Chapter 3: The Secret They Never Found
Dominic stared at my message for almost a minute.
Not because he didn’t understand the words.
Because he understood them too well.
Paige picked up the phone.
“What did she say?””
He grabbed it back.
“Nothing.””
Her eyes narrowed.
“That was not nothing.””
Dominic looked toward the staircase.
The same staircase where I fell.
For the first time, he saw it differently.
Not as an accident.
As a moment.
A moment where his entire life changed.
“What happened that night?”” Paige asked quietly.
Dominic didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.
And for the first time, that terrified him.
The next morning, Victoria arrived at the mansion expecting congratulations.
She walked through the front door wearing a designer coat and carrying her usual confidence.
“Dominic?””
He was sitting in the dark living room.
She frowned.
“What’s wrong?””
He looked up.
“Where is Audrey?””
Victoria waved her hand.
“She left.””
“Why?””
“She was emotional.””
Dominic stared at her.
“She was injured.””
Victoria’s expression barely changed.
“She fell.””
The word hung in the air.
Dominic slowly stood.
“Mother.””
“What?””
“Tell me exactly what happened.””
For the first time, Victoria looked uncomfortable.
But only for a second.
“She was being dramatic.””
His face changed.
“What does that mean?””
Victoria sighed.
“Audrey was always fragile.””
Dominic stepped closer.
“You sent flowers.””
“Yes.””
“With a note.””
Victoria looked away.
“It was meant to calm things down.””
Dominic’s voice dropped.
“What did the note say?””
Silence.
Then he found it.
The card.
Still sitting on the hospital records Victoria had brought home.
Accidents happen.
Stop making everything into a drama.
Dominic read it.
His mother watched him.
“She needed to learn.””
He looked up slowly.
“Learn what?””
Victoria’s jaw tightened.
“Her place.””
The room became cold.
Because those were the exact words I had heard before falling.
Dominic suddenly remembered every time Victoria insulted me.
Every dinner where she criticized my clothes.
Every conversation where she called me lucky.
Every time I defended his family.
And every time he stayed silent.
Meanwhile, Sophia was executing my plan.
By noon, Dominic received a call from his company’s financial department.
“Mr. Ashford?””
“Yes.””
“We have an issue.””
“What kind?””
“There are restrictions on several accounts.””
“What restrictions?””
The employee hesitated.
“Your major investor has frozen operations.””
Dominic stood.
“What investor?””
“The Sterling Vale Investment Group.””
His blood ran cold.
“What does that have to do with me?””
The employee sounded confused.
“Sir, they own sixty-two percent of Ashford Construction.””
Dominic laughed.
A nervous, disbelieving laugh.
“That’s impossible.””
“Sir…”
“Who owns Sterling Vale?””
The employee paused.
Then answered.
“Audrey Ashford.””
Dominic went completely silent.
That night, Sophia sat across from me as I watched the news.
The headline appeared.
ASHFORD CONSTRUCTION FACES FINANCIAL REVIEW AFTER MAJOR INVESTMENT FREEZE.
Sophia looked at me.
“You could end them.””
I looked at the screen.
“No.””
She raised an eyebrow.
“No?””
“I don’t want revenge.””
“Then what do you want?””
I touched my mother’s necklace.
“I want them to finally understand.””
Sophia was quiet.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message.
From an unknown number.
I opened it.
It was one sentence.
Audrey, please. We need to talk.
I stared at the screen.
Because Dominic had never once said please in three years.
Then another message appeared.
This time from a different number.
A name.
Victoria Ashford.
May you like
And underneath it were five words.
I know who you really are.
