Chapter 3 - The Man Who Was Never Supposed to Return
Victor Blackwood walked into the foyer twenty minutes later as if he owned the mansion.
Perhaps once, Sophie thought, he almost had.
He was sixty-three.
Silver-haired.
Immaculately dressed.
Calm in the way only powerful men who expected obedience could be calm.
Adrian stood waiting.
“You opened the west gate.”
Victor removed his gloves.
“I still have access.”
“Not anymore.”
Victor smiled.
“Then I suppose I should treasure tonight.”
His eyes moved toward Sophie.
He recognized her.
Not vaguely.
Immediately.
His face barely changed.
But Sophie saw it.
“You know who I am.”
Victor smiled.
“You’re the housekeeper who caused tonight’s excitement.”
“My name.”
“I know the names of the staff.”
“You haven’t lived here in twelve years.”
His smile weakened.
Adrian stepped between them.
“Why are you here?”
“Bianca called.”
Sophie’s heart jumped.
Victor continued.
“She was hysterical.”
“You’re close to Bianca?”
“Her father and I have known each other for years.”
That was new.
Adrian clearly hadn’t known either.
Victor glanced at Sophie’s reddened cheek.
“I understand she behaved disgracefully.”
“She framed Sophie for theft.”
Victor sighed.
“Desperate young people do stupid things.”
Sophie watched him.
“She mentioned a ledger.”
Victor’s face remained still.
Adrian caught the reaction.
“What ledger?”
“I have no idea.”
“You were in the photograph with Grace Bennett.”
Victor looked at Sophie again.
This time the charm disappeared.
“Where did you see that photograph?”
Adrian smiled without warmth.
“So you remember it.”
Victor said nothing.
Eleanor appeared at the top of the stairs.
The moment she saw Victor, she stopped.
“Leave.”
Victor looked up.
“Good evening, Eleanor.”
“I said leave.”
“We need to discuss what happened.”
“You and I have nothing to discuss.”
Sophie felt the history between them.
Hatred.
Fear.
And something worse.
Guilt.
Victor climbed one stair.
Eleanor backed away.
Adrian noticed.
“Don’t go near her.”
Victor stopped.
He looked almost amused.
“You still think you understand this family.”
“I understand enough.”
“No, Adrian.”
Victor’s eyes moved toward Sophie.
“You understand what your mother chose to tell you.”
Eleanor’s voice sharpened.
“Victor.”
He ignored her.
“Has she told you Grace Bennett was arrested?”
Sophie froze.
“My mother was never arrested.”
Victor raised an eyebrow.
“Are you sure?”
“She never had a criminal record.”
“The charges disappeared.”
Eleanor came downstairs.
“Stop.”
Victor smiled.
“Grace was accused of stealing nearly four million dollars from Blackwood Industrial.”
“That’s a lie.”
Sophie’s voice shook.
Victor looked at her with something almost resembling pity.
“Your mother was accused of financial theft, evidence tampering, and attempting to blackmail a member of this family.”
Sophie looked at Eleanor.
“Tell him he’s lying.”
Eleanor remained silent.
Sophie’s stomach dropped.
“Tell him.”
“Grace was accused.”
Sophie stepped back.
“But she was innocent.”
Eleanor answered immediately.
“Yes.”
Victor laughed softly.
“You never proved that.”
Eleanor turned toward him.
“We both know who stole that money.”
Victor’s face changed.
Adrian saw it.
“So you do know.”
Nobody moved.
Victor slowly buttoned his coat.
“This conversation is over.”
Adrian blocked the door.
“No.”
Victor looked at his nephew.
“Move.”
“You came into my house.”
“Our house.”
“Not anymore.”
Adrian leaned closer.
“Who stole the money?”
Victor’s eyes turned cold.
“You really want to destroy what remains of your father’s reputation?”
Adrian didn’t move.
Victor lowered his voice.
“Then ask your mother why Grace Bennett received monthly payments from Eleanor for eleven years.”
Sophie stared at Eleanor.
“What?”
Victor walked around Adrian.
At the door he stopped.
“Check the accounts.”
Then he looked directly at Sophie.
“Your mother wasn’t afraid of the Blackwoods.”
He smiled faintly.
“She was being paid by one.”
The door closed behind him.
Sophie turned toward Eleanor.
“Is that true?”
Eleanor’s eyes filled with tears.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Eleanor looked at her for a long time.
“Because I owed Grace Bennett my life.”
May you like
Then she added:
“And because your mother knew who killed Charles.”
