Evelyn grabbed my hair from behind and dragged me out of the kitchen by it. I was mid-wash, soapy water dripping from my hands as I screamed in pain. She pulled me across the cold tile floor, my knees scraping raw. Into the living room where the entire family was gathered.

Victoria agreed to meet us.

At the office.

The next day.

She arrived promptly at ten o'clock.

She was wearing another expensive suit.

Her hair was perfect.

Her makeup was flawless.

She looked like she belonged on a magazine cover.

Not in our modest office.

I introduced her to everyone.

She shook hands.

Polite.

Friendly.

But her eyes were cold.

Calculating.

We sat down in the conference room.

I laid out our offer.

A job.

Head of Business Development.

Using her connections and experience to help the company grow.

Six months probation.

A generous salary.

If she proved herself.

If she earned our trust.

We would discuss a small equity stake in the company.

And a place in the family.

When I was done, Victoria was quiet for a moment.

Then she smiled.

"That's... very generous," she said. "I didn't expect that. I expected a fight. Lawyers. Court. Maybe even the police."

"You're Richard's sister," I said. "Daniel and Rebecca's aunt. That means something. You're family. Whether we like it or not. And family deserves a chance. To prove themselves. To earn their place. That's what we're offering you. A chance. Nothing more. Nothing less."

Victoria looked at Daniel and Rebecca.

Then at Matthew.

Then at Harold.

Then at the grandfather.

Then at me.

Her eyes were softer now.

Genuine.

Or a very good act.

"I accept," she said. "I'll take the job. And I'll prove myself. I won't let you down. I promise."

She held out her hand.

I hesitated.

Then I took it.

Her hand was cold.

Firm.

Professional.

It was done.

Victoria started the next Monday.

And she was good.

Really good.

She brought in new clients.

She negotiated better deals.

She streamlined operations.

She saved the company money.

She made the company money.

She was smart.

Driven.

Talented.

And she was trying.

With the family.

She had lunch with Daniel and Rebecca every week.

She got to know them.

She told them stories about their father.

About when they were kids.

She was kind.

Attentive.

Genuine.

Or so it seemed.

She asked about Lucas.

About Grace.

About the twins.

She brought them gifts.

She attended their birthday parties.

She came to family dinners.

She was trying.

Really trying.

And slowly.

Very slowly.

We started to trust her.

To let her in.

To believe that maybe she really was here for the right reasons.

Maybe she really did want to be part of the family.

Maybe she really was different from her brother.

Maybe.

Six months passed.

The probationary period was over.

Victoria had exceeded all expectations.

The company was growing faster than ever.

The family had accepted her.

Daniel and Rebecca called her "Aunt Victoria."

The kids loved her.

Even I had to admit.

She'd become an important part of the team.

An important part of the family.

We called a meeting.

To discuss her future.

To decide about the equity stake.

About her permanent place in the company.

And in the family.

Victoria arrived.

She was nervous.

Excited.

We sat down in the conference room.

The grandfather spoke first.

"Victoria," he said. "You've been with us for six months. And you've done extraordinary work. You've helped this company grow. You've become part of this family. And we want to make that permanent. We're offering you a five percent equity stake in the company. And a permanent position on the board of directors. If you want it."

Victoria's face lit up.

Tears formed in her eyes.

"Thank you," she said. "Thank you so much. I won't let you down. I promise."

She looked at me.

"Especially you," she said. "You gave me a chance when no one else would. You trusted me. Even after everything. I'll never forget that. I'll spend the rest of my life proving that you made the right decision."

I smiled.

A genuine smile.

"I know you will," I said.

We shook hands.

It was done.

Victoria was part of the family.

Part of the business.

Permanently.

For the next year, everything was perfect.

The business continued to grow.

Victoria was instrumental in our expansion into international markets.

She was brilliant.

And she was loyal.

Or so we thought.

I should have known better.

I should have known that in this family, nothing is ever as it seems.

That people are never who they appear to be.

That trust is a luxury I can never really afford.

I learned that lesson the hard way.

One year to the day after Victoria joined the company.

She called an emergency board meeting.

She had something important to announce.

Something that would change everything.

We all gathered in the conference room.

Victoria stood at the front of the room.

Her face was different.

Cold.

Hard.

The mask had slipped.

The woman we'd come to know and trust was gone.

In her place was someone else.

Someone who looked a lot like her brother.

And a lot like Evelyn.

"Thank you all for coming," she said. Her voice was cold. "I have an important announcement to make. One that will change the future of this company. And this family. Forever."

She pulled a stack of papers from her briefcase.

She slid them across the table to each of us.

"As you know," she said. "I was given five percent equity in this company last year. But what you don't know is that over the past year, I've been quietly buying up shares from other shareholders. Small stakes. From former employees. From distant family members. From people who were willing to sell. And I've also acquired the shares that Richard and Evelyn held through their offshore accounts. Shares that were frozen after their convictions. But which I successfully petitioned the court to release to me. As Richard's next of kin."

She smiled.

That same cold, calculating smile I'd seen the first day we met.

"All together," she said. "I now control forty-five percent of this company's voting shares. Which means... I am now the largest single shareholder. And I am taking control of this company. Effective immediately."

I stared at her.

My blood ran cold.

"You can't do this," Matthew said.

"Watch me," Victoria said. "I have the votes. I have the legal right. And I have the vision to take this company to the next level. A level you could never have dreamed of. This company has been held back by your sentimentality. By your obsession with 'family' and 'doing the right thing.' That ends today. This company is going to become a real powerhouse. And I'm going to make us all very, very rich."

"You're a liar," Daniel said. "You used us. You manipulated us. You pretended to be our friend. Our family."

Victoria looked at him.

Her face was cold.

"Of course I did," she said. "You were all so desperate for family. So desperate to believe that people could change. That you never saw what was right in front of you. I'm my brother's sister. And Evelyn was my friend. Did you really think I'd just forget everything? That I'd just become part of your little happy family? I was here for one thing. And one thing only. To get what my brother deserved. What I deserve. And now I have it."

She looked at me.

"And you," she said. "You were the easiest of all. So desperate to be the good guy. So desperate to give people second chances. You handed me this company on a silver platter. And you didn't even see it coming. You're just as weak as Evelyn always said you were."

I stood up.

My hands were shaking with rage.

"You won't get away with this," I said.

Victoria smiled.

"Already have," she said. "The vote is next week. And I have the support I need. This company will be mine. And there's nothing you can do about it."

She picked up her briefcase.

She walked to the door.

Then she stopped.

She looked back.

"Oh, and one more thing," she said. "I'm also filing a wrongful death lawsuit against the estate. On behalf of my brother. I'm claiming that his murder was orchestrated by this family. By you specifically. To keep him from claiming his rightful share. I'm seeking fifty million dollars in damages. I hope you have good lawyers. You're going to need them."

She walked out.

The door closed behind her.

We sat there.

Stunned.

Silent.

Betrayed.

Again.

I felt sick.

I'd been so stupid.

So naive.

I'd given her everything.

And she'd stabbed me in the back.