Chapter 8 - The Property in Elena’s Name
Sebastian survived.
Barely.
The bullet missed his heart.
He was transported under a false name to a private hospital Marcus trusted.
Arthur stayed with Maya and Ethan.
Daniel searched Arthur’s property records.
Nothing unusual appeared.
Then Maya remembered Elena’s notebook.
One page contained an address.
17 Willow Crest Road.
Arthur knew it.
An abandoned estate outside the city.
He had bought the land twelve years earlier through Asteron Development.
Or thought he had.
Daniel found the original deed.
Arthur stared.
The property had been transferred seven years earlier.
Recipient:
ELENA CARTER TRUST.
Trustee:
VICTORIA WHITMORE BENNETT.
Arthur looked at Daniel.
“My wife controls Elena’s property.”
“Yes.”
“Since before our wedding.”
“Yes.”
Arthur almost laughed.
Every part of his marriage had been constructed.
They drove to Willow Crest after dark.
Marcus brought four men.
The estate looked empty.
But underground power consumption had been recorded for years.
They found the entrance beneath a detached garage.
A steel staircase led downward.
Arthur descended.
A hallway appeared.
Medical rooms.
Storage.
Security monitors.
Then he saw photographs.
Hundreds of them.
Maya at school.
Ethan playing soccer.
Arthur leaving his office.
Arthur marrying Victoria.
Elena had been watching them.
Or someone had been watching for her.
At the end of the hallway stood a locked room.
Arthur forced it open.
A woman sat inside.
Thin.
Gray streaks through dark hair.
She lifted her face.
Arthur forgot how to breathe.
“Elena.”
Her eyes widened.
“Arthur?”
Maya ran past him.
“Mom!”
Elena stood.
Maya crashed into her arms.
Ethan followed.
All three collapsed to the floor.
Arthur remained in the doorway.
Fourteen years of lies stood between him and the woman he had once loved.
Elena looked at him over Maya’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry.”
Arthur could barely speak.
“Why?”
Elena closed her eyes.
“I was trying to keep you alive.”
“You let me believe you were dead.”
“Yes.”
“You let your children believe it.”
Her face broke.
“Yes.”
“You knew they were mine.”
“Yes.”
Arthur turned away.
He wanted to scream.
Instead, he heard Marcus.
“We need to move.”
They left immediately.
At Arthur’s house, Elena told them everything.
She had worked for Charles.
She discovered the fraud.
Victoria discovered Elena’s relationship with Arthur.
The crash was arranged.
Elena survived.
Charles hid her because he needed the location of the evidence.
Years later she escaped.
Then Victoria threatened the children.
Elena surrendered.
Arthur stared at her.
“Why didn’t you contact me?”
“Because Victoria had access to you.”
“You could have warned me.”
“I tried.”
“The letter?”
“Yes.”
Arthur looked at Victoria’s empty chair.
“Why did you write not to trust her?”
Elena’s face hardened.
“Because Victoria is worse than Charles.”
Then the front gate opened.
Security called Arthur.
A woman had arrived.
Alone.
Victoria.
Arthur walked outside.
Victoria stood beneath the porch light.
She looked exhausted.
Arthur stared at her.
“Elena is inside.”
Victoria closed her eyes.
“I know.”
Arthur’s face went cold.
“You knew where she was.”
“Yes.”
“You lied.”
“Yes.”
Arthur stepped closer.
“Give me one reason not to hand you to police.”
Victoria looked at him.
“Because Elena still hasn’t told you who put her back in that room.”
Arthur froze.
Victoria looked toward the house.
“It wasn’t me.”
Elena appeared behind Arthur.
Her face went white when she saw Victoria.
Victoria smiled bitterly.
“Tell him.”
Elena said nothing.
Victoria’s voice sharpened.
“Tell Arthur who locked you underground.”
Elena whispered one name.
May you like
“Daniel.”
Arthur slowly turned toward his attorney.
