did you say?”

Victoria looked at Elena.

Then Mrs. Bell.

Then me.

“My father found Thomas.”

Alexander waited.

“Thomas said Dominic discovered Leo had been moving trust assets into companies owned by another family.”

Mrs. Bell frowned.

“Another family?”

Victoria nodded.

“Leo’s.”

Alexander’s face changed.

“He has children?”

“One son.”

Elena whispered:

“Who?”

Victoria answered:

“Gabriel Hale.”

Alexander stared at her.

The name meant something.

He reached for the wall.

Gabriel Hale was the Russo family finance director.

He had worked beside Alexander for eight years.

He had signed payroll.

Reviewed acquisitions.

Attended funerals.

Sat at Alexander’s table.

Alexander whispered:

“Gabriel is Leo’s son?”

“Yes.”

Victoria continued.

“Your father discovered it eleven years ago.”

Mrs. Bell closed her eyes.

“And then he died.”

Victoria nodded.

Alexander looked at her.

“Why did you try to send Margaret away tonight?”

Victoria’s voice shook.

“Because Leo knew she had the baby book.”

Mrs. Bell stared.

“How?”

“My father’s office was searched last week.”

Alexander’s expression hardened.

“You thought removing her would protect her?”

“Yes.”

“You thought lying to me would protect everyone?”

“Yes.”

“Did it?”

Victoria looked toward the empty chair with Sofia’s necklace.

“No.”

Alexander stepped away.

Victoria wiped her eyes.

“I met Sofia eight months ago.”

Elena looked at her.

“You promised not to tell him.”

“I promised until your mother had the original trust and Thomas’s statement.”

Alexander turned back.

“My mother asked you to lie?”

“She asked me to wait.”

“And you agreed.”

“Yes.”

“Then you agreed to marry me while knowing who my mother was.”

Victoria whispered:

“Yes.”

The pain in his face was worse than anger.

“Why?”

“Because I loved you before I knew.”

He stared at her.

“And after?”

“I was afraid the truth would destroy you.”

Alexander shook his head.

“No.”

He looked at the necklace.

“The lie did that.”

Elena stepped between them.

“We can decide who failed whom tomorrow.”

She held up the phone.

“Tonight Leo is trying to steal thirty-three years.”

Alexander looked at the clock.

10:31 p.m.

He picked up Sofia’s pendant.

“Where is your father?”

Victoria answered:

“At his office.”

“Then we go there.”

She hesitated.

Alexander saw it.

“What?”

Victoria whispered:

“He called me before the gala.”

“And?”

“He said if anything happened, I should give you one sentence.”

Alexander waited.

Victoria looked directly at him.

“Your father left one witness alive on purpose.”

Mrs. Bell whispered:

“Thomas.”

Victoria shook her head.

“No.”

“Who?”

She looked at Alexander.

“Katherine.”

Alexander stopped.

The woman he had called Mother for thirty-three years.

The woman he had buried six years ago.

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Victoria’s next words were almost a whisper.

“She knew Sofia was alive.”