Chapter 13 - THE MAN BEHIND ELEANORVictor Hale entered the library slowly.
He looked older than the photographs.
But his eyes were sharp.
Cold.
Calculating.
Sarah stepped backward.
“You're alive.”
Victor smiled.
“Apparently.”
Daniel moved in front of Sarah.
“You're not supposed to be here.”
“I own half the security contracts protecting this estate.”
Clara stared at him.
“You taught Eleanor everything.”
Victor nodded.
“She was an excellent student.”
Arthur's fists tightened.
“You killed my wife.”
Victor shook his head.
“Eleanor did.”
“You ordered it.”
“I suggested it.”
Sarah's stomach turned.
“Why?”
Victor looked at her.
“Because the Vance family was becoming weak.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“So you murdered people for money.”
Victor corrected him.
“For stability.”
Sarah stared at him.
“You tried to steal my baby.”
Victor smiled.
“Not steal.”
“Then what?”
“Preserve.”
He looked at Sarah's stomach.
“The trust was created because your grandfather feared the family would collapse.”
Clara stepped forward.
“And you wanted control.”
Victor smiled.
“Yes.”
Arthur whispered:
“You never changed.”
Victor looked at him.
“You stayed loyal to dead people.”
Arthur replied:
“No.”
He lifted his phone.
“I stayed loyal to the living.”
Victor's smile disappeared.
The screen displayed a file.
Audio.
Contracts.
Payments.
Names.
Every transaction Victor had hidden for thirty years.
Daniel looked at Arthur.
“You had all of this?”
Arthur nodded.
“Copies.”
Victor lunged suddenly.
A police officer tackled him.
The library erupted.
Sarah covered her stomach.
Daniel held her.
Victor was handcuffed.
But he kept smiling.
Then he said:
“You've won nothing.”
Clara stared.
“Why?”
Victor nodded toward Sarah.
“Because the trust is already gone.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
Victor laughed.
“Did you really think Eleanor destroyed the documents?”
Arthur's face changed.
“What did she do?”
“She transferred the trust.”
“To whom?”
Victor looked at Sarah.
“Your unborn daughter.”
Sarah's eyes widened.
“She already controls it?”
“Not legally.”
Victor smiled.
“But the moment she is born…”
He paused.
“…the trust activates.”
Daniel swallowed.
“And then?”
“She becomes the legal owner.”
Sarah finally understood.
“That is why everyone wants my child.”
Victor nodded.
“And that is why someone will kill you before the birth.”
The room fell silent.
Daniel grabbed Victor's collar.
“You're under arrest.”
Victor laughed.
“You still think this is about courtrooms.”
Then he leaned close to Daniel.
“There is a second beneficiary.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
Victor smiled.
“Your sister.”
Clara stepped forward.
“What?”
Victor's voice became almost gentle.
“The trust was never meant for one child.”
He looked toward Sarah.
“It was divided.”
Sarah felt the blood drain from her face.
“How?”
Victor answered:
“Half to Daniel's first biological child.”
He looked at Clara.
“And half to Clara.”
Daniel stared.
“Clara is an adult.”
“Exactly.”
Clara looked confused.
“Then why?”
Victor smiled.
“Because Clara's trust was frozen when she was declared legally dead.”
Sarah whispered:
“And if she is declared alive…”
Victor nodded.
“The entire financial system changes.”
Arthur finally understood.
“Eleanor wasn't trying to kill Clara because she hated her.”
Victor looked pleased.
“She needed Clara legally dead.”
Clara's face hardened.
“So that's why you never wanted me found.”
Victor nodded.
“And now that you're alive…”
He glanced at Sarah.
“…the family loses control of everything.”
A police officer dragged him toward the door.
Victor stopped.
Then turned.
“One final warning.”
Sarah stared.
Victor smiled.
“Someone inside this house is still working for me.”
The door closed.
Silence.
Daniel looked around the library.
Sarah did too.
Servants.
Police.
Arthur.
Clara.
Her husband.
Someone.
Then a maid screamed from upstairs.
Everyone ran.
The nursery door stood open.
The crib was empty.
The baby clothes had been removed.
On the wall was written in red:
COUNTING DOWN.
Sarah looked at the clock.
Thirty minutes past midnight.
Her due date was still weeks away.
Then she felt a sharp pain.
She gasped.
Daniel caught her.
“What happened?”
Another pain.
Stronger.
Sarah looked terrified.
“I think…”
May you like
She swallowed.
“I think the baby is coming.”
