Chapter 3 - Victoria’s Rules
Victoria Blackwood had rules for everything.
Clara learned them during the first month of her marriage.
A Blackwood wife did not speak before her husband at public events.
A Blackwood wife did not discuss money.
A Blackwood wife did not correct family members in front of employees.
A Blackwood wife smiled when photographed.
A Blackwood wife understood that privacy mattered more than truth.
At first, the rules were presented as traditions.
Later, they became warnings.
Victoria had raised Dominic after his father abandoned the family. She had turned that abandonment into a permanent explanation for every cruel thing Dominic did.
He was afraid of losing people.
He was under pressure.
He needed loyalty.
He had worked too hard to be questioned.
Whenever Clara objected, Victoria accused her of failing to understand him.
One Friday afternoon, Victoria arrived at Clara’s office without an appointment.
She closed the door and placed a folder on the desk.
“Dominic wants you to sign these.”
Clara did not touch the folder. “What are they?”
“A restructuring agreement.”
“Then the company attorney can send it to Evelyn.”
Victoria’s lips tightened. “You hired that woman?”
“Yes.”
“You are making a private family disagreement public.”
“Company funds are missing.”
“No funds are missing.”
“Then an independent audit will prove it.”
Victoria moved closer to the desk.
“You think because your father gave Dominic some money years ago, you own this family.”
“My father invested in the business.”
“Your father never respected Dominic.”
“My father saw him clearly.”
The moment the words left Clara’s mouth, Victoria’s face changed.
She reached across the desk and swept a framed photograph onto the floor.
The glass cracked.
The picture showed Clara with her father at the opening of the first Blackwood restaurant. Thomas Hale stood beside her, smiling proudly, one hand on her shoulder.
Victoria looked down at the broken frame.
“You should be careful,” she said. “People who challenge Dominic often lose more than they expect.”
Clara pressed the intercom button.
“Maya, please ask security to come to my office.”
Victoria’s eyes widened.
“You would have me removed?”
“Yes.”
“You ungrateful little nobody.”
The office door opened, and Clara’s assistant entered with two security employees.
Victoria turned toward them with practiced outrage.
“My daughter-in-law is emotional. We are having a family conversation.”
Clara stood.
“Mrs. Blackwood broke my property and threatened me. Please escort her out.”
The security officers hesitated. Everyone in the company knew Victoria.
Clara looked at the senior officer. “This office is assigned to me. She was asked to leave.”
After a moment, he nodded.
Victoria picked up her handbag.
At the doorway, she turned back.
“Dominic will hear about this.”
“That is probably why you came.”
Victoria left.
Clara waited until the door closed before kneeling to collect the broken photograph.
Her hands shook as she removed the picture from the shattered frame.
Maya crouched beside her.
“I heard what she said,” the assistant whispered.
Clara looked up.
Maya was twenty-eight and had worked at Blackwood Hospitality for four years. She was observant, reliable, and usually careful not to become involved in family disputes.
Now she looked frightened.
“There are things happening downstairs,” Maya said. “People are being told to delete records.”
“What records?”
“Vendor approvals. Expense reports. Emails.”
Clara stood slowly.
“Who gave the order?”
“Dominic’s chief of staff.”
Clara glanced toward the security camera in the hallway.
“Do not delete anything,” she told Maya. “Do not copy anything illegally, either. Forward the written instructions to the compliance address and keep a record that you did.”
“There is no independent compliance department.”
“There will be.”
That evening, Clara sent Evelyn a message.
The evidence may be disappearing.
May you like
Evelyn replied within one minute.
Then we move now.
