Chapter 8: Victoria’s Confession
Nobody spoke.
The accusation hung in the air.
Everyone looked at Victoria.
She looked like she had been waiting for this moment for years.
Slowly, she sat down.
“I knew this would happen.””
The officer approached her.
“Mrs. Whitmore, explain.””
Victoria looked at Emma.
Then at me.
“I hired Claire.””
My heart sank.
I already suspected it.
But hearing it confirmed felt different.
“Why?””
Victoria swallowed.
“Because I needed someone Charles couldn’t control.””
Charles laughed.
“You used her.””
Victoria looked at him.
“No.””
Her voice became stronger.
“I gave her a choice.””
I shook my head.
“You put me in danger.””
“Yes.””
She admitted it.
No excuses.
No lies.
“I did.””
That surprised me.
Victoria continued.
“I knew Charles was watching every employee. I knew he checked every person who entered this house. If I tried to expose him myself, he would destroy the evidence.””
She looked at the files.
“He had spent years making sure nobody believed me.””
Evelyn looked away.
“And me?””
Victoria’s expression broke.
“I failed you.””
The room became quiet.
Evelyn stared at her.
“You let him convince everyone I was unstable.””
Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.
“I thought I could protect Emma.””
“But you hid her.””
Victoria lowered her head.
“I know.””
For the first time, she looked less like a billionaire.
And more like someone who had been afraid for too long.
The officer picked up one of the documents.
“Mrs. Whitmore, why didn’t you report this?””
Victoria looked at Charles.
“Because he had something against me.””
“What?””
She hesitated.
Then whispered:
“Years ago, I helped cover up one of his crimes.””
Charles smiled.
“There it is.””
I looked at Victoria.
“What crime?””
She closed her eyes.
“I thought someone was hurt because of me.””
The room went silent.
Charles stepped closer.
“Tell them.””
Victoria looked at him.
“You wanted me to take the blame.””
“And you did.””
The officer interrupted.
“Everyone stops talking in circles. We need facts.””
Victoria nodded.
She pointed to the files.
“The evidence is there.””
I looked through the papers again.
Then I found something strange.
A photograph.
A young woman standing outside the Whitmore mansion.
She looked familiar.
Too familiar.
I turned it over.
A date was written on the back.
Seven years earlier.
And beneath it:
*Claire Bennett.*
My hands went cold.
“What is this?””
Everyone looked.
Victoria’s face changed.
Charles smiled.
Finally.
The moment he had been waiting for.
“You really don’t remember?””
I stared at the picture.
“I’ve never seen this.””
Charles leaned closer.
“You were here before.””
My head spun.
“No.””
“Yes.””
He pointed at the photograph.
“You came to this house seven years ago.””
I shook my head.
“That’s impossible.””
But something inside me reacted.
A feeling.
A memory buried deep.
A hallway.
A woman crying.
A little girl holding my hand.
I stepped back.
“No…”
Evelyn looked at me.
“Claire?””
I touched my forehead.
Images flashed.
Not clear.
Not complete.
But real.
I had been here.
Before.
Charles whispered:
“You didn’t discover the hidden room.””
May you like
The entire room went still.
“You remembered it.””
