Chapter 2 - The Secret Victoria Buried
Arthur had spent his entire life believing that secrets were dangerous.
But he had never imagined the most dangerous secrets would be hidden inside his own home.
The wooden chest remained open on the floor.
The letters inside looked ordinary.
Simple envelopes.
Old paper.
Faded ink.
But Arthur knew better.
Sometimes the smallest things carried the heaviest truths.
He held the first letter tightly.
His mother’s name was written at the bottom.
Eleanor Hale.
A woman everyone told him had left.
A woman he had spent years trying to forget.
A woman Victoria claimed had abandoned the family when things became difficult.
But now Arthur was holding proof that his mother had not walked away.
Someone had erased her.
And Victoria had been part of it.
“Arthur…”
Victoria’s voice broke the silence.
He slowly turned.
For the first time since their marriage, he looked at her like he did not know her.
“Who is Eleanor?”
Maya whispered.
Arthur looked down at his daughter.
He immediately softened.
“It’s okay, sweetheart.”
But Maya shook her head.
“No, Daddy.”
Her small voice trembled.
“Why is she scared?”
The question hit harder than anything else.
Because children always noticed what adults tried to hide.
Arthur looked back at Victoria.
“Answer me.”
Victoria crossed her arms.
“I was trying to protect this family.”
Arthur almost laughed.
“Protect us?”
He looked toward Ethan’s swollen cheek.
“Maya was crying on the floor.”
His voice became colder.
“Ethan was protecting her from you.”
Victoria looked away.
For the first time, she had no argument.
Arthur returned to the chest.
He opened the second letter.
This one was written three months after Eleanor supposedly disappeared.
The first sentence immediately destroyed everything Victoria had told him.
“Arthur, I am not leaving you. I am being forced away.”
His breathing stopped.
He read faster.
“Someone close to you has convinced everyone that I abandoned my family. That is not true.”
Arthur’s eyes moved toward Victoria.
The room became smaller.
“Someone close to me?”
Victoria remained silent.
“Who?”
No answer.
Arthur opened another letter.
Then another.
Each one revealed pieces of a hidden story.
His mother had tried to contact him.
She had called.
Written letters.
Sent messages.
But every attempt disappeared.
Someone had intercepted everything.
Someone had made Arthur believe he was abandoned.
“Dad?”
Ethan’s voice interrupted him.
Arthur looked back.
His son stood beside Maya.
Still scared.
But still brave.
“Is Grandma alive?”
The question froze Arthur.
Because he didn’t know.
For years, he had mourned someone who might still exist.
He looked at Victoria.
“Tell me.”
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I don’t know where she is.”
Arthur stared.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“It’s true.”
“Then why hide the letters?”
Victoria looked down.
“Because she was trying to destroy everything.”
Arthur felt anger rising.
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Victoria hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Because she knew what I did.”
Silence.
The words came out before Victoria could stop them.
Arthur stepped closer.
“What did you do?”
Victoria realized her mistake.
But it was too late.
Years earlier, before Arthur met Victoria, Eleanor Hale had discovered financial problems inside the Hale family business.
She discovered missing money.
False documents.
And someone secretly moving company assets.
She threatened to expose the person responsible.
That person was Victoria.
But Victoria was not alone.
Someone powerful was helping her.
Someone Arthur trusted.
Someone who had always been around.
Arthur’s expression changed.
“Who helped you?”
Victoria looked terrified.
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because if you know, you will understand why I had to do everything.”
Arthur shook his head.
“No.”
His voice was quiet.
“You did not have to hurt my children.”
Victoria looked toward Maya.
A moment of guilt appeared.
But it disappeared quickly.
And Arthur noticed.
That scared him more than anger.
That night, Arthur moved Ethan and Maya into his bedroom.
Not because they were afraid of the dark.
Because he was afraid of what else they had experienced without telling him.
Ethan sat on the edge of the bed.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“Are you angry at me?”
Arthur froze.
“What?”
“Because I hit her.”
Arthur immediately shook his head.
“No.”
“But I was supposed to listen to adults.”
Arthur sat beside him.
“Son.”
He placed a hand on Ethan’s shoulder.
“Protecting someone who cannot protect themselves is not wrong.”
Ethan looked down.
“I was scared.”
Arthur smiled sadly.
“I know.”
“I thought she would hurt Maya.”
Arthur looked at his son.
And for the first time that night, he felt proud.
“You were brave.”
Ethan wiped his eyes.
“I don’t feel brave.”
Arthur answered softly:
“Most brave people don’t.”
But while Arthur comforted his children, Victoria was making a phone call.
A desperate one.
The person on the other end answered immediately.
“You opened the room.”
Victoria looked through the window.
“Yes.”
A pause.
“What did Arthur find?”
Victoria’s voice shook.
“The letters.”
Silence.
Then the person asked:
“Did he see the final file?”
Victoria looked toward the hallway.
“No.”
“Good.”
A cold voice replied.
“Because if Arthur finds that file, everything is over.”
Victoria swallowed.
“What do we do?”
The answer came without hesitation.
“We remove the children.”
Victoria froze.
The words were exactly what Arthur feared.
May you like
The person continued:
“Before they reveal what they know.”
