Chapter 5: The Woman Who Chose The Crown
Victoria had always been good at appearing loyal.
That was her talent.
She knew exactly when to smile.
Exactly when to touch Adrian's arm.
Exactly when to make him feel like he was the most powerful man in the world.
And Adrian loved that feeling.
The morning after the board meeting, I found him sitting alone in the empty living room.
No assistants.
No executives.
No cameras.
Just Adrian.
For the first time in years, he looked like the man I met before the money.
"You were right," he said.
I stopped walking.
Those words were so unexpected that I almost didn't recognize them.
"What?""
He looked up.
"I said you were trying to control me.""
He swallowed.
"But I was wrong.""
I stayed silent.
Because apologies from Adrian always came with conditions.
He continued.
"I lost myself.""
I looked at him.
"Did you?""
He frowned.
"What does that mean?""
"It means you didn't lose yourself, Adrian.""
I walked closer.
"You revealed yourself.""
His face tightened.
"I never meant to hurt you.""
"But you did.""
"I know.""
"Do you?""
He looked down.
For once, he didn't have an answer.
I sat across from him.
"Do you remember our first apartment?""
A faint smile appeared.
"The one with the broken heater?""
"You fixed it three times because you refused to call someone.""
He laughed quietly.
"I thought I could fix anything.""
"You did fix things.""
I paused.
"Until you started breaking the things that mattered.""
The silence between us felt heavier than anger.
Then his phone rang.
Again.
This time, he didn't want to answer.
But he did.
"Victoria.""
I couldn't hear her voice.
I only watched his expression.
Confusion.
Disbelief.
Then embarrassment.
"Where are you?""
A pause.
"You left?""
Another pause.
His eyes closed.
"I thought we were together.""
I almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
Because I remembered being the person on the other end of that kind of pain.
The person wondering why someone suddenly stopped choosing you.
Adrian ended the call.
"She left.""
I nodded.
"I know.""
He looked surprised.
"You knew?""
"Margaret informed me.""
"She took the apartment I bought her.""
I looked at him.
"No.""
His face changed.
"What?""
"You rented that apartment under company benefits.""
He stared.
"The car?""
"Company lease.""
"The jewelry?""
"Purchased through a corporate account.""
His shoulders dropped.
Everything he thought he gave her was disappearing.
Because everything Adrian touched belonged to the same foundation he betrayed.
"She never loved me," he whispered.
I didn't answer.
Because that wasn't a question.
It was something he needed to admit to himself.
Later that evening, I went to my father's old office.
I hadn't entered the room since he passed away.
The smell of old leather and cedar filled the space.
On his desk was a small wooden box with my name written on it.
Inside was a letter.
My father's handwriting.
I unfolded it carefully.
"Elena, if you are reading this, it means Adrian forgot the promise he made.""
My heart stopped.
I kept reading.
"I believed in him because I saw your kindness reflected in him. But kindness without honesty becomes a weakness others can exploit.""
I closed my eyes.
There was one final paragraph.
"The company is yours. The assets are yours. But the decision about Adrian should not be made from anger. Make it from clarity.""
I sat there for a long time.
Because my father knew.
He knew Adrian might change.
Or he knew Adrian might not.
The next morning, I returned to headquarters.
I expected anger.
I expected arguments.
Instead, I found something else.
A crowd of employees standing outside the main entrance.
And when they saw me, they began clapping.
I froze.
I didn't understand.
Then an employee named Sarah stepped forward.
"Mrs. Vale.""
I smiled.
"It's Elena.""
She nodded.
"Elena.""
Her eyes filled with tears.
"We've been waiting for you.""
I looked around.
"Why?""
Sarah looked toward the building.
"Because Adrian fired anyone who questioned him.""
My expression changed.
"What?""
She handed me a folder.
Not documents.
Not contracts.
Employee complaints.
Years of them.
And at the bottom of the stack was a report with one name highlighted.
Victoria Cross.
The woman Adrian had chosen over me.
May you like
The woman who claimed she was his future.
The woman who apparently had been planning something much bigger than anyone realized.
