Chapter 12 - Victoria’s Final Game
Arthur stared at the message.
Elena screamed Maya’s name.
Marcus checked every camera.
Victoria had left thirty minutes earlier.
Maya had followed voluntarily.
Arthur couldn’t understand it.
Then Elena remembered.
“Maya trusted her.”
Arthur turned.
“What?”
“Before tonight.”
“Victoria apologized to her.”
“When?”
“While you were preparing to leave.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
Victoria had planned everything.
Arthur called her.
She answered.
“Maya.”
Victoria laughed softly.
“She’s safe.”
“Put her on.”
“No.”
Arthur’s voice became cold.
“Victoria.”
“You destroyed my family.”
“Your father destroyed your family.”
“You sent him to prison.”
“He kidnapped a child.”
“You humiliated me.”
“You attacked children.”
“You chose Elena over me.”
Arthur stared at the phone.
“This was never about Elena.”
Victoria went silent.
Arthur finally understood.
“It was about me.”
Victoria’s breathing changed.
“You were supposed to love me.”
“I did.”
“No.”
“You loved the version of me I created.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
“That’s because the real you terrified everyone around you.”
Victoria laughed.
“You think Elena is better?”
Arthur looked at Elena.
“She lied to you for fourteen years.”
“She kept your daughter from you.”
“She slept with my brother.”
“She let you mourn her.”
Arthur didn’t answer.
Victoria continued.
“And you still look at her like she matters.”
“She’s Maya’s mother.”
“I’m your wife.”
“Not anymore.”
Silence.
Victoria whispered.
“Then come say goodbye.”
The call ended.
A location arrived.
The Whitmore family estate.
Arthur drove there with federal agents minutes behind him.
He entered alone.
Victoria stood in the ballroom.
Maya sat nearby.
Unrestrained.
Arthur looked at her.
“Maya.”
“I’m okay.”
Victoria held a folder.
Arthur stopped.
“What do you want?”
Victoria smiled.
“Truth.”
She handed Maya the folder.
Maya looked at Arthur.
“Dad.”
Arthur’s stomach tightened.
“What?”
Maya opened it.
Inside was another DNA report.
Arthur’s name.
Maya’s name.
Probability of paternity:
0%.
Arthur stared.
“No.”
Victoria smiled.
“Elena lied again.”
Arthur looked at Maya.
Her face was shattered.
Victoria stepped closer.
“Neither child is yours.”
Arthur looked toward the doorway.
Elena had followed him.
She stood there.
Arthur held up the report.
“Tell me it’s fake.”
Elena couldn’t.
Maya began crying.
Arthur stared at her mother.
“Elena.”
“I’m sorry.”
Arthur felt numb.
“Who is Maya’s father?”
Elena whispered.
“Charles.”
The room went silent.
Victoria’s smile disappeared.
Even she hadn’t known.
Arthur stared at Elena.
“You had a child with Charles Whitmore?”
Elena shook her head desperately.
“It wasn’t like that.”
Arthur understood from her expression that there was more to the story.
But Victoria had stopped listening.
She stared at Maya.
“My father?”
Maya stepped backward.
Victoria’s entire identity seemed to collapse.
“My father is her father?”
Elena nodded.
Victoria laughed.
Then laughed again.
It became almost hysterical.
“All these years.”
She stared at Maya.
“You’re my sister.”
Maya looked horrified.
Victoria whispered.
“That’s why he never let me hurt you.”
Arthur’s eyes narrowed.
“What?”
Victoria turned toward him.
“The bus.”
“He stopped it.”
“The threats.”
“He always stopped me before anything happened.”
Arthur felt sick.
Victoria had tried repeatedly.
Charles had protected Maya.
Not because he was decent.
Because she was his daughter.
Victoria looked at Elena.
“You ruined everything.”
Elena shook her head.
“Victoria.”
“You took my father.”
“You took Arthur.”
“You took my life.”
Maya shouted.
“I didn’t take anything!”
Victoria looked at her.
For the first time, Maya didn’t retreat.
“I didn’t ask to be born.”
“I didn’t ask Arthur to care about me.”
“I didn’t ask your father to be mine.”
Maya’s voice shook.
“You hated me for something adults did before I could even speak.”
Victoria stared at her.
Maya wiped her tears.
“That doesn’t make you powerful.”
“It makes you pathetic.”
Victoria’s face twisted.
She lunged forward.
Arthur stepped between them.
Federal agents entered immediately.
Victoria froze.
Arthur looked at her.
“It’s finished.”
Victoria stared at Maya.
Then Arthur.
Then Elena.
Her shoulders dropped.
For the first time in her life, Victoria had no threat left.
She was arrested.
But as agents escorted her away, she turned toward Arthur.
“There’s still one thing Elena hasn’t told you.”
Arthur looked at Elena.
May you like
Victoria smiled.
“Ask her why Charles chose you.”
