Chapter 7 - Victoria’s First Secret
Daniel did not confront his sister.
It was the hardest thing Emily had ever watched him do.
Every instinct in him wanted answers.
But Thomas’s letter had been clear.
Do not tell Victoria until you know everything.
Instead, Daniel called her the next morning.
Emily sat across from him in their kitchen.
He put the phone on speaker.
Victoria answered on the third ring.
“What?”
Daniel kept his voice flat.
“I owe you an apology.”
Emily raised her eyebrows.
Daniel ignored her.
“For the lunch.”
A pause.
Victoria sounded suspicious.
“You threw pasta in my face.”
“I know.”
“In front of the children.”
“I know.”
“And Aunt Judith.”
Daniel nearly smiled.
“I’m especially sorry Aunt Judith saw it.”
Emily covered her mouth.
Victoria sighed.
“What do you want?”
“To talk.”
“About Emily?”
“Yes.”
Emily’s smile disappeared.
Daniel continued.
“You were right about Thomas.”
The silence lasted two seconds too long.
Then Victoria said, “I told you.”
“Can we meet tonight?”
“Come to the house.”
“No. Somewhere neutral.”
Another pause.
“Fine.”
Daniel chose a private restaurant.
Emily did not attend.
Instead, she sat inside a car across the street with Rachel, feeling absurd.
“This is spying,” Rachel said.
“Yes.”
“I always hoped adulthood would involve more of this.”
Emily stared through the windshield.
“Can you take this seriously?”
“I am. That’s why I brought snacks.”
Inside the restaurant, Daniel asked Victoria about Thomas.
She repeated the story she had told at the mansion.
Private investigator.
Old photograph.
Driver testimony.
Daniel pretended to believe everything.
Then he asked a simple question.
“Why investigate Emily four years ago?”
Victoria took a sip of water.
“Because you were going to marry her.”
“You investigated everyone I dated?”
“No.”
“Why her?”
Victoria looked away.
Daniel waited.
Finally she said, “Because she looked familiar.”
Daniel’s pulse changed.
“From where?”
“I didn’t know.”
“And now?”
Victoria hesitated.
“Her father.”
Daniel kept his expression controlled.
“You knew Michael Harper?”
“I knew of him.”
“How?”
“Dad hired him once.”
“For what?”
Victoria smiled faintly.
“You’re asking questions about ancient history because your wife lied to you.”
“She didn’t lie.”
“She hid Thomas Vale from you.”
Daniel leaned back.
“Why does that matter so much to you?”
Victoria’s eyes sharpened.
“Because Thomas tried to destroy our family.”
“No. He accused Dad of corporate theft.”
“Same thing.”
“He was wrong.”
Victoria went still.
Daniel watched her.
“What did you say?”
“I said he was wrong.”
“How do you know?”
Daniel shrugged.
“You told me for years.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
He smiled.
“What do you mean?”
Victoria’s hand tightened around her glass.
Daniel knew he had pushed too far.
He changed direction.
“Emily and I are working things out.”
Victoria’s face showed immediate irritation.
“Of course you are.”
“She’s my wife.”
“She kept a major secret.”
“So did you.”
Victoria’s expression changed.
Daniel stood.
“Goodnight.”
She caught his wrist.
“What secret?”
Daniel looked at her hand.
Victoria released him.
He leaned closer.
“Everyone in this family has secrets, Victoria.”
Then he walked away.
Across the street, Emily saw him exit.
Rachel started the engine.
But Daniel did not cross toward them.
He stopped.
A man had stepped from the alley beside the restaurant.
Tall.
Gray hair.
Dark coat.
Emily could not hear their conversation.
She saw Daniel’s posture stiffen.
Then the man handed him something.
A card.
The stranger walked away.
Daniel hurried across the street.
He got into the car.
“Who was that?” Emily asked.
Daniel looked at the card.
His face changed.
“Martin Kessler.”
Rachel nearly dropped her snack.
“Thomas’s CFO?”
Daniel nodded.
“He wants to meet tomorrow.”
Emily looked at the card.
There was no phone number.
Only an address.
May you like
And one handwritten sentence.
VICTORIA WAS NEVER WORKING ALONE.
