CHAPTER 10 — THE NIGHT VICTOR CHOSE HER
The Hale family had survived decades of scandals.
Business wars.
Betrayals.
Lawsuits.
Rumors.
But nothing had ever shaken the foundation of the family like this.
Because this time…
The enemy wasn't outside the gates.
It was already inside.
Victor Hale stood in the middle of the penthouse, staring at the security footage.
The figure entering Ethan's nursery.
The missing blanket.
The threatening message.
Everything pointed to one terrifying possibility.
Someone close to him wanted his son afraid.
Wanted him broken.
And the worst part?
Victor still didn't know who to trust.
Except one person.
An.
The woman he had once accused.
The woman he had pushed away.
The woman who had every reason to leave him.
Yet she stayed.
For Ethan.
"Victor."
An's voice pulled him back.
He turned.
She was holding Ethan.
The baby was sleeping peacefully against her shoulder.
The sight caused something inside Victor to ache.
Because months ago…
He thought the only way to protect his son was to build walls around him.
Hire guards.
Control everything.
Trust nobody.
But now he understood something.
A child didn't only need protection.
A child needed love.
And An had given Ethan something money could never buy.
A feeling of safety.
"I need to ask you something."
Victor's voice was quiet.
An looked at him.
"What?"
"If I had never found that photograph..."
He paused.
"If I had never suspected you..."
Her expression softened slightly.
"Would you have told me the truth?"
An looked down at Ethan.
"Eventually."
"Why not immediately?"
"Because Elena asked me not to."
Victor closed his eyes.
That answer still hurt.
But now he understood.
Elena wasn't hiding things because she didn't trust him.
She was protecting him.
The next morning…
Victor called an emergency family meeting.
Everyone was there.
Richard Hale.
Victoria Hale.
Several senior members of the family.
The atmosphere was tense.
Everyone knew something serious had happened.
Victor stood at the head of the room.
Normally, this was where he controlled everything.
But today was different.
Today, he wasn't only a CEO.
He was a husband seeking answers.
A father protecting his child.
Richard spoke first.
"Victor, what is this about?"
Victor placed a folder on the table.
"Someone entered my penthouse."
Everyone reacted.
"What?"
"When?"
"How?"
Victor ignored the questions.
"They entered Ethan's nursery."
Silence.
Then Victoria spoke.
"That's impossible."
Her reaction was immediate.
Too immediate.
Victor noticed.
"Why?"
Victoria looked at him.
"Because security is impossible to bypass."
Victor stared at her.
"Exactly."
The room became quiet.
"Unless someone had access."
Richard frowned.
"Are you accusing someone here?"
Victor looked around the room.
"Yes."
The word shocked everyone.
"I am."
Victoria's face changed.
"Victor, think carefully."
"I am."
His eyes moved toward her.
"More carefully than ever."
Victoria laughed softly.
"You're really going to listen to a maid over your own family?"
The room became silent.
An stood near the doorway.
She didn't react.
But Victor did.
He turned toward his sister.
"Watch your words."
Victoria looked surprised.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me."
His voice became colder.
"For weeks, everyone has questioned her."
He looked at An.
"Everyone has judged her."
Then back at Victoria.
"But nobody has asked the most important question."
"What?"
Victor stepped forward.
"Who benefits from making me distrust her?"
Victoria's expression hardened.
"You think I did this?"
"I think someone did."
Victor replied.
"And I will find out who."
The meeting continued for hours.
Arguments.
Accusations.
Denials.
But Victor noticed something.
Every time An spoke…
Victoria became uncomfortable.
Every time Elena's name was mentioned…
Richard changed the subject.
They were hiding something.
He could feel it.
That evening…
Victor made a decision.
One that shocked everyone.
He announced publicly:
"An Parker is no longer a maid."
The employees at the penthouse froze.
An looked at him.
"What?"
Victor continued.
"She will remain Ethan's caregiver."
A pause.
"But she will have the same authority as any senior member of this household."
Silence.
An stared at him.
"Victor, you don't have to do this."
"I do."
His voice was firm.
"Because I should have done it earlier."
Later that night…
Victor found An in the nursery.
"You didn't have to defend me."
She didn't turn around.
"I wasn't defending you."
Victor looked confused.
"What?"
"I was defending Ethan."
She looked at him.
"He needs people around him who truly care."
Victor nodded.
"I know."
A pause.
"That's why I chose you."
Those words surprised her.
"Why?"
Victor looked at his son sleeping.
"Because when everyone else saw my money..."
He looked at her.
"You saw my pain."
An didn't know what to say.
For the first time…
The distance between them disappeared.
Not completely.
There were still secrets.
Still wounds.
Still unanswered questions.
But something changed.
Trust.
However…
While Victor was rebuilding his family…
Someone was preparing to destroy it.
Inside a private office across the city…
A man watched the news report.
"Victor Hale appoints mysterious caregiver as trusted member of household."
He smiled.
"So he finally chose her."
Victoria sat across from him.
"He trusts her now."
The man nodded.
"Good."
Victoria frowned.
"Good?"
The man smiled.
"Yes."
"Because now when she falls..."
A pause.
"Victor will fall with her."
The next morning…
Victor received a shocking report from his company's legal department.
A secret investigation had been opened.
Someone was trying to prove that Victor Hale's company had been built through illegal financial activity.
The evidence…
Was signed with his father's name.
Richard Hale.
Victor stared at the documents.
His family.
His company.
His son's safety.
Everything was collapsing at once.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A familiar voice whispered:
"You protected the maid."
A pause.
"Now protect yourself."
Victor's eyes narrowed.
"Who are you?"
The voice laughed.
"You still don't understand."
A chilling pause.
"The person who destroyed Elena..."
"Has been sitting at your dinner table for years."
The call ended.
Victor stood frozen.
Because suddenly…
The biggest battle of his life had begun.
And this time…
May you like
He wasn't fighting for money.
He was fighting for the truth.
