Chapter 3
Marcus turned toward his mother.
“Mom.”
Helena realized.
Too late.
Victoria repeated:
“Daniel’s room?”
Helena folded her arms.
“You know what I meant.”
“No.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“I know exactly what you said.”
Marcus moved between them.
“Clara stole something.”
Noah looked up.
“My mommy doesn’t steal.”
Marcus laughed.
“You know that because?”
Noah’s face crumpled.
Victoria’s voice became quiet.
“Enough.”
Marcus looked at her.
“Why? He needs to learn what his mother is.”
Noah whispered:
“She makes dresses.”
Marcus smiled.
“She cleans up after people who matter.”
Victoria watched the boy absorb every word.
Then looked at Marcus.
“You enjoy hurting people who cannot hit you back.”
His jaw tightened.
“That child was wandering.”
“He was carrying linens.”
“In a private gallery.”
“Inside the estate where his mother works.”
Helena interrupted.
“That is the problem with your generation. You let employees forget distance.”
Victoria almost smiled.
“No.”
“What?”
“I let people remember they’re human.”
Helena rolled her eyes.
“Weakness.”
Victoria handed Noah to one of her bodyguards.
“Take him upstairs. Food, water, someone he knows.”
Noah grabbed her sleeve.
“Please find Mommy.”
“I will.”
Helena laughed.
“Promise carefully.”
Victoria looked at her.
“What?”
“Children remember when powerful women fail them.”
Another slip.
Not if.
When.
Helena already believed Clara was somewhere Victoria could not retrieve her.
Victoria lifted the brass key.
“The north fitting room.”
Marcus moved.
Again.
Instinct.
Victoria saw it.
“You know where it is.”
“No.”
“Daniel’s letter does.”
“That room hasn’t existed in years.”
Helena snapped:
“It was sealed.”
Victoria turned.
“How do you know?”
Silence.
Markings in the ledger suddenly made sense.
North.
Three black circles beside Clara’s name.
Victoria walked toward the old service corridor.
Marcus blocked her.
Again.
“You’re not opening that room.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel is dead.”
Victoria stared.
“You keep saying that as if death transferred his secrets to you.”
Marcus leaned close.
“He isn’t coming back to protect you.”
Victoria’s eyes hardened.
“I never needed him to.”
That answer angered him.
Good.
She walked past.
Behind her, Helena said:
“If Clara is in there, remember something.”
Victoria stopped.
Helena smiled.
“She put herself there.”
May you like
Victim blamed before the door was even opened.
And that told Victoria exactly what she was about to find.
