CHAPTER 2: The Secret Behind Victoria’s Perfect Image
The night Victoria Blackwell left the mansion, everyone thought the storm had ended.
They were wrong.
Because the real storm had only just begun.
The Blackwell estate had never felt so quiet.
For years, the mansion had been filled with Victoria’s voice.
Her orders.
Her criticism.
Her endless demands.
Every employee walked carefully around her.
Every conversation stopped when she entered a room.
But tonight…
For the first time in twenty years…
The mansion was peaceful.
And somehow, that frightened everyone more.
Arthur Blackwell stood alone in his office, staring through the large windows overlooking the estate.
The rain continued falling outside.
But he barely noticed.
His mind kept replaying the same scene.
Maya’s frightened eyes.
Lily protecting her daughter.
Victoria raising her hand.
He closed his eyes.
How had he missed it?
How had he spent so many years believing he knew the woman beside him?
A quiet knock came from the door.
Arthur turned.
“Come in.”
Lily stepped inside.
She looked uncomfortable.
“Mr. Blackwell…”
Arthur immediately stood.
“Lily, please. Sit down.”
She shook her head.
“No, sir. I shouldn’t be here.”
“After what happened tonight, you shouldn’t be apologizing.”
Lily lowered her eyes.
“I’m sorry for causing trouble.”
Arthur frowned.
“You didn’t cause anything.”
“But Mrs. Blackwell…”
He interrupted.
“Victoria caused this.”
The words surprised Lily.
She had never heard Arthur speak his wife’s name with disappointment before.
Not anger.
Not hatred.
Just disappointment.
And somehow, that was worse.
“Maya is okay?” Arthur asked.
Lily nodded.
“She’s scared.”
Arthur looked away.
A billionaire who negotiated billion-dollar deals without hesitation suddenly looked helpless.
“She shouldn’t have experienced that.”
Lily was silent for a moment.
Then she said quietly:
“Mr. Blackwell… this wasn’t the first time.”
Arthur turned sharply.
“What?”
Lily hesitated.
“You should know the truth.”
The room became tense.
“What truth?”
Lily took a deep breath.
“Mrs. Blackwell has treated people like this for years.”
Arthur stared at her.
“Why didn’t anyone tell me?”
Lily gave a sad smile.
“Because nobody thought you would believe us.”
Those words hit harder than he expected.
“Why?”
“Because she was your wife.”
Arthur looked down.
Lily continued.
“She always reminded everyone that she was Mrs. Blackwell.”
A pause.
“She said no one would ever choose a maid over her.”
Arthur’s expression darkened.
Meanwhile, across the city…
Victoria sat inside a luxurious penthouse owned by her family.
The Sterling residence.
Her family name had protected her since childhood.
Her father, Richard Sterling, had built one of the most influential financial groups in the country.
Victoria grew up believing one thing:
People without power existed to serve people like her.
And tonight, she felt humiliated.
Not because Arthur asked her to leave.
But because he embarrassed her.
For the first time, someone had made her feel small.
She threw her glass onto the table.
The crystal shattered.
“I cannot believe he chose them.”
Her brother, Sebastian Sterling, sat across from her.
He watched her carefully.
“Arthur actually threw you out?”
Victoria looked at him.
“Yes.”
“And you let him?”
Her eyes narrowed.
“I’m not finished.”
Sebastian leaned back.
“What are you planning?”
Victoria smiled.
A cold smile.
“The same thing I always do.”
She picked up her phone.
“I destroy the people who hurt me.”
The next morning, Arthur arrived at Blackwell Enterprises.
But something felt different.
The employees noticed immediately.
Arthur was usually calm.
Focused.
Controlled.
But today, there was a storm behind his eyes.
His assistant, Daniel, approached him.
“Mr. Blackwell.”
Arthur stopped.
“Yes?”
“There’s something you need to see.”
Daniel handed him a folder.
Arthur opened it.
Inside were dozens of complaints.
Employee reports.
Financial records.
Private messages.
His face changed as he read.
“What is this?”
Daniel lowered his voice.
“These are reports connected to Mrs. Blackwell.”
Arthur looked up.
“Why am I seeing this now?”
“Because nobody wanted to be the one to tell you.”
Arthur continued reading.
And every page revealed something worse.
Victoria had fired employees without reason.
She had pressured staff members.
She had used the Blackwell name to intimidate people.
But one document made Arthur stop completely.
A complaint from six years ago.
A young housekeeper.
Accusing Victoria of destroying her reputation after she refused to obey an unfair demand.
Arthur stared at the signature.
Then at the date.
Six years ago.
Six years.
The same year Victoria told him the employee had “stolen money.”
The employee had denied it.
Arthur believed Victoria.
He had fired the woman.
Now…
He realized he might have ruined an innocent person’s life.
That afternoon, Arthur returned to the mansion.
He found Maya sitting in the garden.
She was drawing.
Arthur sat beside her.
“What are you drawing?”
Maya hesitated.
“A family.”
Arthur smiled sadly.
“That’s beautiful.”
She looked at him.
“Mr. Blackwell?”
“Yes?”
“Are we going to get fired?”
The question broke his heart.
“No.”
“But Mrs. Blackwell hates us.”
Arthur looked at the young girl.
“She doesn’t decide your worth.”
Maya looked down.
“My mom says rich people don’t care about people like us.”
Arthur was silent.
Because years ago…
He might have agreed.
But today changed everything.
“Maya.”
She looked at him.
“Your mother is wrong about one thing.”
“What?”
“Some people forget where they came from.”
A pause.
“But some people remember.”
That evening, Arthur received a phone call.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
A woman’s voice spoke.
“Mr. Blackwell?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t know me.”
“Who is this?”
“My name is Elena Carter.”
Arthur frowned.
“And why are you calling?”
The woman took a breath.
“Because I know the truth about Victoria.”
Arthur became still.
“What truth?”
A long silence.
Then Elena said:
“The woman you married has been hiding something from you for twenty years.”
Arthur gripped the phone.
“What are you talking about?”
“You think Victoria entered your life by accident?”
Another pause.
“She didn’t.”
Arthur’s heartbeat increased.
“What does that mean?”
Elena whispered:
“Your marriage was never about love.”
The call ended.
Arthur stood frozen.
Outside the window, the city lights flickered.
For the first time…
He wondered if his entire marriage had been built on a lie.
And somewhere across the city…
Victoria Sterling smiled.
Because she knew something Arthur didn’t.
The truth could destroy him.
But it could also destroy her.
May you like
And that was why she had spent twenty years burying it.
TO BE CONTINUED…
