Chapter 7 - The Woman in the PhotographThe country house sat behind iron gates and a wall of old cedar trees.
It had belonged to the Wentworth family for generations.
At least, that was the story.
By the time I arrived, the gates were open.
Too open.
I didn't like it.
Three security vehicles waited farther down the road.
I entered alone.
Inside, the house was silent.
No staff.
No music.
No lights except those glowing from the dining room.
Nina was sitting at the table.
Her wrists were untied.
Alec stood behind her.
Heloise was near the fireplace.
Bridget walked in behind me.
Marcus Vale wasn't there.
I stepped toward Nina.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
Alec raised his hands.
“She hasn't been touched.”
I looked at him.
“You abducted my sister.”
“I brought her here.”
“Against her will.”
Silence.
“That is abduction.”
His face tightened.
“You don't understand.”
“I understand enough.”
Heloise interrupted.
“Marcus is coming.”
“Where?”
She didn't answer.
Nina stood.
“I want to go home.”
Alec stepped toward her.
“Nina.”
She recoiled.
“Don't.”
He stopped.
She looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“Did you ever love me?”
His expression collapsed.
“Yes.”
“Then why?”
He looked at Heloise.
Then me.
“Because I thought I had no choice.”
I answered quietly.
“You always have a choice.”
He shook his head.
“Not when someone owns every part of your life.”
The front door opened.
A man entered.
Marcus Vale.
Tall.
Silver-haired.
Perfectly dressed.
He didn't look dangerous.
That was the worst part.
He looked ordinary.
The kind of man people trusted with expensive watches and confidential information.
He smiled.
“It's nice to finally meet you.”
“I've heard enough about you.”
He glanced at Nina.
“She's the important one.”
“No.”
I stepped between them.
“I am.”
Marcus laughed softly.
“You still think this is a negotiation.”
He placed a file on the table.
“You bought Meridian.”
“Yes.”
“You think you bought a company.”
“I did.”
“You bought a problem.”
He opened the file.
Inside were photographs.
Daniel.
My old company.
My old apartment.
Nina leaving her school.
My house.
My office.
Images taken over years.
I looked at him.
“You've been watching me.”
“For a long time.”
“Why?”
“Because you were the one person Heloise could never control.”
Heloise looked away.
I noticed it.
“That's why she gave me the agreement.”
Marcus smiled.
“She wanted to see whether you would obey.”
“I signed it.”
“Yes.”
“And then broke it.”
“No.”
He tapped the paper.
“You did exactly what we expected.”
I frowned.
“What?”
“By signing it, you acknowledged the Wentworth boundary.”
“Legally meaningless.”
“Perhaps.”
He looked toward the folder.
“But emotionally useful.”
Nina stared at him.
“What do you want?”
Marcus answered immediately.
“Your trust.”
She froze.
Then he turned toward me.
“And Meridian.”
I shook my head.
“You won't get either.”
Marcus smiled.
“That's where you're wrong.”
He placed a photograph in front of Nina.
It was old.
Very old.
My grandmother stood beside a woman.
I looked closer.
The woman was Heloise.
My stomach dropped.
Nina whispered, “They knew each other?”
Heloise's face went blank.
I picked up the photograph.
The date was printed on the back.
Twenty-three years ago.
Marcus said quietly:
“Your grandmother and Heloise were partners long before either of you were born into this mess.”
I turned toward Heloise.
“You knew my grandmother.”
She said nothing.
Marcus smiled.
“And there's one more thing.”
He slid another photograph across the table.
It showed my grandmother handing something to Heloise.
Not money.
Not documents.
A child.
I stared at the photograph.
The child looked about three years old.
Nina leaned closer.
Her face changed.
“That looks like…”
She stopped.
I knew who it looked like.
Me.
Marcus watched us.
“The real reason your grandmother created Nina's trust,” he said, “has nothing to do with Nina.”
May you like
He pointed to me.
“It was meant to protect you.”
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