CHAPTER 7 The Woman Who Knew Victoria's First Crime
The words landed harder than any explosion.
"The survivor..."
Detective Hayes repeated slowly.
"...is Richard Carter's first wife."
Nobody spoke.
Nobody could.
Because Richard Carter's first wife had been dead for nearly thirty years.
At least...
That was what everyone believed.
Victoria stood completely still.
For the first time since entering the hospital, she looked like a person who had lost control of her own story.
"No."
She whispered.
"No, that's impossible."
Hayes watched her carefully.
"You seem surprised."
Victoria immediately recovered.
"I mean..."
"How could a woman who died decades ago suddenly appear?"
Samuel Boone stared at her.
"Exactly."
"You knew she was dead."
Victoria's eyes moved toward him.
A dangerous silence passed between them.
Then she smiled.
"You old fool."
Samuel frowned.
"What?"
"You kept Richard's secrets for thirty years."
"But you never understood him."
She looked around the room.
"None of you did."
Inside the operating room...
Emily, or Grace, fought through waves of pain.
Doctors moved quickly.
"Nurse, increase the fluids."
"Heart rate is dropping."
"The baby's heart rate?"
"Both."
The doctor frowned.
"Both?"
The nurse looked at the monitor.
Then her expression changed.
"Doctor..."
"There are two heartbeats."
The room went silent.
The doctor stared.
"What?"
The nurse pointed.
"The second baby."
"He's still there."
Back in the VIP room...
Cole stared at the ultrasound monitor.
"The second baby survived?"
Dr. Harper nodded.
"The hidden twin."
A strange mixture of relief and anger crossed his face.
All this time...
Everyone had believed there was only one child.
Someone had tried to erase the existence of another.
Someone had manipulated records.
Someone had built an entire plan around destroying his family.
And now...
That child was fighting to enter the world.
A nurse rushed into the room.
"Mr. Carter!"
"The baby..."
Cole immediately turned.
"What happened?"
"The doctors need you."
His heart stopped.
"Is Emily okay?"
The nurse nodded.
"She's asking for you."
Cole didn't hesitate.
He ran.
But before reaching the operating room...
He stopped.
Because a stretcher was being pushed past him.
On it...
An elderly woman with silver hair.
Pale.
Weak.
But alive.
She turned her head.
Her eyes locked with his.
And she whispered one word.
"Cole..."
He froze.
The woman knew his name.
"Who are you?"
The old woman reached toward him.
Her hand trembled.
"I knew your father."
Cole stepped closer.
"Who are you?"
The woman looked past him.
Toward Victoria.
Fear filled her eyes.
"She can't know I'm alive."
Victoria, standing at the end of the hallway, suddenly shouted:
"Don't listen to her!"
Everyone turned.
The old woman's face went pale.
"You..."
She whispered.
"You're still alive too."
The hallway became chaos.
Police moved between them.
Hayes stepped forward.
"Nobody moves."
He looked at the elderly woman.
"Ma'am, can you tell me your name?"
The woman took a shaky breath.
"My name is Eleanor Carter."
Samuel closed his eyes.
Richard's first wife.
The woman who supposedly died in a car crash.
Cole looked at Victoria.
"You knew."
Victoria said nothing.
"You knew she was alive."
Still nothing.
"Answer me!"
His voice shook the hallway.
Victoria finally smiled.
A cold, empty smile.
"You all want the truth?"
"Fine."
She looked at Eleanor.
"She was never supposed to survive."
The police immediately moved.
Hayes raised his hand.
"Careful."
Victoria continued.
"Richard ruined everything."
"He thought he could build a perfect family."
"He thought he could protect everyone."
She laughed.
"But he was weak."
Samuel's expression darkened.
"You poisoned him against his own family."
Victoria looked at him.
"No."
"I saved him."
Everyone stared.
"From what?"
Victoria's smile disappeared.
"From Eleanor."
The accusation shocked everyone.
Eleanor looked horrified.
"After all these years..."
"You still blame me?"
Victoria stepped closer.
"You know what you did."
Cole frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
Eleanor looked at him.
"I never hurt Richard."
Victoria interrupted.
"Of course you didn't."
"You only destroyed his company."
"You only betrayed him."
"You only..."
"Enough."
The voice came from the operating room.
Everyone turned.
The doors opened.
A doctor stepped out.
"Mr. Carter?"
Cole rushed forward.
"How is my wife?"
The doctor smiled.
"She's stable."
The entire hallway exhaled.
"And the baby?"
The doctor hesitated.
"Babies."
Cole froze.
"Both?"
The doctor nodded.
"Both babies are alive."
Tears filled his eyes.
For the first time that night...
A moment of happiness.
Then the doctor continued.
"But..."
The happiness vanished.
"What?"
"There is a problem."
Cole stepped closer.
"What problem?"
The doctor looked at the entire Carter family.
"We found something during the delivery."
Something in his tone made everyone nervous.
"What?"
The doctor lowered his voice.
"Your wife..."
"...was never assaulted randomly."
Cole's face hardened.
"What are you saying?"
The doctor looked at Victoria.
"The injuries were caused by someone trying to trigger premature labor."
Silence.
"Someone wanted the babies born too early."
Cole stared.
"Why?"
The doctor hesitated.
"Because there was a note attached to the medical file."
Hayes frowned.
"A note?"
The doctor nodded.
"Written before she arrived."
Cole's hands clenched.
"What did it say?"
The doctor pulled out a folded piece of paper.
And read:
"If the Carter twins are born alive, the inheritance war begins."
Everyone went silent.
Then...
A phone rang.
Not Cole's.
Not Hayes'.
Victoria looked down.
Her own phone.
The screen showed an unknown number.
She answered.
Nobody could hear the voice on the other end.
But they could see Victoria's face change.
The arrogance disappeared.
The color drained from her skin.
"No..."
She whispered.
"You're supposed to be dead."
Everyone stared.
Victoria slowly lowered the phone.
Cole stepped forward.
"Who was it?"
She didn't answer.
"Victoria."
Her lips trembled.
Then she said the words that made Samuel Boone turn pale.
"Richard."
A cold silence filled the hallway.
"Your father..."
May you like
"...just called me."
End of Chapter 7...
