Chapter 5
Victoria closed the fitting-room door behind Clara.
Not to trap her.
To keep Helena’s voice away.
Noah was brought downstairs.
The moment he saw his mother, he ran.
Clara dropped to her knees.
He hit her so hard with the hug they almost fell.
“Mommy.”
“I’m here.”
Helena watched from the corridor.
Then muttered:
“Pathetic.”
Victoria turned.
Helena smiled.
“One night apart and they act like prisoners reunited after ten years.”
Clara looked down.
Noah heard it.
Of course.
Helena continued:
“Perhaps next time she’ll remember her station.”
Victoria walked toward her.
“You locked a mother away from her three-year-old son.”
“She stole.”
“She brought you a key.”
“She touched Daniel’s clothing.”
“She repaired it.”
“She found something that wasn’t hers.”
Victoria’s voice dropped.
“Neither was the room you locked her in.”
Helena’s mouth tightened.
Marcus laughed.
“Always dramatic.”
Victoria looked at him.
“You copied names from Daniel’s ledger.”
“No.”
“Clara saw you.”
“A servant saw what she wanted.”
Clara whispered:
“I saw your phone over every page.”
Marcus looked at Noah.
Then smiled cruelly.
“Your mother is very brave when someone stronger stands nearby.”
Noah hid against Clara.
Marcus continued.
“Let’s see how brave she is when Victoria leaves.”
Victoria’s bodyguards moved simultaneously.
Marcus noticed.
His smile weakened.
Good.
Victoria opened the ledger.
“Explain the symbols.”
Silence.
She looked at Helena.
“Black circle?”
Nothing.
“Red slash?”
Marcus said:
“You think every mark is conspiracy.”
Victoria read names aloud.
Anthony Bellacorte. Black circle.
Robert Hale. Red slash.
Samuel Voss. Black circle.
Every black circle belonged to men publicly loyal to Victoria.
Every red slash belonged to men who had recently begun spending time near Helena.
She looked up.
Marcus smiled faintly.
“You finally understand.”
“What?”
“This organization never belonged to a widow.”
There.
The truth.
Helena did not correct him.
Victoria closed the ledger.
“Tonight’s gala.”
Marcus’s expression shifted.
She continued.
“You gathered every black circle here.”
No answer.
“And the red slashes?”
Helena spoke.
“They’ll arrive later.”
Victoria’s blood cooled.
“Why?”
Helena smiled.
“To see the house corrected.”
Clara suddenly whispered:
“There was another list.”
Everyone turned.
Marcus’s face changed.
Victoria looked at her.
“Where?”
Clara pointed upward.
“Inside Daniel’s anniversary jacket.”
“And what was on it?”
Clara swallowed.
May you like
“Children’s names.”
Helena went completely still.
