Chapter 6: The Secret Behind Victoria Cross
I spent the entire afternoon reading through the reports.
Every page revealed another piece of a story I never knew existed.
Victoria wasn't just Adrian's assistant.
She had been carefully positioning herself for months.
She convinced him to replace loyal executives.
She encouraged him to separate from old advisors.
She told him that people from his past were holding him back.
Including me.
The same people who helped him become successful.
Margaret placed another file on my desk.
"This one is different.""
I looked up.
"What is it?""
She hesitated.
"Are you sure you want to know?""
I opened the folder.
Inside was a background report.
Victoria Cross.
Education.
Employment history.
Previous business connections.
Then I saw the name.
A name I recognized.
"Daniel Cross?""
Margaret nodded.
"Her father.""
I looked at her.
"Why does that matter?""
"Because Daniel Cross was one of the first people your father rejected as an investor.""
I read the information again.
Years ago, Daniel had approached my father wanting control over the company.
My father refused.
He believed Daniel cared more about power than building something meaningful.
And now his daughter was standing beside Adrian.
My husband.
The man who had everything to lose.
"She didn't love him," I whispered.
Margaret nodded.
"She needed him.""
I leaned back.
The pieces connected.
The public humiliation.
The sudden confidence.
The attempt to remove me from the picture.
Victoria didn't just want Adrian.
She wanted access.
But there was one thing I didn't understand.
"Why would Adrian believe her?""
Margaret looked at me sadly.
"Because she told him what he wanted to hear.""
That answer hurt.
Because it was true.
Adrian didn't choose Victoria because she was better.
He chose her because she made him feel powerful.
I closed the folder.
"What does she want now?""
Margaret placed another document down.
"A meeting.""
"With who?""
"Adrian.""
I frowned.
"Why?""
"Because she believes he's still useful.""
That evening, I watched from across the restaurant as Adrian sat across from Victoria.
Not because I wanted revenge.
Because I needed to understand.
Victoria looked different without the cameras.
Less confident.
More impatient.
She leaned forward.
"You need to fix this.""
Adrian looked exhausted.
"Fix what?""
"Your company.""
"My company?""
She paused.
Then corrected herself.
"Our future.""
Adrian laughed quietly.
"There is no future.""
Victoria's expression changed.
"You can't be serious.""
"I lost everything.""
She stared.
"No.""
Her voice became colder.
"You lost control.""
Adrian looked at her.
And for the first time, he saw her clearly.
"You never cared about me.""
Victoria didn't deny it.
That was the moment he finally understood.
Not because she admitted it.
Because she didn't need to.
She stood up.
"You were supposed to be unstoppable.""
Adrian looked away.
"You made me believe I was.""
Victoria picked up her purse.
"Then maybe you should have stayed that way.""
She walked out.
Adrian remained sitting alone.
I watched him for a moment.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Margaret.
One sentence.
*"Elena, you need to see what Adrian just discovered.""*
Attached was a photo of an old agreement.
The same agreement my father had made years ago.
But there was one detail I had never seen.
A hidden clause.
One that changed everything.
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Because according to that clause...
Adrian was never the only person who had signed away control.
